Feminist Folk Club

Hosts Lucy Ward and Pinky Ward invite you to spend the evening in their specially curated pop-up folk club with three thrilling acts.

Naomi Bedford

After a vibrant full band gig at Cecil Sharp House last autumn, English folk and roots singer and songwriter Naomi Bedford returns for the Feminist Folk Club for a more intimate set.

“A favourite voice of mine…I love to hear her sing…” Shirley Collins

Melissa James

Best current British blues singer I know.” – The words of BBC Radio presenter Tom Robinson who has long given a nod of approval to the work of this singer-songwriter. Melissa James is, however, much more than a blues singer. She is a singer with incredible passion for her cause which, she sees, is to use her voice and her music to form connections with others. Her music blends folk, gospel, jazz – and life tales – but never without a large helping of the soul which stretches deep beyond her years.

Amy Hollinrake

“Hollinrake’s voice captivates, a Sandy Denny for a new century” – TradFolk

Inspired by English and Appalachian folk blended with alternative pop music, Amy Hollinrake draws on women’s stories within folklore and mythology and fuses them with a contemporary sound, placing her at the forefront of the new era of feminist neo-folk. Described as “absolutely haunting” (BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour) and “both timeless and utterly contemporary” (Songwriting Magazine), her recent EP Sad Lady Songs Vol.1. reimagines traditional folk songs and tales, combining them with dulcimers and synthesizers to create a head-spinning mix of yesterday and today.

Hollinrake is also the founder of project Loathly Lady, a creative feminist cataloguing project exploring gendered narratives in traditional music. She is a EFDSS Creative Busarary 2024 recipient.

Thank Folk For Feminism is a platform for women’s voices and to further the conversations of both folk and feminism and explore how the two intersect. It is fun and uplifting but also at its core, Thank Folk For Feminism serves to encourage the folk scene to explore intersectional feminist issues and increase the range and diversity of women’s voices within the genre.