the virtual folk club - gtr. manchester
Welcome to the Virtual Folk Club
Here is compiled a wide range of sound and video recordings from as long ago as the mid 1970s.
Of course, given the age of some of the earlier recordings, the quality is, to say the least, 'variable' but regardless of the quality the content is a valuable record of performers and venues which provided the opportunity for thousands of people to perform, listen socialise and share their interest in live Folk Music.

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For convenience the content is divided
into sections.
Included are audio and video recordings
of former clubs and concerts, photographs
and other memorabilia such as posters,
flyers and tickets, and links to current
clubs and performers.
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THE STAR INN FOLK CLUB, SALFORD GO TO
PETE SMITH & JEANNY DENNY LISTEN HOWARD BOND LISTEN BLACK 'EDDS LISTEN
DICK MILES LISTEN THE TWO BEGGARMEN LISTEN HOLLERIN' POT LISTEN STEVE TURNER LISTEN
MARTIN CARTHY LISTEN
BRAM TAYLOR LISTEN
GENTLEMAN SOLDIER LISTEN
WITSEND LISTEN
STANLEY ACCRINGTON LISTEN
PAUL DOWNES LISTEN
HARRY OGDEN LISTEN
THE UNICORN F.C. MANCHESTER GO TO
SARA GREY LISTEN
SINGERS' NIGHT - 28.01.1984 LISTEN
SINGERS' NIGHT - 04.02.1984 LISTEN
SINGERS' NIGHT - 11.02.1984 LISTEN
SINGERS' NIGHT - 18.02.1984 LISTEN
MARK HEYWOOD & MALCOLM RAMSKILL LISTEN
THE UNICORN VILLAGE BAND - 03.03.1984 LISTEN
PETER COE - 10.03.1984 LISTEN
GORTON TANK - 12.05.1984 LISTEN SINGERS' NIGHT - 19.05.1984 LISTENSINGERS' NIGHT - 09.06.1984 LISTEN
SINGERS' NIGHT - 16.06.1984 LISTEN
LOL & JANET LUNCH - 02.06.1984 LISTEN
THE UNICORN VILLAGE BAND - 22.12.1984 LISTEN
FOLK ON THE HILL, MANCHESTER GO TO
SINGERS' NIGHT - 17.08.1990 LISTEN
SINGERS' NIGHT - 08.03.1991 LISTEN
LYNN & BARRY HARDMAN - 03.05.1991 LISTEN
HANK & THE WOLF - 09.08.1991 LISTEN
MARTIN GITTINS - 11.10.1991 LISTEN
PETE COWAP - 12.06.1992 LISTEN
January 21st 1976 - January 21st 1997
In November 1975 'Pint 'n' Half' (Martin Gittins and Rick Rybicki) stood in for Mike Canavan to play a gig at a small back street pub in Salford. They were immediately re-booked for a return gig in December and, they were so taken by the venue, they agreed with the landlord 'One-Armed Wally' Marshall that they agreed to try a regular weekly Folk Club starting in January of the following year. and so The Legend was born.
In the 23 years that followed the Star Inn Folk Club hosted a guest performer EVERY WEEK - a total of 1149 nights of live music, a record unlikely ever to be surpassed.
Residents in the beginning were Pint 'n' Half and 'Johnny Crescendo' (Alan Houldsworth) although Alan left after the first year or so. Later, when Rick moved to Todmorden and 'Pint 'n' Half was dissolved, Martin continued alone for several years before teaming up with long-time mate Bob Ashworth for the remaining years.
Below is a small selection of nights from the club including the last 40 minutes of the final night (which featured John Cartain, who had been the guest on the very first night, among a crowd of other performers.)


THE LEGENDARY STAR INN FOLK CLUB

AWAITING PHOTOGRAPH
PETE SMITH & JEANNY DENNY - MAY 12th 1982 (Recorded by Mark Dowding)
Martin Gittins - Andrew Rose, Ale
Mark Dowding - Brown Photographs, Man that’s growing old
Steve Woolley - Guitar Shuffle, Johnny Mars
Pete Smith & Jeanny Denny - Is your love in vain, Bonny Hawthorn,
Will you go to Flanders, Xmas Song, Heights of Alma, Fair Maids of February,
Hammer it Weld it, Banks of the Ponchartrain
Martin Gittins - Allouette
Kinigad Slashers - Belfast Hornpipe, Slow Air, 2 Reels
Pete Smith & Jeanny Denny - Jan Cole, Bonny Light Horseman,
Chinese Bumboat Man
HOWARD BOND - MAY 26th 1982
(Recorded by Mark Dowding - Photo by Roger Liptrot)
Pint & a Half - Sweeny’s Polka, Darcy Farrow, Dumpy Doodle.
Mark Dowding - Last Days of Steam, Man of the Earth.
Raymond (?) - Tunes on whistle.
Howard Bond - Frozen Rose, Man of the People, Maid of Coolmoor,
Café Armageddon, Passing Cloud, Daddy’s Sauce
Pint & a Half - Chastity Belt,
Mick Barkis - Big Rock Candy Mountain, The Very Thing
Steve Cowley - Electronic Guitar Tunes.
Howard Bond - Five minutes to midnight, In love without you, Grimaldi,
ody on the Line, Danny’s fiddle

BLACK 'EDDS - OCTOBER 5th 1983 (Recorded by Mark Dowding)
Black Edds - Boy Scouts, No Room For Me, Blow Ye Winds, Blue Suede Shoon,
A Sailor’s Life, Juke Box King, Isn’t It Strange, Jimmy Two Stroke
Tony Hill (R.I.P.) - Pit Disaster Song
Black Edds - Constable Larkins, Goodbye To Santa Claus, Underground,
It Beats the Grind, 8326105, Loving Doll

DICK MILES - OCTOBER 19th 1983
(Recorded by Mark Dowding - Photo by Roger Liptrot)
Dick Miles - Bonny Little Brown Jug, Tommy’s Lot, Sizewell Alphabet, Dunmow Flitch, Primrose Polka, The Rebel Soldier,
Dick Miles - Woodland Flowers, Richard the Third, No One With Endurance Like The Man From The Insurance, Lovely Nancy, Dill Pickle Rag, The Cock