C o n c e r t s - 2025
We're having an extra Singers' Night which will be an acoustic evening (no sound system) and the bar will be open upstairs only but the music will be its usual high quality from our regular singers and guests.
Raffle but no entry charge! Let us know if you want to perform that night.
Doors 7:15 pm, start 8 pm
Summer Break
September 17th 2025 - Sam Carter
Wrea Green Institute, Station Road,Wrea Green, Preston, PR4 2PH
Midlands-born Sam Carter is a BBC Folk Award-winning singer-songwriter and guitarist renowned for his narrative-rich songwriting, which Uncut described as being “as penetrating as Richard Thompson’s best work”. For over 15 years, he has been stirring audiences from Camden to Canada, from major festivals to intimate clubs. Carter’s expressive fingerpicking led Jon Boden of Bellowhead to call him "the finest English-style fingerpicking guitarist of his generation," while Ivor Novello-winner Nitin Sawhney has praised his "killer voice."
Carter’s music reflects a blend of traditional English folk, shape-note singing, and rock. Notable highlights in his career include a spellbinding performance on Later… with Jools Holland, where he played songs from his shape-note-inspired album The No Testament alongside renowned fiddler Sam Sweeney.
Carter’s latest release, the acclaimed Silver Horizon, has cemented his reputation as a skilful blender of ancient and modern. He says of this work, “I’m still dealing with themes of love, loss, and change... but sketching events in an impressionistic way gives the songs more room to breathe.”
Sam Carter’s live performances are nothing short of captivating, filled with the raw honesty, humour, and skilled musicianship that underscore his standing as one of contemporary folk’s brightest talents.
Entrance £14 Doors 7:15 pm, start 8 pm
October 15th 2025 - Jon Wilks
Wrea Green Institute, Station Road,
Wrea Green, Preston, PR4 2PH
Lauded by Folk Radio (KLOF) as ‘a rather special performer with an authentic and abiding love of traditional song’, Jon is a prominent fingerpicking guitarist and singer who performs traditional English folk songs and broadside ballads, as well as his own songs. His talent has been recognised by Guitarist, one of the world’s biggest guitar magazines, which featured him as one-to-watch in July 2022.
Jon has a keen eye and ear for storytelling. During his live shows, he mixes entertaining folk song performances with fascinating tidbits about the original singers and collectors that he has unearthed during his extensive research on traditional folk music in the UK.
Jon spent many years overseas, interviewing renowned musicians and uncovering their stories.
His current music highlights his well-developed writing and research skills - expertise Jon refined over his years as a journalist, serving as editor of Time Out magazine in Tokyo and Abu Dhabi and contributing to The Guardian, Dazed & Confused, and many other publications.
Entrance £14 Doors 7:15 pm, start 8 pm
November 12th 2025 - Gatehouse
Wrea Green Institute, Station Road,
Wrea Green, Preston, PR4 2PH
Gatehouse, an Irish traditional band, is far more than your typical group. Comprising Rachel Garvey on vocals, Jacinta McEvoy on guitar and concertina, John McEvoy on fiddle and mandola, and John Wynne on flute and whistles, this ensemble embodies a rich musical pedigree.
With a knack for tasteful interpretations of traditional songs and dynamic instrumentals, Gatehouse has enraptured audiences worldwide. Their performances seamlessly blend masterful technical proficiency with captivating vocal numbers, creating a mesmerising sonic experience.
Characterised by infectious rhythms, soothing vocals, and subtle instrumental interplay. Gatehouse’s ability to infuse classic folk tunes with contemporary flair has earned them praise for their innovative accompaniment and enchanting vocals. They have been variously described as: ‘An unerring delight’ (The Irish Times), ‘... a group at their very best vocally and instrumentally’ (Irish Music Magazine) and Altan’s Mairéad Ni Mhaonaigh describes their 2019 album ‘Heather down the Moor’, as …’a joy to listen to’.
Entrance £14 Doors 7:15 pm, start 8 pm