Original member of The Houghton Weavers & ex Fivepenny Piece member unite

LEGENDS OF LANCASHIRE FOLK – Celebrating 50 Years of Two Classic Albums

Ey up… pull up a chair, or as they say in proper Lancashire fashion, "sit thi deawn." Because this concert is more than just a gig — it's a journey back to the smoky folk clubs, working men's clubs and bustling mill towns of the North West in the mid-1970s, when two albums appeared that would help define the sound of Lancashire folk for generations.

In 1976, The Houghton Weavers released the now legendary Howfen Wakes, a record that perfectly captured the warmth, humour and storytelling of life in the cotton towns of Lancashire. Formed in Westhoughton (affectionately known locally as "Howfen") in 1975, the band quickly became a beloved part of the British folk scene with their infectious mix of music, comedy and dialect songs. The album itself has often been described as a musical tapestry of northern life, packed with witty tales, characters and melodies that celebrated everyday Lancashire culture and community spirit. It felt less like a studio record and more like a night in a packed folk club — full of laughter, stories and songs about the mills, the pubs, the people and the proud northern identity that ran through it all.

At almost exactly the same moment in time, another great Lancashire folk institution was flourishing. Fivepenny Piece, formed in 1967 around Ashton-under-Lyne and Stalybridge, had already become hugely popular with audiences across Britain. Their songs — many written by John Meeks and Colin Radcliffe — were filled with Lancashire humour and dialect, painting vivid pictures of the mills, factories and colourful characters of the North West. During their 1970s heyday the band enjoyed national success, even reaching the UK Top 10 album chart with King Cotton and appearing regularly on television, including their own BBC series. Their music mixed folk storytelling with warmth and comedy, earning them a reputation for being one of the most entertaining folk acts in the country — proper Lancashire through and through.

Now, fifty years on from that golden era of northern folk, the spirit of those records is being celebrated in a very special gathering of musicians who carry that tradition forward.

At the heart of the evening is David Littler, founding member of The Houghton Weavers and a true custodian of Lancashire folk music. David is the only original member of the band still touring today, having spent more than five decades taking the songs, humour and heritage of Lancashire around the world. When David steps on stage with a banjo or guitar in hand, it's like opening a musical time capsule — the stories, the songs and the unmistakable wit of the Weavers still shining through just as brightly as they did back in the folk boom of the 1970s.

Joining him is Paul Johnston, former member of Fivepenny Piece, bringing with him the rich legacy of another legendary Lancashire band whose songs about everyday northern life struck such a chord with audiences up and down the country.

Completing this wonderful Legends of Lancashire Folk quartet are two exceptional musicians: Dave Mather of The Mather Robinson Band, a master craftsman of folk song and storytelling, and Anthony Quinn, a flautist extraordinaire, whose playing adds a soaring Celtic and traditional texture to the music.

Together they recreate the spirit of those glorious days when folk clubs were packed, the beer flowed, and audiences sang along to songs about mill towns, factory whistles and Lancashire life. Expect laughter, nostalgia, stories, and a good few choruses that'll have the whole room joining in.

Because as any proud Lancashire lad or lass would tell you…

"There's nowt quite like a gradely folk neet wi' good music, good company… and a few reet belting songs about Lancashire."

And that's exactly what this celebration promises — a joyful tribute to the music, humour and heritage of two classic albums that helped keep Lancashire folk alive and kicking for half a century.