Readifolk 🎶🪕🎻🪗🎵

@readifolk.bsky.social

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Making Sunday night Folk Music night in Reading UK since 1982. Visit 🌐 www.readifolk.org.uk to find out more and 🌐📻🛜 readifolkradio.bsky.social our weekly podcast brought to you by members of the club.

Graphic advertising Readifolk's theme night "The Road Less Travelled" on Sunday 16th August.
There are shapes of musical notes and instruments as well a silhouette of Reading's Maiwand Lion. In the centre is an image of a track in the hills.
The venue is Watlington House Community Hall, accessed on foot from South Street in Reading. The postcode is RG1 4RA. The cost is £3 cash on the door (free if you are under-25) and you bring your own refreshments.

Mashup of images of our colourful flyer for Sunday's singers' night. There are images of musical notes and instruments as well as flowers and Reading's Maiwand Lion. The start time is 8pm and the venue is Watlington House Hall, RG1 4RA, access on foot from South Street, £3 cash on the door.

Image advertising Readifolk's singers' night at 8pm on Sunday 2nd August.
The image is colourful with a green and blue background and shapes of musical notes and instruments.
The venue is Watlington House Community Hall, accessed on foot from South Street in Reading. The postcode is RG1 4RA. The cost is £3 cash on the door (free if you are under-25) and you bring your own refreshments.

List of songs shared at Readifolk's theme night "The Dog Days of Summer". The background is orange and yellow and there is an image of a relaxed-looking dog. The list of songs: Walking the Riverbank (original), Raindrops are Fallin' on my Head, Summertime, I Like to Rise when the Sun Rises, Galway Girl, The Dog that Fouls the Pavements Up in Harlow, As I Went Out One Morning Fair, Rocket Man, My Darling Nancy, Last Day Summer Holiday 1959 (original reading), Summer Wine, The Wild Rover, The Spirit of the Land Survives, Barges, Here Comes the Sun, Sunshine on my Shoulders Makes Me Happy, Those Magic Changes (from Grease), As Soon As I Touched My Seaweed, Summer Rain, Lazy Sunny Afternoon, Harvest Moon, Dark-Eyed Sailor, Hound Dog, Walking the Dog, Seven Little Girls Sitting on the Back Seat, The Hunting Song (original), Mississippi Summer, You Can Close Your Eyes, Mock Tudor Seduction (original reading), Sunny Goodge Street, Don't Worry Be Happy, How Much is That Doggy in the Window, Donkey Riding

Collage of colourful flyers advertising sessions at Readifolk over the Summer. These are: 26th July - theme night - The Dog Days of Summer, 2nd August - Singers' Night, 16th August - Theme Night - The Road Less Travelled, 23rd August - Singers' Night and 30th August - Theme Night - Friends Like These.
The flyers are in summery colours with images of musical instruments and notation, and the theme night flyers have images related to the theme.

Collage of images advertising Sunday's theme night at the club. Colours are bright red, orange and yellow, with images of musical instruments, notation and a sleepy dog. All are set against a background of wavy yellow stripes.

Graphic advertising Readifolk's theme night "Dog Days of Summer" on Sunday 26th July.
There are shapes of musical notes and instruments as well a silhouette of Reading's Maiwand Lion. In the centre is an image of a dog lying down, perhaps in the heat. The main colours are yellow, orange and red.
The venue is Watlington House Community Hall, accessed on foot from South Street in Reading. The postcode is RG1 4RA. The cost is £3 cash on the door (free if you are under-25) and you bring your own refreshments.

List of songs and tunes shared. In the background are the colours of the French flag: blue, white and red. Here's the list: La Marseillaise, La Vie en Rose, Haul Away Joe, Branle des Cheveaux, Banks of Green Willow, Pink Martini - Sympathique, La Mer, The Downfall of Paris, Waterloo Sunset, Plaisir d'Amour, Hissez Haut Santiano, Liberté Égalite! Fraternité, San Francisco, I Love Paris, Parlez-Vous, Chevalier de la Table Ronde, Parlez-moi d'Amour, We Have Got a Banksy (original), Je Ne Sais Quoi (poem), Marching Inland, Turn Around, Fareweel Regality, Shine Ona, Harvest Moon, Pauvre Rute Boeuf, Titanium, La Montagne, Donnez-Moi la Main [End of list]

Set of adverts for the events listed in the post

Graphic advertising Readifolk's theme night "Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité" on Sunday 12th July.
There are shapes of musical notes and instruments as well a silhouette of Reading's Maiwand Lion. In the centre is a group of people period clothes. One man is speaking with his arm raised. The others are listening and looking to speak too. The main colours are red, white and blue, the colours of the Tricoleur, the national flag of France.
The venue is Watlington House Community Hall, accessed on foot from South Street in Reading. The postcode is RG1 4RA. The cost is £3 cash on the door (free if you are under-25) and you bring your own refreshments.
The poster also includes a QR code, leading to www.readifolk.org.uk and social media icons for @readifolk on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram.

Image of two lists collected at Readifolk on 6th July, 2026: Folk Songs of America and "The Places". List of Folk Songs of America (the list surrounds an image of the Statue of Liberty.): American Pie, Geronimo (original)), Lament, Passing Through Tulsa, Man of Constant Sorrow, Never Be Silent (orig), New York Girls, Carolina in my Mind, You Ain't Got the Do-re-mi, How to Banish a Bugaboo, Reading (leaving America), All Along the Verdigris, America, With God on Our Side, Long Way From Your Mountain, The Night they Drove Old Dixie Down, Sitting on the Dock of the Bay), This Land is Your Land, House of the Rising Sun, Loss of the Holdens (orig), Howlin' at the Moon, You're so Vain, Lyin' Eyes, Country Roads, Simple Gifts, Jolene, Fishing. END OF THIS LIST List of Places we "visited" (there is a map of the United States of America faintly visible in the background): Arkansas, Blue Ridge Mountains, Cape Girardeau, California, Carolina, Colorado, Danville, Detroit, Georgia, Hampton River, Kansas, Kentucky, Lake Michigan, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Saginaw, San Francisco Bay, Saratoga, Shenandoah River, Tennessee, Tulsa, Virginia, West Virginia. END OF LISTS

Listing with information about Readifolk and list of events
Club information: Sundays 8-10.30pm,
Watlington House Hall, entrance from South Street, Reading, RG1 4RA
Pay cash on the door: Singers' nights £3 (free for under-25s), Guest nights £10 (£5 for under-25s)
Readifolk is on socinl media @readifolk.
What's on...
SUMMER SINGERS’ NIGHTS and THEME NIGHTS
Informal nights where you make the music. Theme nights are singers’ nights where
we share songs and tunes linked (however loosely!) to a theme. Singers and players
of all levels of skill and experience are welcome (and welcome too to come to listen).
JULY
5th Songs of America – plenty of scope with this theme!
12th Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité – French songs or songs of revolution?
19th Singers’ Night
26th Dog Days of Summer - Hot. Summer days or animal songs?
AUGUST
2nd Singers’ Night
9th Club closed
16th The Road Less Travelled – songs of travel or songs of solitude?
23rd Singers’ Night
30th Friends Like These – what sort of friends? You decide!
SEPTEMBER PROGRAMME
Back to our mix of guest nights and singers/theme nights
6th – Club closed (Wallingford Bunkfest)
13th WE MAVERICKS - Australian duo whose sound has been described as “contemp-folk, altcountry and acoustic-pop…”
20th – Singers’ Night
27th STEVE TURNER - Folksinger and multi-instrumentalist, described as “the foremost
concertina player of his generation”

List of songs, tunes and readings on the theme "Fanny and Willy": Swan Song (by Fanny Mendelsohn), Original song about Fanny & Willy, Fanny Power, The Weight (Take a Load Off Fanny), Fanny Frail, Fanny’s Fancy, Peter's Private Army, Only Toast Crumpets for One, James, (Fanny) Irwin, Lakes of Champlain, Don't Go Out Tonight, Dear Father, You're Welcome, Willie Stewart, Pretty Peggy-O, Willy o'Winsbury, Tell Me Ma, Lovely on the Water, Always On My Mind (Willie Nelson), Sparrow's Point, You are Old, Father William, Nicholas Too, Bold Fisherman, Billy in the Low Ground, The Bay of Biscay, The Beauty of the Farming Boy, Roseville Fair (by Bill Staines), Bold William Taylor, Sheep crook and Black Dog, Will You Come to the Bar, Wild Mountain Thyme END OF LIST

Graphic advertising Readifolk's theme night "Fanny and Willy" on Sunday 28th June.
There are shapes of musical notes and instruments as well a silhouette of Reading's Maiwand Lion. In the centre there are two figures dressed in period clothes.
The venue is Watlington House Community Hall, accessed on foot from South Street in Reading. The postcode is RG1 4RA. The cost is £3 cash on the door (free if you are under-25) and you bring your own refreshments.

Collage of adverts for liv music in and around Reading this week: Monday - open mic at The Castle Tap, Wednesday unplugged session at The Castle Tap, Thursday unplugged singers' night at Maidenhead Folk Club, Friday Open Mic at The Butler, Saturday gig in the garden at The Flowing Spring "The Trembling Wilburys" followed by football and Sunday is a theme night "Fanny and Willy" at Readifolk.

Daria Kulesh (dressed in red and lit by spotlighting) leads the Readifolk audience (in shadow) in song.

Calendar for Readifolk's sessions on 21st June (Daria Kulesh), 28th June (Theme Night - Fanny and Willy), 5th July (Theme Night - Songs of America), 12th July (Theme Night - Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité), 19th July (Singers' Night) and 26th July (Theme Night - Dog Days of Summer). The fullecalendar is on www.tockify.com/readifolk.

Collage of posters advertising three events: Katie Grace Harris and Laren South + David Mitchell at Ace Space in Newbury, Peppard Unplugged's variety of musical acts, both on Saturday 13th June, plus Readifolk's Singers' Night on Sunday 14th June.

Image advertising Readifolk's singers' night at 8pm on Sunday 14th June.
The image is tinted orange, giving a retro vibe and there are shapes of musical notes and instruments.
The venue is Watlington House Community Hall, accessed on foot from South Street in Reading. The postcode is RG1 4RA. The cost is £3 cash on the door (free if you are under-25) and you bring your own refreshments.
There are social media icons for @readifolk on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram.

List of songs on the theme "Protest Songs" set on a background of shapes of peace symbols, a pen, raised fist, open bars and a rose. The songs listed are: Between the Wars, Bread and Roses, A Noise Annoys an Oyster, Act of God, The Tolpuddle Man, Now Listen, Son (original), Pretty Boy Floyd, Wainamalo Blues, When the Ship Comes In
Paradise, A Hill of Little Shoes, Where Have All the Flowers Gone, 4th June, 1989, Bella Ciao, The Graveyard (original), The Goose and the Common
In Tall Buildings, Iron Hand, This Land is Your Land, Which Side Are You On?, The Bovril's With the Gravy, Now is the Time, Close the, Coalhouse Door, Joe Hill, Viva la Quinta Brigada, Walkin' Boss, Working Man Blues, Poachers Bold, The Warriors of Love and Light (original), The Rising of the Women, This One's not going to End Well, The Sun is Burning

Graphic collage advertising Readifolk's theme night "Protest Songs" on Sunday 7th June.
There are shapes of musical notes, instruments and flowers. In the centre there are protest placards with the words "Theme Night" and "Protest Songs".
The venue is Watlington House Community Hall, accessed on foot from South Street in Reading. The postcode is RG1 4RA. The cost is £3 cash on the door (free if you are under-25) and you bring your own refreshments.

Graphic advertising Readifolk's theme night "Protest Songs" on Sunday 7th June.
There are shapes of musical notes and instruments as well a silhouette of Reading's Maiwand Lion. In the centre there are protest placards with the words "Theme Night" and "Protest Songs".
The venue is Watlington House Community Hall, accessed on foot from South Street in Reading. The postcode is RG1 4RA. The cost is £3 cash on the door (free if you are under-25) and you bring your own refreshments.
The poster also includes a QR code, leading to www.readifolk.org.uk and social media icons for @readifolk on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram.

Photo of Johnny Coppin playing guitar at Readifolk. johnny is dressed casually in blue striped shirt and jeans. There is another guitar in the background.

Photo of Johnny Coppin with the words "celebrating 50 years as a solo singer-songwriter". There are quotes from Mike Silver "His ear for melody is remarkable, his musicianship outstanding" and Karen Tweed "His songwriting brings joy and moves my heart beyond words." There's the web address www.johnnycoppin.co.uk.

Ads for Sunday sessions, including with Johnny Coppin 31st May and Daria Kulesh 21st June, Theme nights "Protest Songs" on 7th June and "Fanny & Willy" on 28th June and a singers' night on 14th June.

Photo of Jack Rutter playing guitar in the walled garden outsideRehdifolkein the early evening sun

Jack Rutter playing guitar outside in the early evening light. In the background is a formal walled gaden

An image advertising Jack Rutter at Readifolk on 24th Mny. In the centre is a photo of Jack Rutter playing guitar with the sky behind him. jack is dressed casually in checked shirt and a cap on his head. Around the photo are shapes of musical notation, flowers and musical instruments set against a golden brown background.

Image advertising Readifolk's singers' night at 8pm on Sunday 17th May.
The image is colourful with a green and blue background and shapes of musical notes and instruments.
The venue is Watlington House Community Hall, accessed on foot from South Street in Reading. The postcode is RG1 4RA. The cost is £3 cash on the door (free if you are under-25) and you bring your own refreshments.
There is a QR code, leading to www.readifolk.org.uk and social media icons for @readifolk on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram.

Songs about hard times, what leads to hard times, what hard times can drive people to do, getting out of hard times, comfort and help in hard times...

Hard Times Come Again No More,
Back in Abertavery Ten Miles frcm the Sea,
Hard Times,
The Quiet Joys of Brotherhood,
Yellow Handkerchief,
William Brown,
When this Old Hat was New,
Old Fisherman,
"Pity a Poor Drunkard's Child" reading,
Working Man Blues,
Walking in my Shoes,
Rigs of the Time,
The Treadmill Song,
You've Got a Friend,
The Half Crown Song,
Daddy's Gone to Knoxville,
Ain't Got No Home in this World Any More,
Buddy Can You Spare Me a Dime,
I Ain't Gonna Be Treated This Way,
The Slaves Lament,
Povery Knocks,
Don't Start (poem),
Born in the Blues,
This Land is Your Land (UK adaptation),
Wait Till the Work Comes Round (music hall song),
Lord I'm Tired,
Bella Ciao,
Hard Times of Old England,
Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word,
The Cold Coast of Iceland,
As I Roved Out,
Sheep Crook and Black Dog

Graphic advertising Readifolk's theme night "Hard Times" on Sunday 3rd May.
There are shapes of musical notes and instruments as well a silhouette of Reading's Maiwand Lion. In the centre is an old photograph of dense brick housing next to a brick-built viaduct.
The venue is Watlington House Community Hall, accessed on foot from South Street in Reading. The postcode is RG1 4RA. The cost is £3 cash on the door (free if you are under-25) and you bring your own refreshments.
The poster also includes a QR code, leading to www.readifolk.org.uk and social media icons for @readifolk on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram.

Collage of posters advertising sessions at Readifolk. All sessions are at 8pm at Watlington House Hall, access on foot from South Street RG1 hRA. Guest nights are £10 (£5 for under-25s) and singers'/theme nights are £3 (free for under 25s). The events are:
3rd May - Theme Night - Hard Times
17th May - Singers' Night
24th May - Guest - Jack Rutter
31st May - Guest - Johnny Coppin
7th June - Theme - Protest Songs
14th June - Singers' Night
21st June - Guest - Daria Kulesh
28th June - Theme - Fanny & Willy

List of songs, tunes and miscellany that were shared at Readifolk's "England" night. The list is set against a faint image of a map of England. Last of the Summer Wine theme tune, Reading's My Town (original), Benjamin Bowmaneer, A Place Called England, English Ale, Sportsman's Hornpipe, Reading based on the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, As I Walked Out One May Morning, The Blame for the State of this Nation of Ours, If I was a Blackbird, Over the Hills and Far Away, The Lincolnshire Poacher, The New St George, Madam Geneva's, A Very English Thing, I Was Riding on a Reading Bus... (original), When I was a Lad Growing Up in West Kent (original), Farewell Regality, High Barbary, John Ball, Sonnet (original poem), The Farmer's Cursed Wife, Roll Alabama, I'd Rather Die on the Ocean, From Breton to Porlock Bay, When the Old Dun Cow Caught Fire, Iron Hand, Poem about England Days, Drink Old England Dry, The Joy of Living, I Wish I Was Back in Liverpool, Enrico, Poem about cycling in Reading (original), The Cruel Ship's Carpenter, Piper, Botany Bay (from Whitby Town), Fisher Lad of Whitby, Sailing to Philadelphia (from England)

Flyer advertising Readifolk's "Theme Night Songs of England" There are images of musical instruments and red and white roses, set against a sepia background which imparts a nostalgic feel. Details of the event are: Sunday 26th April, 8pm, Watlington House Hall, Reading, RG1 4RA - £3 cash on the door, under 25s Free

Screenshots of Facebook events:
The Castle Tap Session shows a collage of photos of people singing and playing music in a pub. The event details are 8pm on Wednesday 22nd April at The Cvstle Tap on Castle Street in Reading.
The Browns at Maidenhead Folk Club has a photo of the duo from Norfolk, with a start time 8pm and venue Elizabeth House, Station Hill, Cookham.

Graphic advertising Readifolk's theme night "Songs of England" on Sunday 26th April.
There are images of musical notes and instruments as well as red and white roses. In the centre is an old-fashioned map of England.
The venue is Watlington House Community Hall, accessed on foot from South Street in Reading. The postcode is RG1 4RA. The cost is £3 cash on the door (free if you are under-25) and you bring your own refreshments.
The poster also includes a QR code, leading to www.readifolk.org.uk and social media icons for @readifolk on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram.

Dan McKinnon playing guitar and singing at Readifolk. The walls behind Dan are wood panelling and there is a banner advertising the club. Dan is sitting and dressed casually in jeans and a dark red shirt.

Photo of Dan McKinnon singing and playing guitar under stage lighting. There is information about Dan's gig at Readifolk: Sunday 19th April 8pm at Watlington House Hall, access from South Street Reading, RG1 4RA. Pay £10 cash on the door (under-25s £5). The photo is surrounded by shapes of music instruments, musiqal notation, flowers and reading's Maiwand Lion, all in black on a golden yellow background which matches the glow of the stage lighting.

Photo of Dan McKinnon singing and playing guitar under stage lighting. There is information about Dan's gig at Readifolk: Sunday 19th April 8pm at Watlington House Hall, access from South Street Reading, RG1 4RA. Pay £10 cash on the door (under-25s £5). The photo is surrounded by shapes of music instruments, musiqal notation, flowers and reading's Maiwand Lion, all in black on a golden yellow background which matches the glow of the stage lighting.

Collage of images advertising Readifolk sessions from April to June. Guests are: Dan McKinnon 19th April, Jack Rutter 24th May, Johnny Coppin 31st May and Daria Kulesh 21st June. Theme nights are: Songs of England 26th April, Hard Times 3rd May, Protest Songs 7th June and Fanny & Willy 28th June. There are singers' nights on 17th May and 14th June.

Photo of Den Miller singing and playing autoharp at Readifolk. Den is standing behind a keyboard. He is dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt.

Image of list of songs shared at Readifolk on 5th April, 2026. The image is colourful with a green and yellow background and pink images of musical notes. The songs and tunes (some self-penned) included: Steel and Stone, Farewell to Regality, Fiddler’s Green,Thousands or More, Both Sides the Tweed, Act of God, No Frontiers, Getting Up Early, Carrickfergus, Forever Young, May Morning Dew, Heartwood, Pace-egging, Going to the River, Who’s the Fool Now?, Uncle Bernard’s, Drunken Sailor, Mlle from Armentières, MacNamara’s Reel, Teeth, Veggies, The Farmer’s Toast, The Dog Who Fouls the Pavements up in Harlow, Love Will Never Fade, It Ain’t Me Babe, Felton Lonnen, Lord of the Dance, Were You There?