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Webmaster: Martin Hughes
Folk Music/Song Sessions in Somerton, Ash and Street, Somerset
Somerton Irish and English Folk Music/Song sessions are currently held in the back bar of the White Hart Inn (opposite the church). The pub website is at http://www.pub explorer.com/somerset/pub/whitehartinnsomerton.htm .
Ash Traditional and Irish music Sessions are held in the main bar of the Bell Inn at Ash.The pub has a large car park (shared with the Village Hall) and a website at http://www.thebellinnash.co.uk .
Somerton non-folk acoustic Music/Song sessions, which cater for alternative tastes in music and song, are currently held in Unicorn Hotel, Somerton. The pub website is at http://www.unicorn somerton.co.uk .
Street music/song sessions are held in the Elms Inn, Street and cater for all tastes. The pub website (including contact information and directions) may be found at http://pubjury.com/pubs/42404 .
Sessions are mostly folk music (because that's how they got started) but singers are equally welcome. Due to licencing restrictions, the minimum age for admission is 16 years old (there is no maximum!). There is also a non-folk acoustic music session, held at the Unicorn Hotel, White Hart in Somerton, which caters for alternative tastes. Session dates and times can be found at the bottom of the web page.
There is no fixed programme, with the musical mix of each session determined by the musicians and singers who are there at the time. The Ash Traditional Music Sessions and Somerton English Sessions (as opposed to Irish) cover possibly the broadest range of folk music played in Somerset, with more French music added to the mix at the Somerton Sessions.
Somerton and Ash Irish sessions tend to be exclusively for Irish Music. I believe that the best way to find out if it's your scene is to pay us a visit and then decide from there, but please spread the word if you have enjoyed the sessions!
For further details about Somerton English Music Sessions, phone Martin Hughes on 01458-223123 or the White Hart on 01458-272314 or Email .
For further details of Somerton Irish Sessions, contact Laurie Phillips on 01458-274732 or the White Hart on 01458-272314 or Email .
For further details about The Ash Traditional Music Sessions, phone Martin Hughes on 01458-223123 or Geoff Turnbull on 01460 241875 or Email .
For further details about The Ash Irish Music Sessions, contact Laurie Phillips on 01458-274732 or Email .
For further details about Somerton Acoustic Music Sessions, phone Aaron Chubb on 01458-272632 or the Unicorn Hotel on 01458-272101 or Email .
For further details about Street music/song sessions contact Grahame Upham on 01458-834192 or the Elms Inn on 01458-442772 .
Changes/Announcements
Monthly Irish Sessons continue at The Bell Inn, Ash from Monday 2nd November.
The King's Head, Merriott, is now upgrading to a fortnightly session on Tuesday evenings, in between the Bell Sessions. The next ones are on 3rd and 17th November then fortnightly after that.
The next Acoustic (alternative to folk) Music/Song Session will be on Thursday 5th November at The Unicorn Hotel, Somerton.
The next Traditional Music/Song Sessions at The Bell Inn, Ash, are on Wednesdays 11th and 25th November. Our catchment area covers Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Wiltshire and really is “the place to be” in the Yeovil Area. A measure of our success as a session is summarised in Rob Hopcott's reviews of 160408 , 290508 and 080708 .
For musicians living in the Bristol/Mendip area, there will be a session at The Elms Inn, Street, on Wednesday 11th November (if you can't get as far as the Bell at Ash).
The next Somerton Irish Session, at The White Hart Inn, Somerton, will be on Thursday 12th November.
The Somerton English Music/Song Session, at The White Hart Inn, Somerton, is on Thursday 26th November. Our catchment area covers Somerset, Dorset and Devon and really is “the place to be” in Somerton. Read Rob Hopcott's review of 250408 .
If the new landlord proves to be music friendly, it is hoped that this year the Christmas Eve session will happen at The White Hart Inn, Somerton, as an English Music/Song Session.
Session Dates for 2009
The Bell Inn, Ash, Somerset (Directions) Traditional Folk Music/Song Sessions run fortnightly on Wednesdays (alternating with Over Stratton Folk Dance Club) from 8:30pm onwards on the following dates: November 11th and 25th, December 9th and 23rd.
The Bell Inn, Ash, Somerset (Directions) Irish Sessions run on the First Monday of the month from 8;30pm onwards on the following dates: November 2nd, December 7th .
The Unicorn Hotel, Somerton, Somerset (Directions) . Acoustic (alternative to folk) Sessions run on the First Thursday of the month from 8:30pm onwards on the following dates: November 5th, December 3rd.
The White Hart Inn, Somerton, Somerset (Directions) . Irish Sessions run on the Second Thursday of the month from 8:30pm onwards on the following dates: November 12th, December 10th.
The White Hart Inn, Somerton, Somerset (Directions) . English Sessions run on the Fourth Thursday of the month from 8:30pm onwards on the following dates: November 26th, December 24th (Christmas Eve).
The King's Head, Merriott, Somerset. Traditional Folk Music/Song Sessions run fortnightly on Tuesdays from 8:30pm onwards on the following dates: November 3rd and 17th, December 1st, 15th and 29th.
The Elms Inn, Street, Somerset . Music Sessions run on the Second Wednesday of the month from 8:30pm onwards on the following dates: November 11th, December 9th .
Sidmouth Folk Week runs from Friday 30th July to Friday 6th August 2010 inclusive. Martin will be there as part of the Loose Knit Band, who run the sessions in the Sailing and Sea Angling Club from Friday 30th July to Thursday 5th August inclusive starting at 8pm. Our regulars have fed back that we “play the broadest range of folk music in Sidmouth” and that our sessions are “the place to be!”. For reviews on this REALLY LARGE session, read Rob Hopcott's Sidmouth Reviews of 140408 , 080808 and 060409 .