TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Starting this thread to contain Ralph's dates in 2014

Danny Thompson is celebrating his 75th birthday next year, and Ralph is joining him at the Half Moon in Putney on April 3 2014.

This is part of a week-long series, the full thread in Announce
http://www.talkawhile.co.uk/yabbse/index.php?topic=41339.0

Ralph is appearing, with others including Steve Tilston and Wizz Jones, at a benefit night for Maggie Boyle at St George's, Bristol, on Friday 17 January.

Details here (http://www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk/event/music-for-maggie/?fb_action_ids=10151825931048237&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582).

Ralph McTell gigs 2014

One-off concerts and guest appearances:
 Friday 17 January 2014 - Music for Maggie - A Benefit Night for Singer Maggie Boyle - St George's - Bristol.
 Saturday 1 March 2014 - Albert Lee's 70th Birthday Concert - Cadogan Hall - London.
 Sunday 2 March 2014 - Albert Lee's 70th Birthday Concert - Cadogan Hall - London.
 Thursday 3 April 2014 - Danny Thompson's 75th Birthday Sessions - Half Moon - Putney, London.
 Thursday 31 July 2014 - Pre-Festival Special Concert - Sidmouth.
 Sunday 7 December 2014 - Ralph's 70th Birthday Concert - Theatre Royal - Drury Lane, London.

Celtic Cousins Tour 2014:
 Wednesday 30 April 2014 - Hall for Cornwall - Truro.
 Friday 2 May 2014 - The Queen's Hall - Edinburgh.
 Saturday 3 May 2014 - Lomond Auditorium, Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) - Glasgow.
 Sunday 4 May 2014 - The Gaiety Theatre - Ayr.
 Wednesday 7 May 2014 - Waterside Theatre - Derry.
 Thursday 8 May 2014 - Metropolitan Arts Centre (The MAC) - Belfast.
 Friday 9 May 2014 - The Helix - Dublin.
 Saturday 10 May 2014 - Theatre Royal - Waterford.
 Sunday 11 May 2014 - Curtis Auditorium, Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) - Cork.
 Monday 12 May 2014 - Thomas Moore Theatre - Jenkinstown, Co. Kilkenny.
 Thursday 15 May 2014 - Millennium Memorial Hall - Laugharne.
 Friday 16 May 2014 - Sherman Cymru - Cardiff.

Definite for the first three - possibly Truro also....

Waterford date added to gig list above (Reply #2).

No news of a Welsh date yet.

He was very relaxed and turned in 6 numbers for Maggie Boyle on the 17th before jetting away to stay with son Sam for a month....

Now looking forward to a 'homecoming' at the Half Moon Putney with Danny Thompson, celebrating Danny's 75th at the beginning of April.

Sidmouth FolkWeek’s 60th festival (1st – 8th August 2014) as the line-up comes to fruition, featuring both vintage and new talent.

Organisers have announced one of the UK’s greatest musical storytellers, Ralph McTell, will be performing in the Pre Festival Special on Thursday 31 July.

                                                 :) one of the UK’s greatest musical storytellers   ;D

I think there'll be more of these one-off appearances as Ralph winds down his touring schedule

Considering how big a friend he is of Fairport's, how come Ralph never appears at Cropredy as an artist?  He is often there on the field.

He has in the past - but definitely due another appearance, I agree.

He's played with The G.P.'s several times.  To answer your question, I reckon it's because a bloody great field full of lots of people with low attention spans probably isn't the best place for a fairly gentle acoustic singer-songwriter.  Allegedly.

He's played a solo set when I've been there I'm sure.

Edit - Can't find anything to say he has, perhaps it was somewhere else I saw him but I can't think where.

I'd have thought the just pre-Fairport slot would suit him perfectly.  In fact looking at the lineups on Wikipedia, I see he did fill it in 2009.  His previous appearance (solo, at least) seems to have been in 1999 and then 1990 before that, so about once every ten years.  Will he still be playing in 2019?

Two dates added to List (http://www.talkawhile.co.uk/yabbse/index.php?topic=41340.msg649766#msg649766) above.

Ralph did a set in 2009

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Kbaodyfk60&list=FLqL9QhdD8-dZLkmg8G8E7hw&index=55

Whilst I'm at it, just a quick moan. I was there that year and I have noticed more and more how hard it is for the solo artist to be heard amongst all the loud, sometimes drunken hilarity. There was a time when a solo performer such as Ralph could be heard without us having to stand down the front. Folk don't seem to go to hear the music and some of Ralph's songs and voice are subtle and quiet, especially Hiring Fair, and need to be heard. Sorrry, rant over.  :-X

Its not a rant...its just the wrong audience for him (or any solo singer/songwriter).  End of.

New dates Ralphs Website Wales inc  :)

http://www.ralphmctell.co.uk/

Thanks both. List updated above (http://www.talkawhile.co.uk/yabbse/index.php?topic=41340.msg649766#msg649766).

Glasgow and Cork venues added to list (http://www.talkawhile.co.uk/yabbse/index.php?topic=41340.msg649766#msg649766).

Venue box office numbers and websites now on Ralph's website (http://www.ralphmctell.co.uk/tour.php).

Message from Leola:

We are delighted to announce that tickets for Ralph’s 70th Birthday celebration concert on the 7th December 2014 at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (http://www.reallyusefultheatres.co.uk/our-theatres/theatre-royal), will go on sale this Monday the 3rd of March.
 
As you know, Ralph will not be doing his usual tour this year, and he has made the decision to reduce his touring commitments from now on, so this will be a very special show.
 
Tickets for the birthday concert will be available to buy online and by phone through See Tickets (http://www.seetickets.com/).
 
We do hope you will be able to make this very special evening and share the celebration with Ralph.
 
Leola Music Ltd

Tickets for Ralph's 70th gig are now on the SeeTickets (http://www.seetickets.com/performance/ralph-mctell-s-70th-birthday/theatre-royal-drury-lane/2/dru/363708) website. It offers you the 'best' available seats.  There is a seating plan on the ticket page, so if you want different seats to those offered online, phone 0871 297 0777 and ask.

If the website (and phone call) can be believed, the tickets are selling like hot... well, tickets. Good luck and see you there!

I can't believe my luck......

I had a front row seat for Ralph's 60th at the Royal Festival Hall, and I've managed to get a front row seat for his 70th!

After the initial jitters on the See Tickets website, I spoke to Kieran in the ticket office who couldn't have been more helpful.

Thanks, John, for giving us the phone number.  The tickets are rather (ahem!) expensive.  But, well worth it, I'm sure.

Ouch - this'll be the dearest ticket I've ever bought for Ralph....and to cough up 6 months in advance too. Why not open booking closer to the event? Say, in another 3 months time?

It's nine months in advance, Chris. I was expecting £30, but the cheapest seat in the gods is £33. I was online and on the phone within minutes of them going on sale, and could not get anywhere near my preferred seating areas. I will be very annoyed - but not surprised - if they turn up on another ticketing website at inflated prices.

Bother...same weekend as Butlins :-\

Surely, no contest?  ;) ::)

£40 plus booking fee, very expensive but worth it of course... ;)

It will be well worth it I'm sure, especially if the 60th bash was anything to go by!  By far my most expensive Ralph ticket in 44 years of seeing him!

Tickets arrived, Hotel Booked, Time off work sorted, just got to sort out train or coach later in the year (for a better price) and try not to get over excited. Roll on December.

More tickets available for Thursday's gig at 'The Moon' with Danny Thompson! See you there!

http://www.musicglue.com/half-moon-putney/listings/

Well, wasn't that just the best folk club sing-along ever? Ralph and Danny played mostly mid-70s songs from their collaborative peak, and most of them had choruses or refrains that Ralph encouraged us to join in on. So we did. A great night in great company - JJ and Chris of this parish and friends from many years 'down the road'; and a natter with the Mays (and Eddie) afterwards. Splendid!

Good to see you John. I stood at the back with Martin Driver as I managed to find the fireplace which elevated me a bit so for once, with a standing gig, I could actually see. It was a real birthday party wasn't it? Ralph relaxed, happy and in fine voice, such a lovely atmosphere, loved the sing- a -long. Eduardo was taking some good photos, wonder if they will appear on Ralph's website?

An album released for Celtic Cousins Tour anyone have details?

The Celtic Cousins CD "..will be on sale at the shows, and will go on general release in June", according to The Herald (http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music/folk-legend-takes-celtic-connections-on-the-road.23996685), which reveals that it includes The Tangle O' The Isles.

The Western Morning News (http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Cornwall-fed-singer-songwriter-Ralph-McTell-s/story-21013527-detail/story.html) has some more track details:
The Mermaid and the Seagull
Cannabis Creek
From Clare To Here
The Islands.

The article also mentions Canopus, which Ralph "...has been recording, ahead of the tour, at a little studio close to home to mark the centenary of the First World War," though I suspect this refers to another project (http://www.talkawhile.co.uk/yabbse/index.php?topic=40913.0) to be released later in the year.

From this morning's Leola email.....

Thanks, Chris. Gig list (http://www.talkawhile.co.uk/yabbse/index.php?topic=41340.msg649766#msg649766) updated.

Indeed he did  ;D

Beryl at Leola has confirmed that the Celtic Cousins CD will be available to buy through the web shop (http://shop.ralphmctell.co.uk/index.php?cPath=21_23) once Ralph finishes his tour. The tour finishes on Friday... 

CD details:

Catalogue number: TPGCD36
Issued on: 30 April 2014 (at the Truro concert)

Track List:

Mermaid and the Seagull
Cannabis Creek
Break of the Union
Tangle of the Isles
The Islands
An Irish Blessing
The Setting
Mr Connaughton
From Clare to Here
The Grey Sea Strand
The Irish Girl
Wonderful Country
Nettle Wine

Hi all,

Just found a couple of articles about Ralph's Celtic tour. This one  (http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music/folk-legend-takes-celtic-connections-on-the-road.23996685) is from Scotland, and this one (http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Cornwall-fed-singer-songwriter-Ralph-McTell-s/story-21013527-detail/story.html) from his 'native' Cornwall.

It was a reassuring to  read (in the first one) that he has no plans to give up performing/touring entirely - just to stop doing lengthy tours that cover 'the whole map' in one go. (Which is quite understandable as he gets older!) I had worried that his statements about the end of big tours and reducing travelling meant that he would  be sticking to venues nearer his home(s)in future. It seems to me that from this article that what he meant was that one-offs and shorter tours like the Celtic Cousins one will be the order of the day in future - so maybe there's still a chance for those of us 'Up North' to see him again (I hope!),

Naomi