Packed line-up of folk, rock and reggae swings into venue

The Swing Commanders kick off the month on April 1 with an exciting mix of 1940s classics, boogie-woogie, western swing, 50s jump jazz and more.

Every member of the Swing Commanders sings and plays at least one instrument and the band have appeared, often headlining, at most of the UK’s top Vintage and Country Music festivals.

Entry is £12/£13.

On April 2, York-based Blackbeard’s Tea Party take to the stage, with traditional songs and folk tunes given a heavy rock edge with playful arrangements and driving dance rhythms. Support comes from Finlay Leslie.

The band began as a busking, function and ceilidh band, but quickly grew a reputation as a formidable live act.

Entry is £12.50.

Award winning blues musician Laurence Jones performs on Saturday April 9.

Described as a ‘blues cub with man-size talent’, Laurence won the Young Artist of the Year award in 2014 and 2015 at the British Blues Awards. Entry is £15.

Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham bring more folk on April 16.

Aly was a founder member of the ‘Boys of the Lough’ and his passionate fiddle playing has also found its way on to recordings by the likes of Eddi Reader and Richard Thompson. Entry is £14. Hailing from the Canadian Maritimes, Dan McKinnon brings the sounds of an area rich in the musical and cultural traditions of the North Atlantic on April 21. Entry is £12.

And on April 29, The Icicle Works, fronted by Ian McNabb, take to the stage.

Named after the 1960 short story ‘The Day the Icicle Works Closed’ by science fiction author Frederik Pohl, the Icicle Works joined Liverpool’s early 1980s neo-psychedelia wave. Entry is £15.

And on May 7, Ferocious Dog offer a full-on six-piece sound that encompasses folk infused with rock, reggae and Celtic vibrations.