Wendy Arrowsmith will be at the Oxford Folk Club performing a superb variety of both Scottish and English and also some of her own songs. http://wendyarrowsmith.com/index.html

£2 on the door. Those who wish to perform at the Oxford Folk Club open will almost always be able to do so at the open mic nights.

25th of January marks the annual celebration of Robert Burns. Any musical offerings to Scottish National poet will be appreciated, though there will be plenty of artistic licence as usual!

Heat 3, Thursday 17th March
Karmadillo (Acoustic/Folk/Pop) www.myspace.com/karmadildo
Lexie Green (Acoustic/Folk) - www.myspace.com/lexiegreen
Alex Holmes (Jazz/pop/Soul)- www.myspace.com/alexholmesmusic
The Willows (Acoustic/Folk) - www.myspace.com/thewillowsbandmusic

The Cambridge Band Competition boasts an eclectic mix of performers this year. From over 75 entries, we’ve narrowed it down to 16 acts. Now it’s time for that crucial public vote…

Every Thursday evening in March you’ll get a chance to see the cream of the local music crop in the contest heats at The Portland Arms. Your vote will help us decide which band bags that plum spot on the main stage at Strawberry Fair this year.

The Contest Heats are every Thursday in March at The Portland Arms (129 Chesterton Rd, CB4 3BA/ Tel: 01223 357 268). Entry £5. From 7.30 till 11pm.

Do your bit to support community arts and music. Get down to The Portland and make your vote count.

http://www.strawberry-fair.org.uk/band-competition.php

Quite frankly, the best band in the world right now - Channel 4

Lau" is the sensational trio that brings together three exceptionally talented musicians. Kris Drever (guitar and vocals) from Orkney, Aidan O'Rourke (fiddle) from Oban and Martin Green (accordion).

In 2004, sat around a kitchen table in Edinburgh, Lau took their first musical steps. Now, to have achieved so much, in so few years, is staggering. The warmth and excitement they generate with each new release, and at every gig, has culminated in armfuls of plaudits, including three consecutive years of being crowned 'Best Group' at theBBC Radio Two Folk Awards.

Lau come to the Maltings, Ely as part of our ADEC live! Autumn programme. Online tickets now on sale.

A unique opportunity to see a truely incredible choir from Tbilisi Georgia. Shavnabada returns after a brief visit to Cambridge in May 2009 where they were seen as outstanding. One of the Patriarch's choirs, Shavnabada makes accessible to an English audience Georgian traditions, song, (both chuch and folk), dance and culture through an English narrative and exciting performance.

Lead by Davit Tsintsadze the artistic director and inspiration behind the choir of 12 strong male voices, Shavnabada's passions lie in resurrecting Monastery and Folk Music that had all but disappeared from Georgian culture as a result of Georgia being part of the Soviet Union. Davit has made it his life's work to find, record and film examples of traditional Georgian singing in order to preserve, resurrect, sing and celebrate it across the country and across the world. Shavnabada have been schooled by the great Anzor Erkomaishvili, who founded the Rustavi ensemble and it is within this spirit Shavnabada now perform and teach otherwise previously unheard Georgian folk and church music.

Shavnabada will be giving a workshop at St. Paul's church Thursday 11th November 7:00-10:00pm

Dustbowl Records Presents:

THE MISERABLE RICH
http://www.myspace.com/themiserablerich

The Miserable Rich's name was inspired by an experience they had playing at the wedding of two ultra-rich aristocrats in Rome. The folk-pop string quintet was formed intending to produce 'unusual acoustic modern music'. Their music has been revered by Bearded Magazine as 'pop music that could soundtrack a nursery rhyme created by Tim Burton', and seduced the well-tuned ears of NME, Drowned in Sound and Q.

ADELAIDE'S CAPE
http://www.myspace.com/adelaidescape

Unlike The Miserable Rich, the name Adelaide's Cape has no story behind it. This hasn't stopped folk troubadour Sam Taylor from embarking on tours with Alessi's Ark and First Aid Kit already this year, as well as his own month-long headline tour of the UK and Ireland. Tipped by everyone from the BBC to For Folk's Sake and already for a range of this year's festivals, including Secret Garden Party, Adelaide's Cape is one of the UK's most exciting emerging artists.

JAY LEIGHTON
http://www.myspace.com/jayleighton

The wonderful Jay Leighton completes the lineup of this wonderfully folky evening. After an extensive European tour with Lou Rhodes, the Cambridge local plays The Haymakers just ahead of a slot at Secret Garden Party in July.

Tickets £4 advance from WeGotTickets.com, more on the door.