Saturday 12th May

BOB CHISWICK

Admission: £5.00

Time: 8:00pm

Location: Saint James' Rooms

What can we say about the local legend that is Bob Chiswick? He’s been around for a fair few years contributing and supporting the local folk scene, he’s got a fair few albums under his belt including the iconic “Northern Air” and he’s written a fair few folk music classics including “The Church of the Cat and the Man” and “My Old Dancing Partner”. Bob has been a Rafters supporter since we started, both as a guest and a floor singer and we can’t wait for this next guest night which is our second fundraiser for the 2018 Wath May Festival.

Saturday 9th June

BLACKWATER

Admission: £5.00

Time: 8:00pm

Location: Saint James' Rooms

Wakefield based Blackwater (a.k.a. “Ruth and Tony Dargan”) blew us away in August 2017 with excellent music played to a packed club.....and they’re coming back in 2018 ! They have an impressive c.v. - they’ve supported some of the biggest folk acts in the country - and their close harmony vocals and superb guitar playing has endeared them to an ever increasing audience. At Ruth and Tony’s request, the proceeds of the club will go to the National Autistic Society.

Saturday 14th July

MONKEY’S FIST

Admission: £5.00

Time: 8:00pm

Location: Saint James' Rooms

Be prepared for a very nautically themed evening - nautical but nice! - because Monkey’s Fist specialise in shanties and songs of the sea! Colin Devey, Steve Flude and John Horsey have been creating a vocal “wall of sound” for over ten years and have achieved a huge following in that time. They don’t just rely on their amazing voices though - they play guitar and concertina as well, and they’re bringing their powerful music to Rafters for their long awaited debut here. At their request we will be raising funds for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution - well it had to be, didn’t it? Don’t forget your seasick tablets!

Saturday 11th August

RAY HEARNE

Admission: £5.00

Time: 8:00pm

Location: Saint James' Rooms

Ray has been a big Rafters supporter ever since we started and we can’t wait for him to come back ! He’s now got three best selling albums under his belt and his superb talent as a songwriter and performer is getting national recognition (we know this to be true because people come from far and wide when Ray is at the club!). Some of Ray’s songs have gained international reputation such as the legendary “Song for David”, made famous by Roy Bailey. Ray gives a “voice to the voiceless”, to quote his own words! This is definitely a “Don’t miss” club! Charity to be confirmed

Saturday 8th September

DON’T FEED THE PEACOCKS

Admission: £5.00

Time: 8:00pm

Location: Saint James' Rooms

“Horribly young, infectiously enthusiastic and wonderfully skilled bunch of musicians. We'll be seeing lot's more of them I'm sure" - Jimmy Aldridge and Sid Goldsmith The future of folk music is about to arrive to Raising the Rafters with the long awaited appearance of Don’t Feed the Peacocks. All graduates of the EFDSS National Youth Folk Ensemble, their collective age may still be less than the club organiser but, boy, do they turn folk music upside down with their raw talent and enthusiasm. They play violas, cellos, saxophones, accordions, guitars ..... well, you name it, they seem to play it. Don’t Feed the Peacocks are making a huge impact on the folk music scene and beyond and we’re very privileged to get them at Rafters. They have very kindly agreed to support our bid to raise money for one of Raising the Rafters’ pet charities - Dreamflight - which arranges once in a lifetime holidays for seriously ill children.