The Scene (Luton News/Dunstable Gazette)

07/Jul/2004 The Scene (Luton News/Dunstable Gazette)

The Brian Heywood Column

Hop to Stömp

On Friday (July 9) one of the most dangerously danceable English Ceilidh bands in the UK is visiting Dunstable for this month’s Tyre Kickers’ Ceilidh. For those not in the know, ceilidh (pronounced 'kaylee') is a new spin on traditional barn dance, a way to bop on the dance floor that’s set to take the country by storm. The music is a fusion of infectious ‘world’ rhythms of rock, Latino, Reggae, Cajun or even Salsa and the dances are simple enough to that you don’t need any previous experience. There is also a ‘caller’ - Peter Bearon on Friday - to help you learn the moves which usually takes a few minutes before each dance. Stömp - whose name derives from an ancient English word for dance - draw their music from the whole of the British Isles, Scandinavia and beyond. The music is a dynamic fusion of traditional and contemporary sources so Scan Tester and Walter Bulwer rub shoulders with The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Steely Dan meets Steeleye Span in the repertoire of a band

The instrumentation is based around a front line of flute and concertina of Sheena Masson and skirling fiddle of Kevin Adams who surf a wall of driving guitar (Andrew King), bass (Martin Appleby) and drums (Rob Gifford). The band have played festivals around the UK including the main stage of the mighty Cambridge Folk Festival as well as public dances and the odd party and wedding. Incidentally, the word ‘ceilidh’ has been borrowed from our celtic tradition and basically means ‘party’, which gives you an idea of the intent. Tickets for Friday’s ceilidh are available on the door at £6 for adults, £3 for under 16’s and concessions while under 12’s are free if accompanied by and adult. The venue is St Mary’s Social Club on West Street, just next past the end of the shops as you head towards Tring, and there is plently of free parking around the hall and there is a bar. You can get more information or reserve tickets by calling Kevin on 01908-511156, emailing kev@stompceilidh.co.uk or check out the Tyre Kickers’s website at www.roots66.net/tkc.

After last week’s item on TogFest, Steve Henslow wrote to remind me that the UK has music festivals all over, some for hardy but happy campers like Glasonbury, Isle of Wight and Towersey Festival, some more town based like Sidmouth, Warwick and our very own Dunstable Festival on the first weekend in September. This years’ festival kicks off with a MoonDance ceilidh on Friday night, a concert with the Acoustic Strawbs, Mas’Y’Mas, Roy Bailey and The Oyster Band on Saturday night, and another on Sunday featuring Rick Christian, Life and Times, Wanderin' Soles and Sons of the Soil.

Send gig information to “The Brian Heywood Column”, PO Box 649, Dunstable, Beds, LU5 4XD or info@lutonscene.com. A search-able archive of the column is available on the web at http://www.lutonscene.com.

______________________________________________________________