DIY Ceilidh are a Newcastle based folk-dance collective. Their wild ceilidh nights have become a firm fixture of Newcastle’s vibrant nightlife, and now they are bringing their unique approach to Saltburn Folk Festival!

 

Frankie and Jo will lead you through a blend of ceilidh dances and European Ball. All dance calling is gender-neutral and the band is open for anyone with an instrument to join in (a sign-up sheet will be available online shortly, along with the tunes and chords). There will also be a limited number of open floor spots if you want to perform a party piece! There will be games and silliness throughout, and the now legendary Whisky Roll (a competition involving the rolling of pound coins in the direction of a bottle of whiskey - the pound coin that lands closest to the bottle wins the whiskey! Please bring your own pound coins, all of which will be donated to charity).

 

All are welcome. Chaos is encouraged! Scroll down to find out more about getting invovled with the ceilidhs at Saltburn. 

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Meet the band:

 

Frankie Insley (She/Her)

Frankie is your caller! A multi-instrumentalist and morris dancer, she will guide you through a packed repertoire of ceilidh bangers! Frankie loves the shared values between folk and punk — when she’s not playing fiddle and melodeon for ceilidhs, she’s playing bass and guitar in her punk bands Bitchfinder General, Varnish and Ceramic. She’s an ecstatic ball of energy, and is excited to share some ceilidh chaos with you!

 

Jo Feijó (He/She)

Jo is a Lisbon-born dancer who discovered their passion for folk at the age of 16. Coming from the Ballfolk scene, Jo provides a European flavour to the DIY Ceilidh.

 

M Lomas (They/Them)

M is a clarinet player, singer, and composer from Warwickshire, with a focus on ballfolk and Euro-Trad dance music. They perform as part of The Hearken Quartet, and London based duo Trefusis, offering a fresh perspective on traditional dance music of the UK, France, and beyond.

Instagram: @hearkenquartet

 

Sam Baxter (He/Him)

Sam Baxter is a singer and multi-instrumentalist from the Peak District. Based in North-East England, he is gaining a reputation for his work with traditional and contemporary folk music. A sought-after collaborator, he can be found playing in contemporary classical music ensemble ‘Sømnus’, with folk-singer and song-writer Catch the Sparrow, in duo with Scottish violinist Merle Harbron and in the Norwegian band Synneva Gjelland Kvartetten. 

sambaxter.co.uk | Instagram: @sambaxter.music 

 

Bruce Lambelle - Rudd (He/Him)

Bruce is a Newcastle-based diatonic accordion player and composer, and specialises in the dance music repertoire of Central France and Scandinavia. He currently plays with the Balfolk / Euro dance ensemble The Hearken Quartet, and can be found playing for ceilidhs & bals across North East England.

Instagram: @hearkenquartet

 

Alastair Paul (He/Him)

Alasdair Paul is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and ceilidh caller from the West Highlands of Scotland. Resident in Newcastle for over a decade, he can be found playing with Pons Aelius, the Heather Ferrier Trio, Jordan Aikin's Quercus and playing and calling at ceilidhs all over the place.

 

Jon Doran (He/Him)

Jon Doran is a Newcastle-based folk singer and multi-instrumentalist from Gloucestershire. He was a 2019 finalist on BBC Radio 2's Young Folk Awards and a recent winner of Bromyard Folk Festival's 'Future of Folk' competition.

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