Odd, unconventional melodies, poetic, sophisticated song-writing and the bewitching clarity of Kent-born, Canada-based Lucy Farrell’s voice are made elegant with sparse, careful accompaniment on tenor guitar and occasionally viola, carving out a unique niche for an artist at the forefront of contemporary English folk music. Immersed in folk culture and traditions from birth via her Morris-dancing, folk-club running family home in Kent, the Garden of England, Lucy studied Folk and Traditional music at Newcastle University and has gone on to…

Afro-infused grooves soaked in glorious folk harmony. Me and My Friends play soulful, poignant music with a beat, subtly incorporating vintage highlife and afrobeat grooves into elegant folk songwriting. The UK-based quintet create a timeless sound with a global outlook, performed with an infectious energy, and the result is instantly recognisable, highly original and truly genre-defying. The elegant voice and West African finger-picking guitar style of songwriter Nick Rasle is cradled by stunning vocal harmonies and the evocative combination of…

Moxie are an Alternative Folk band emerging from traditional Irish music roots. The band have travelled the world including a state visit to Vietnam, festivals and tours through the US, Canada, Australia and Europe. They released their second album in September 2021, ‘The Dawn of Motion’ described as a timeless body of work. With this album release, Moxie take a new direction driven by vibrant songs and avant-garde genres. This new venture has been perceived as “a sound that reflects…

See three of the best emerging English folk acts in HOME, the vibrant hub venue of Manchester Folk Festival. This event is a bustling club environment and a great way to end your night at Manchester Folk Festival. The event runs from 11pm - 1am. Due to the late nature of the event the age restriction is 18+ Artists featuring in Friday's festival club are: The Carrivick Sisters: The Carrivick Sisters are one of the UK's top young bluegrass and…

Part of Manchester Folk Festival 2022. Singer and bouzouki player Daoirí (pronounced ‘Derry’) Farrell is described by some of the biggest names in Irish folk music as one of most important singers to come out of Ireland in recent years. Six months after releasing the album ‘True Born Irishman’ Daoirí won two prestigious BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2017 for Best Newcomer and Best Traditional Track, and performed live at the awards ceremony at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Since then…

A unique new collaboration of English and Kashmiri folk music, Touchstone brings together four of the very finest UK based musicians in a special project of musical sharing and friendship. Working together over the summer of 2022, they explore their musical heritage ahead of creating a first ever fusion of Kashmiri and English folk music which premiers at Manchester Folk Festival 2022. Lala Qadeer is one of the most popular and versatile British Kashmiri artists. Hailing from a small village…

Part of Manchester Folk Festival 2022 Give your family a musical experience to remember with David Gibb’s Family Jukebox. Join David and his magical music Jukebox as he takes you on a trip through his hilarious and often surreal imagination, where wolves roam the school corridors, dragons live under the bed and teddy bears dance the night away at the disco. With lots of audience interaction and chances to join in, David’s songwriting draws from a wide range of musical…