Barlick and The Milkmaid

You may not believe this but we had a lovely drive north up the M6 then across into the West Riding of Yorkshire and into the market town of Barnoldswick known locally as Barlick. The town dates back to Anglo Saxon times and lies close to the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It is said to have the second largest concentration of independent shops in the UK and it home to Barnoldswick Music and Arts Centre where Ray is performing in a double bill with Virginia Kettle and her Rolling Folk group.

From the outside it looks like an Irish pub and indeed it is with a welcoming bar and three rooms off that. Guitars and other memorabilia from the ’60’s and ’70’s music scene hang everywhere. It’s worth buying a drink and wandering around seeing how many pictures and records you recognise.

Downstairs is the music room. Not far to go but can take some time if you stop to peruse the books halfway down.

The stage is compact with seats ahead and to one side with a standing area (and another bar) on the other side.

Opening with Even For A Shadow followed by Falling Like Thunder, Ray turned to his cello for My Compass Points To North and The Dark Days Are Over. He then brought The Puritan back into his set before finishing the solo part with Sir Patrick Spens and McPherson’s Rant. He then moved to the piano and Virginia joined him to sing Going Underground.

Next was the very long drive across the Pennines then south and into the flat land of East Anglia to visit the Milkmaid folk club in Bury St Edmonds.

The club began at the Milkmaid pub run by Terry Walden. After leaving the pub, Terry moved it to other locations and it has now settled in the function room of a sports club and is run by John Bosley and his team of enthusiastic volunteers (as indeed are most folk clubs!). Ray has played at the Milkmaid many times and the audience enjoyed a mix of new and old songs, including joining in on Drunk On Summer. Thanks to Hazel Bradshaw for a lovely opening set and Martin for setting up the sound.

On the next day we drove down the M11 and into London for the first of the two final shows on the other tour with Oysterband and June Tabor.