Missing some of our regulars, we had a lovely relaxed unamplified acoustic evening at The Belle Vue.

For some reason we had a sprinkling of Irish sings this evening. Steve did Black Velvet Band, Andy and Richard - Fields of Athenry, John - Galway Shawl. We had 2 Dylan songs, a lovely version of Tangled Up In Blue from visitor Chris Capel from Wales, and I'll Be Your Baby Tonight from Steve and Karen. Chris also sang us two excellent songs he had written himself, Longest Day and Americano Girl, accompanied by a rather fine Gibson guitar.

Andy and Richard did some tunes as did Simon - Herbert Smith's 4-hand Reel, Dark girl Dressed in Blu, and The Maid on the Wad.

Dick was sung-out from 4 days singing in The Three Horsehoes Barn at Towersey, but managed to give us Dido Bendigo, Limehouse Lass and Twas On One April Morning.

Steve had expected to be in Durham but was unexpectedly able to be in Wycombe, and although he hadn't picked up his guitar in weeks and hadn't managed to put his new strings on, he played and sang well with Karen for The Circle Game and Dimming of the Day.

Richard and Andy had us all singing along to The Weight and The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down which they described as "a work in progress". They also sang The Broom of the Cowden Knowes, and finished the evening off with Mrs McGrath.

Before the end we managed to fit in 2 songs each for late-comers, John - whose other song was the amusing Alcoholics Anthem, and Jeremy (just back from Mexico) who treated us to Neil Young's Helpless and David Gray's This Year's Love.

jennifer won the raffle and very kindly decided on the 2 bottles of real ale for Steve - aaah!

Next week we're at The Prince Albert at Frieth. See you there.