For our 30th birthday on 21st October 2013 we updated our 'Compleat History of the Ram Club' booklet (PDF format, 10Mb). Click to view or download - it's a 'must read', with a list of all the guests we have ever had plus some stories and pictures!
Below is a list of the past guests from September 2006.
From the earliest age LEE has been blessed with fingers capable of guitar-playing beyond mere mortals, reaching the BBC 'Young Folk' finals, touring in a duo with Keith Hancock and forging a successful solo career with his eclectic repertoire comprising Folk in all of its forms. Lee comes up with really innovative, virtuosic arrangements for the songs he sings, which range from traditional folk and blues to lots from great contemporary writers like Randy Newman, Tom Waits, Joe Ely & Mick Ryan. If you like the guitar styles of Martin Simpson, Bert Jansch, John Martyn, then Lee is your man. His slide guitar in particular is stunning and his introductions and yarns gut-busting - and mostly true! We're really pleased that he can find the time to take the occasional break from the world of skipping tuition to remind us just how good he is!
£8 members/£9 non-members
TIM has done some stunning gigs at the Ram and is one of the finest young multi-instrumentals of his generation in the Celtic music scene and beyond. A virtuoso on both acoustic guitar and button accordion, his incredible musical ear and total technical command allow him to play the most demanding instrumentals and improvise freely in any style. His talent has been recognised by the top names like Sharon Shannon, Lunasa, Michael McGoldrick, Seamus Begley, Mary Black, Altan and Capercaillie, with whom he has toured, recorded and written for. BRENDAN is one of the most versatile and creative harmonica players around - Kate Bush, Sting, Van Morrison, Paul Young, James Galway, John Williams, Paul Brady, Altan, and Artie McGlynn can all vouch for that! No stranger to the club, he's also a fluent improviser in many styles and an award-winning player of Irish traditional music. He sings, composes and throws in some amazing beatboxing too, and the duo's blend of passion and virtuosity, free-wheeling approach and sheer joie de vivre is totally infectious!
http://www.edeyandpower.com£9 members/£10 non-members
JACKIE last played the Ram in 2007 with Reg Meuross, since when her rise has been meteoric. A fine fiddler and BBC Young Folk Award finalist, she was a founder member of Rachel Unthank and the Winterset before leaving to pursue a solo career in 2007. Several further nominations followed, and she won the Horizon Award for best newcomer in 2009. This year she is up for 'Best Album' and 'Folk Singer of the Year'. Jackie's distinctive, pure voice works equally well on traditional & more contemporary material. Her second album, 2008's Phil Beer-produced 'The Violet Hour', was in the Mojo Top Ten list, and 2009's 'Hyperboreans' (produced by her brother Jim Moray) also got great reviews and mainstream airplay. In 2010 she joined all-star fusion band The Imagined Village (alongside Eliza & Martin Carthy and Chris Wood), performing at major folk festivals and venues. In 2011 she took part in the Cecil Sharp song writing project, the resulting live album gaining top reviews all over. Tonight she'll be showcasing songs from her new CD 'Saturnine' and old favourites too.
http://www.jackieoates.co.uk/£9 members/£11 non-members
Suntrap are MARY WILSON (voice, violin), PAUL HOAD (voice, guitar, harmonica, kick drum), ELISA BERGERSEN (violin, viola) and SARA BYERS (voice, accordion, guitar, whistles, bohdran). They perform mesmerizing music, mostly their own material but also choice covers from the traditional and contemporary folk repertoire. Songwriters Sara and Paul create original, innovative works drawing on the English song tradition and American Folk & Country. The fantastic double fiddle parts, guitars and harmonies give a full, rich, invigorating and deeply emotional sound. Locally based, Suntrap have played the club several times and appeared all over the UK and Europe at major folk festivals, folk clubs, arts centres and radio shows including BBC R2's Mike Harding. Always a treat, and once again their new album 'Unravelling' hits the spot!
http://www.suntrap.org£8 members/£9 non-members