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LINE-UP UPDATE!!!We could not be happier or more excited to announce that the final piece of the line-up jigsaw for the IFoF 2026 will be the one and only Simon Nicol of Fairport Convention who will be Matthew Bannister's interview guest.
What was already "WHAT A LINE-UP!!!" has just got even better!
Come rain or come shine the fourth Indoor Festival of Folk takes place under the roof of the spiritual home of British folk music, Cecil Sharp House in London on Saturday the 7th of February co-hosted by EFDSS and us.
And we are delighted to announce that joining us on the day will be the collectively wonderful Ellie Gowers, Lisa Knapp and Gerry Divers, Chris Wood AND Maddy Prior and Peter Knight together!!!
Still to be announced is the special interview guest of Matthew Bannister.....watch this space.
So do join us for folk, food, facilities and a nice warm winter sit down all in the company of....
Maddy Prior and Peter Knight
As legends of British folk music Maddy and Peter require absolutely no introduction and to list their achievements would fill an entire website. The only thing to say is that we are absolutely over the moon to have them playing a specially prepared duo set for us and the only word to describe this is "unmissable"!
Chris Wood
A self-taught musician, composer and song writer, Chris is a lifelong autodidact whose independent streak shines through everything he does. Always direct and unafraid to speak his mind, his song writing has been praised for its surgical clarity. He cites his major influence as “Anon” and collaborators include Martin Carthy, Dizraeli, Billy Bragg, Andy Cutting, Andy Irvine, Karine Polwart, Jean Francois Vrod, The Imagined Village, Hugh Lupton, Martin Butler and many others. On stage, he has the air of a craftsman who no longer needs to be precious about his art and without any apparent effort he reaches deep into an enviable repertoire of songs before revealing another gem.
Lisa Knapp and Gerry Diver
This dynamic duo fuses their deep-seated love for English and Irish folk traditions into a vibrant project that’s as grounded in tradition as it is daring in innovation. With Lisa's distinctive voice and her skill in weaving the ancient with the contemporary, alongside Gerry’s fiddle virtuosity and trailblazing production, they’re crafting an auditory journey that honours the past while boldly stepping into new musical territories. This partnership is poised to enchant traditional folk purists and new seekers alike, promising a fresh, exhilarating spin on folk music’s timeless tales.
Ellie Gowers
Since emerging on the UK folk scene with her 2022 debut album Dwelling by the Weir, Ellie has captivated audiences with songs rooted in folklore, ecology, and the nuanced stories of her hometown, Warwick. Lauded by The Guardian as “full of delicacy, precision, and gentle delight,” the album established her as a compelling new presence on the UK touring circuit. While she remains deeply connected to the folk tradition, Ellie’s latest music marks a bold evolution in her sound, drawing inspiration from the likes of MIPSO and Jeff Buckley. Written in the wake of a demanding year on the road, her new material explores themes of distance, longing, and emotional duality, signalling a more expansive and contemporary direction in her songwriting.
The Magpie Arc
A cross-border band from Sheffield, Edinburgh and Arran featuring award-winning musicians Nancy Kerr, Findlay Napier, Tom Wright, Alex Hunter and tour guitarist, BBC Folk Award-winning Sam Carter. Formed to blend their songwriting and musicianship into a fresh take on the British folk rock sound of the '60s and '70s, the band quickly gained recognition for its unique mix of folk, rock, country, and prog-rock elements. Their debut album, Glamour In The Grey (2022), spent 12 months on the UK Official Folk Chart, debuting at number 9 and Mojo magazine compared it to Fairport Convention's ground-breaking 1969 release, calling it “Liege and Lief-affirming” with “an elemental racket.” Mark Radcliffe described The Magpie Arc on BBC Radio 2 as “Folk Rock with Led Zeppelin vibes” and Spiral Earth magazine noted “You owe it to yourself to catch this band as soon as you can. Capability, flair and originality rarely come so well wrapped.”
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regents Park Road, London, NW1 7AY, United Kingdom
Tickets
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.
