Fingerpicking Delights VI Guitar Showcase for Christchurch

Concert founder Tony Hale cordially invites you to tonight’s edition of this long-running guitar showcase. The five acts are jam-packed with talent, with guitars navigating solos and backing singers whose material will not just be in English.

Stepping up from a popular support role last year, our headline act is anchored by a 7-string guitar and flute, and playing bossa nova rhythms. You can enjoy Clube do Choro’s jam sessions at A Rolling Stone on Friday nights and even join in if you are a good note-reader.

Guitarist Julien Pringot and flutist wife Marianne Bedin hail from France while Renata Rubini sings in her native Portuguese and English. They will be augmented by some of the many friends they play with.

Professional musician David Thorpe has played at the Folk Club under different names – Davey Backyard and Li’l Chuck, and backed Judi Smitheram on harmonica, while at a recent Canterbury Folk Festival he tutored a songwriting workshop. Tonight, he is welcomed to Fingerpicking Delights as an acoustic guitar player and singer of the old-time blues.

Sure to capture attention is Jonathan Le Cocq, making a rare appearance as a solo guitarist. Known better for his rhythmic-melodic counterpoint to Tessa White’s fiddle and mandolin in the Celtic duo Entrada, Jonathan is a skilled fingerpicking composer and exponent of Leo Kottke’s tunes. Tessa will join him near the end of his set.

Tony Hale has been exploring the role of fingerpicked guitar in popular song. He continues this with long-time collaborator Kristina Godfrey, seen most recently at the Folk Club singing alongside Andy Thompson. We can expect open-tunings for Joni Mitchell songs, an Adele reworking of a Cure standard and maybe a Christchurch song!

Dynamic singing and guitaring duo The Remnants shoot for “a clean, uncluttered, and delightful acoustic sound.” They have cemented themselves as firm Folk Club favourites and it’s great to have them back. Bruce Penno and Rob Allan will sample from their songbag that includes Bruce Cockburn, Simon & Garfunkel, Crowded House, Jason Mraz and more.

Izzy Miller Bell will jolly us along through compering the evening.

This concert generally attracts near-capacity crowds so members should consider pre-
booking.

Extract from a 2020 review: “At the conclusion of the concert I glanced at my watch and was surprised to find it was after 10 pm. The concert was so good I’d lost track of the time” – Russell Dann.

Doors open 7pm. Performance starts at 7.30pm, you will get a seat if you arrive close to 7pm.

The hall is situated up the long driveway, directly next to Domain Park, and there is plenty of well-lit off-street parking.

DOOR SALES CASH ONLY, please bring correct change if possible.

Current COVID restrictions will apply: signing in will be required, please wear a mask and observe social distancing, chairs will be arranged for "bubble" seating.The Irish Society bar facilities will be closed until Level 1.

Tea, coffee, biscuits and cake available during the break.