Saturday 3rd May 2025

WATH FESTIVAL CONCERT with THE HUNCH and JAMES HAIGH

Admission: £10.00

Time: 8.00 p.m.

Location: Saint James' Rooms, Church Street, Wath upon Dearne, S63 7RD

It’s WATH FESTIVAL time again and Raising the Rafters is once again proud to be hosting the prestigious Saturday Night Concert with two amazingly talented performers.
JAMES HAIGH has made a huge name for himself both locally and nationally, having started his folk music journey right here in Wath upon Dearne. With an amazing guitar technique that is the envy of most musicians, James performs songs from all musical genres from classical to traditional and contemporary folk.
Headlining the night are the utterly incredible band THE HUNCH who describe themselves as “Hard hitting Irish, Americana & Latin Folk ….. with a generous dash of humour”
They’re led by none other than the legendary MICK DOONAN, founder member of Hedgehog Pie and a member of the Tyneside dynasty! Need we say more? Advance booking recommended for this one!

Saturday 10th May 2025

CONCERT FOR MS: TOM BLISS with CHARLIE BARKER & DEN MILLER

Admission: £15.00

Time: 8.00 p.m.

Location: THE BARN, ROCKINGHAM ARMS, 8, MAIN STR., WENTWORTH, S62 7TL

This has to be one of Raising the Rafters’ biggest and best fundraisers ever! Folk Music is returning to The Barn at The Rockingham Arms, Wentworth (home for many years of the legendary Rockingham Arms Folk Club) with a concert for the M.S. Society featuring a super - rare appearance by the internationally acclaimed songwriter and musician TOM BLISS with special guests CHARLIE BARKER, DEN MILLER and ALLAN & LIAM WILKINSON. What a night it’s going to be!
It’s a Ticket Only event with limited ticket numbers available …. Tickets on sale now at every Raising the Rafters Folk Club and Rafters Xtra.

Saturday 24th May 2025

RAFTERS Xtra

Admission: £3.00

Time: 8.00 p.m.

Location: Saint James' Rooms

Our popular monthly RAFTERS Xtra SINGERS NIGHT, giving a platform to our talented band of singers, musicians and poets. Turn up and play / sing / read (no booking necessary) ….. or just turn up and listen as part of the audience. The more the merrier! It’s a simple, informal format with no raffle, merchandise etc. - just wall to wall music all night. Come along and give it a try.

Saturday 14th June 2025

THE BREADED CHURCHMAN

Admission: £5.00

Time: 8.00 p.m.

Location: St. James Rooms, Church Str., Wath upon Dearne, S63 7RD

Steven Fletcher a.k.a. “The Breaded Churchman” has dropped into Raising the Rafters a couple of times and blew us away with his fantastic songs and amazing musical energy. Playing a twelve string guitar, he REALLY knows how to entertain! And tonight he’s coming back as our June 2025 Guest.
Want to know why he’s called “The Breaded Churchman”? Come along and find out!

Saturday 28th June 2025

RAFTERS Xtra

Admission: £3.00

Time: 8.00 p.m.

Location: Saint James' Rooms

Our popular monthly RAFTERS Xtra SINGERS NIGHT, giving a platform to our talented band of singers, musicians and poets. Turn up and play / sing / read (no booking necessary) ….. or just turn up and listen as part of the audience. The more the merrier! It’s a simple, informal format with no raffle, merchandise etc. - just wall to wall music all night. Come along and give it a try.

Saturday 12th July 2025

MOUNTAIN HARES

Admission: £5.00

Time: 8.00 p.m.

Location: Saint James' Rooms, Church Str., Wath upon Dearne, S63 7RD,

Mountain hares are a duo playing a mixture of original and traditional folk music on a wide range of instruments ….. guitar, piano, harmonium, banjo, lap steel dobro and Native American flute. With all that lot in the room I wonder if there will be room for any audience? Don’t worry - we will squeeze you in ! And it will be worth it because Mountain Hares have built up a reputation for excellent, participative music . And with a name like Mountain Hares their charity is especially appropriate …. We will be supporting THE WILDLIFE TRUST.

Saturday 26th July 2025

RAFTERS Xtra

Admission: £3.00

Time: 8.00 p.m.

Location: Saint James' Rooms

Our popular monthly RAFTERS Xtra SINGERS NIGHT, giving a platform to our talented band of singers, musicians and poets. Turn up and play / sing / read (no booking necessary) ….. or just turn up and listen as part of the audience. The more the merrier! It’s a simple, informal format with no raffle, merchandise etc. - just wall to wall music all night. Come along and give it a try.

Saturday 9th August 2025

LOS PIRANHAS

Admission: £5.00

Time: 8.00 p.m.

Location: Saint James' Rooms

There’s something fishy about these guys! Let’s hope that their bark is worse than their bite
. Actually, it’s nothing to worry about ….. LOS PIRANHAS is the new name for our old friends COMMON GROUND who have a slightly different line up, hence the change of name. The great music, fun and energy is still there though.

Saturday 23rd August 2025

RAFTERS Xtra

Admission: £3.00

Time: 8.00 p.m.

Location: Saint James' Rooms

Our popular monthly RAFTERS Xtra SINGERS NIGHT, giving a platform to our talented band of singers, musicians and poets. Turn up and play / sing / read (no booking necessary) ….. or just turn up and listen as part of the audience. The more the merrier! It’s a simple, informal format with no raffle, merchandise etc. - just wall to wall music all night. Come along and give it a try.

Saturday 13th September 2025

REMEMBER THE COAL by Alan Wood & John Snook

Admission: £5.00

Time: 8.00 p.m.

Location: Saint James' Rooms

Something a bit different this month! Raising the Rafters is delighted to host a performance of the highly acclaimed musical documentary about the Mining Industry “Remember The Coal”, which tells the story of the industry from its earliest days until its ultimate closure. Moving, informative, funny and occasionally unbearably sad , this powerful play contains over a dozen original Alan Wood songs that bring the narrative to life. Proceeds from the night will be donated to the charity “ Quilts For The Longest Day”, a charity caring for homeless ex servicemen.

Saturday 27th September 2025

RAFTERS Xtra

Admission: £3.00

Time: 8.00 p.m.

Location: Saint James' Rooms

Our popular monthly RAFTERS Xtra SINGERS NIGHT, giving a platform to our talented band of singers, musicians and poets. Turn up and play / sing / read (no booking necessary) ….. or just turn up and listen as part of the audience. The more the merrier! It’s a simple, informal format with no raffle, merchandise etc. - just wall to wall music all night. Come along and give it a try.

Saturday 11th October 2025

DEN MILLER

Admission: £5.00

Time: 8.00 p.m.

Location: Saint James' Rooms

DEN MILLER went down a storm at our October club in 2024 with the organisers being besieged with requests for us to book him again! An incredibly talented singer/songwriter , Den writes songs both humorous and very profound. So one year on from his Rafters’ debut ….. he’s back.

Saturday 25th October 2025

RAFTERS Xtra

Admission: £3.00

Time: 8.00 p.m.

Location: Saint James' Rooms

Our popular monthly RAFTERS Xtra SINGERS NIGHT, giving a platform to our talented band of singers, musicians and poets. Turn up and play / sing / read (no booking necessary) ….. or just turn up and listen as part of the audience. The more the merrier! It’s a simple, informal format with no raffle, merchandise etc. - just wall to wall music all night. Come along and give it a try.

Saturday 8th November 2025

JACK’S RAKE

Admission: £5.00

Time: 8.00 p.m.

Location: Saint James' Rooms

Prepare for a wall of sound to welcome in cold November! Mark, Catherine, Hannah, Rob, Becky and Claire are all accomplished musicians in their own field, but put them together and you get a band that’s greater than the sum of its parts! Two fantastic flautists, guitar, mandolin, violin , bodhran to name but a few. A fantastic evening of music guaranteed.

Saturday 22 November 2025

RAFTERS Xtra

Admission: £3.00

Time: 8.00 p.m.

Location: Saint James' Rooms

Our popular monthly RAFTERS Xtra SINGERS NIGHT, giving a platform to our talented band of singers, musicians and poets. Turn up and play / sing / read (no booking necessary) ….. or just turn up and listen as part of the audience. The more the merrier! It’s a simple, informal format with no raffle, merchandise etc. - just wall to wall music all night. Come along and give it a try.

Saturday 13th December 2025

KOOTCH

Admission: £5.00

Time: 8.00 p.m.

Location: Saint James' Rooms

What a way to end a fantastic year! Our old friends KOOTCH are back - a.k.a. Beth Lilleyman, Dean Lilleyman, Katie Campbell and Ian Tilbrook. They play traditional, contemporary and songs that they have composed themselves on guitar, twelve string guitar, fiddle and mandolin. And they’re great run

Saturday 10th January 2026

TO BE CONFIRMED

Admission: £5.00

Time: 8.00 p.m.

Location: Saint James' Rooms

Nothing to see here! But we’re working on it!