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John McCusker Trio (John McCusker, Sam Kelly, & Toby Shaer)

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“One of the UK’s most gifted and versatile musicians in any genre, John McCusker is equally in demand as a multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer”. – The Guardian

The John McCusker Trio is led by John McCusker, one of the most revered traditional musicians of his generation. A multi-award-winning fiddle player, producer, and composer, John has been a linchpin of contemporary Celtic music for over three decades.

John is renowned for transcending musical boundaries. Since 2008, he has toured globally in Mark Knopfler’s band, playing iconic venues like Madison Square Garden and the Royal Albert Hall. He has also performed with David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, Paul Weller, and Paolo Nutini. As an influential producer, John has shaped the folk landscape, working with Kris Drever, Kate Rusby, and Eddi Reader, alongside composing for major BBC and film soundtracks. His accolades include BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Musician of the Year.

He is joined by two of the UK folk circuit’s finest talents. Sam Kelly, a BBC Horizon Award winner and frontman of Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys, is celebrated for his spellbinding voice and genre-blending approach, which has taken him to Glastonbury and stages across Europe.

Completing the trio is Toby Shaer, a virtuoso multi-instrumentalist whose mastery of flutes, whistles, and guitars has made him a premier touring musician for Cara Dillon.

Together, The John McCusker Trio delivers a thrilling combination of instrumental brilliance, heartfelt songs, and unforgettable live energy. Their performances weave a rich tapestry of original compositions and traditional melodies, captivating audiences with warmth, humour, and world-class musical innovation.

The John McCusker Trio will play The Old Orchard (AKA Southbourne Village Hall, First Avenue, Southbourne (near Emsworth), West Sussex, PO10 8HN) on Sunday 7th June

Doors open 7.30pm for an 8pm show.
Unreserved seating

As always, we’ll have our licensed bar serving delicious beers from Langham Brewery 🍻 as well as wines, local cider, nonalcoholic beers, and soft drinks

🎫 Tickets on sale now at Bookends and Harbour Records in Emsworth village, at The Westbourne Cafe in Westbourne Village, and online at www.WeGotTickets.com/WemsFest

All profits from bar and ticket sales are reinvested into our local community

If you require special assistance or have mobility difficulties, please contact us in advance at adwemsfest@gmail.com or 07802 500 050 and we will do our very best to accommodate you so that you are comfortable.

The Mark Hummel Trio – with Bob Hall & Dave Peabody (SOLD OUT)

Mark Hummel is one of the premier blues harmonica players of his generation. He is a multi-award winning performer and recording artist, as well as a nominated author.

In the company of 2 great stalwarts of the British blues scene:

Bob Hall on piano – he cut his teeth with Alexis Korner, Peter Green, Charlie Watts, and, of course Savoy Brown.

Dave Peabody on guitar – awarded UK Acoustic Blues Artist of the Year on 3 occasions and highly respected for his work with Honey Boy Edwards, and Charlie Musselwhite.

In short – a fabulous evening of blues in a very atmospheric venue.

The Mark Hummel Trio will play The Havana, Chichester, PO19 1PH for an evening show at 8pm on Thursday 26th March.

Doors open 7.30pm for an 8pm show.
Unreserved seating

The Havana’s licensed bar, cosy seating, and brilliant sound system make for a very enjoyable musical experience!

Tickets on sale now at Bookends and Harbour Records in Emsworth village, at The Westbourne Cafe in Westbourne Village, and online at www.WeGotTickets.com/WemsFest

All profits from ticket sales are reinvested into our local community

Salt House

A delightful blend of heartfelt vocals and instrumental interplay influenced by the landscapes of the Scottish Highlands, Northumberland, and Shetland has given this trio a deserved reputation.

Jenny Sturgeon (vocals, keys, guitar), Ewan MacPherson (vocals, electric and acoustic guitars), and Anna Hughes (vocals, fiddle, viola, and tenor guitar) make their first visit to WemsFest and with a new album to boot !

Salt House have been a mainstay on the folk scene for over a decade. The band’s reputation as thoughtful and innovative interpreters of both ancient ballads and contemporary songs has been solidified with acclaimed album releases and extensive touring. Described as a “gentle, lulling delight” by The Guardian, Salt House blend heartfelt vocal and instrumental interplay, offering listeners a moment of reflection and connection. New songs that sound like they’ve always been here, ancient ballads woken up. Poems given melodies they’ve long deserved.

Jenny Sturgeon, who has a PhD in seabird ecology, is known for her introspective solo work and collaborations with Birdvox and Outliers. Through her creative output as a sound artist and songwriter she explores themes of landscape and human connections. Her solo project ‘The Living Mountain’ based on the writing of Nan Shepherd was released to wide critical acclaim.

Anna Hughes, a versatile multi-instrumentalist and composer, draws on her transitory life experiences to create music that reflects forgotten landscapes and the wonders of the natural world. Working across multi-disciplinary projects Anna is a sought after collaborator as well as working with duo project Watersmeet.

Ewan MacPherson, is a multi-instrumentalist and singer with over two decades of experience working at the forefront of the folk / trad music scene. He toured extensively with Shooglenifty for thirteen years, was a member of Malinky and Nu-Nordic Quartet Fribo. His session work includes a variety of artists from the British Isles and beyond. His most recent solo project album ‘Hushman’ was described by KLOF Magazine as “…a little masterpiece of confidence and understatement. Wonderful.”

“effortless” – BBC 6

“elegant” – Mojo Magazine

Salt House will play Westbourne Community Hall (AKA Westbourne Club, River Street, Westbourne, West Sussex, PO10 8TG) on Wednesday 4th March

Doors open 7.30pm for an 8pm show.
Unreserved seating

As always, we’ll have our licensed bar serving delicious beers from Langham Brewery 🍻 as well as wines, local cider, nonalcoholic beers, and soft drinks

🎫 Tickets on sale now at Bookends and Harbour Records in Emsworth village, at The Westbourne Cafe in Westbourne Village, and online at www.WeGotTickets.com/WemsFest

All profits from bar and ticket sales are reinvested into our local community

Siobhan Miller Trio

One of Scotland’s most celebrated folk singer-songwriters, Siobhan Miller embarks upon an intimate trio tour, joined by two of Scotland’s finest musicians: Innes White on guitar and Charlie Stewart on fiddle. This acoustic setting is the perfect opportunity to see Siobhan’s richly celebrated Scottish folk songs up close and personal.

Siobhan’s musical prowess has earned her numerous accolades, including four BBC Alba Scots Trad Music Awards; Scots Singer of the Year titles and a BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Best Traditional Track. Her discography boasts five solo releases, all of which have been shortlisted for BBC Alba STMA Album of the Year, including her latest album, Bloom.

An out and out, freewheeling celebration of much-loved Scottish songs, Bloom deftly balances a love of traditional song with modern influences. Joyous and cathartic, it adds to the wide ranging accolades and radio-play enjoyed throughout Siobhan’s solo career.

Having grown up in Scotland’s rich folk scene, Siobhan has been a regular performer at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections festival, where she was Artistic Director for the 2016 Opening Concert and featured amidst the star-studded Transatlantic Sessions line-up in 2022, duetting with Paul Brady and Sarah Jarosz.

Siobhan’s unique vocal style has been honed through collaborations with many of Scotland’s top musicians, including Eddi Reader, Kris Drever, & Phil Cunningham. She has also made guest appearances with the National Theatre of Scotland, spent a season on Broadway, returned to the US for a month-long residency in Boston’s Majestic Theatre for Brian O’Donovan’s Celtic Christmas, and can be spotted on US/UK TV drama Outlander.

This is a rare opportunity to see Siobhan Miller in intimate surrounds, and experience her stunning vocals and lyrical songs in a truly special setting. WemsFest are delighted to be introducing Siobhan, Innes, and Charlie to our audience – though we suspect plenty of you will need no introduction to her music!

Doors open 7.30pm for an 8pm show.

Licensed Bar helps support WemsFest – As always, we’ll have our licensed bar serving delicious beers from Langham Brewery as well as wines, local cider, nonalcoholic beers, and soft drinks. All profits from bar and ticket sales are reinvested in the local community.

Tickets available now at Bookends and Harbour Records and online here

If you require special assistance or have mobility difficulties, please contact us in advance and we will do our very best to accommodate you so that you are comfortable.

The Barleycorn Tavern, which is a stone’s throw from the Village Hall, are very kindly offering ticket holders 2 for 1 meals before the concert. You’ll need to call them and book at least 3 days before the event, and will need to show either your ticket or your WeGotTickets.com email.

Richard Wood’s East Coast Kitchen Party (CANCELLED)

**UPDATE** Unfortunately for reasons beyond the control of WemsFest and The Crown Inn Emsworth, this gig has been cancelled. We apologise to all who were planning to attend.

Just announced! Richard Wood’s East Coast Kitchen Party!

One of the world’s finest fiddlers plays an extremely rare English date and brings all the atmosphere and fun of a Canadian East Coast Kitchen Party with him and his two accompanying musicians, Kimberley Holmes (piano) and Brent Chaisson (guitar)

Wednesday 7th May 8pm (VENUE CHANGE)
The Crown Inn (upstairs), 8 High Street, Emsworth, PO10 7AW

Named by MacLean’s Magazine as one of the Top 100 Canadians to watch in the 21st Century, 5x East Coast Music Award, multi-Music PEI Award-winning Richard Wood has blown away sold-out audiences around the globe with traditional-born, fiery brand of Celtic music.

Richard has played for Prime Ministers, Senators, Governors General, Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III, princes, princesses, and the Emperor of Japan, but he is most proud to have entertained Canada’s Armed Forces in the North Pole, Bosnia, and twice in Afghanistan.

Richard Wood’s lucrative 30-year career includes highlights such as touring with musical heavyweights like Shania Twain and The Chieftains, and performing around the world at places like Lincoln Centre, the Kennedy Centre, and the prestigious Carnegie Hall. Wood has appeared on special televised events and programs such as The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, and treasured Canadian programs of days-gone-by like Up Home Tonight and The Rita MacNeil Show. Richard also performed for a special Canada Day on Parliament Hill, which was nationally televised by CBC in front of a live audience of over 100,000.

His Canadian Folk Music Award-nominated and ECMA-award-winning 8th album, UNBROKEN, was mastered by legendary multi-Grammy-Award-winning Bob Ludwig from Gateway Studios.

Along with winning countless championships as both a step dancer and fiddler, Richard has also earned the Don Messer Memorial Trophy, twice!

One of Prince Edward Island’s best exports and always the proud Island ambassador, Richard has brought his highly sought-after, energetic brand of music around the world, touring extensively in Australia, Europe, Asia, and all across North America.

PLEASE NOTE THAT WE HAVE CHANGED THE VENUE AND TICKETING STRUCTURE FOR THIS EVENT – DO NOT BUY TICKETS USING ONLINE LINKS – INSTEAD, TICKETS WILL BE SOLD ON THE DOOR ON A FIRST-COME, FIRST-ADMITTED, ‘PAY-AS-YOU-FEEL’ BASIS
Come join us for this very special ‘kitchen party’ in the pub!

Licensed bar at all WemsFest events