Heidi Talbot, Boo Hewerdine and Friends Oundle Folk Weekend
Schedule
Sat, 15 Nov, 2025 at 06:00 pm to Sun, 16 Nov, 2025 at 10:15 pm
UTC+00:00Location
The Talbot Hotel Oundle | Peterborough, EN
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Tickets Update *******************£50 for the Full Weekend. (Only 25 Remain)
£5 for the Full Weekend - Under 25's (5 Tickets)
£25 for a Saturday Day Ticket. (SOLD OUT)
£35 for a Sunday Day Ticket (Few Remain)
Boo Hewerdine and Heidi Talbot had such a terrific time at their SOLD OUT show here in Oundle last November that they asked if they might return again for a full weekend that they could bring along their Friends and Family to join in.
This is now a reality and will happen in the Westgate Suite at the Talbot Hotel over the Weekend of November 15 - 16. They and their Friends will play over three sessions with one on Saturday evening and two on Sunday.
Timings of the sessions (subject to change)
SATURDAY
Evening Session
6.00pm Doors and Bar open
6:25pm Introduction by Boo & Heidi
6:30pm Polly Paulusma
7:30pm Interval
7:45pm Chris Brown
8:15pm Interval
8:30pm Kris Drever
9:45pm Interval
10:00pm Boo Hewerdine & Heidi Talbot (plus friends)
10:30pm Finish
SUNDAY
Afternoon Session
2pm Doors and Bar open
2:30pm Jill Jackson
3:30pm Interval
3:45pm Tamsin Elliott
4:30pm Interval
4:45pm Boo Hewerdine & Heidi Talbot (plus friends)
5:15 pm Dinner Break
Evening Session
7pm Doors and Bar open
7:30pm Michele Stodart
8:00pm Interval
8:15pm Boo Hewerdine & Heidi Talbot
9:30pm Interval
9:45pm Boo Hewerdine & Heidi Talbot (plus friends)
10:15pm. Finish
Who are their Friends on this occasion you might ask? Well, coincidentally some of these beautiful souls are also our Friends too as they have played here prior in the shape of the utterly brilliant Kris Drever, the fabulous Polly Paulusma and local legend Chris Brown. There are new Friends appearing though and we are very pleased to be hosting the brilliant Tamsin Elliott, Jill Jackson and Michele Stodart. At the end of each session Boo and Heidi will be joined on stage with some or all of the others. Who knows what may happen in these parts of the show?
The venue is the home of our very popular Little Ember Sessions which is the ancient and atmospheric Westgate Suite in the Talbot Hotel Oundle. This is a wonderful setting as those who attended the sold out show by Boo and Heidi last year can attest to.
Ticket prices are being kept reasonable and affordable.
£50 for the Full Weekend. (25 Tickets Left Only)
£5 for the Full Weekend - Under 25's ( 5 Tickets Left)
£25 for a Saturday Day Ticket. (SOLD OUT)
£35 for a Sunday Day Ticket (FEW REMAIN)
Under 25’s are encouraged to attend as they are the future of live music and tickets are only a fiver for the weekend.
For those looking at accommodation, eating and drinking options then the Talbot Hotel is also offering ticket holders good rates on rooms plus 15% discount on food by sharing your ticket details.
Make a full Weekend of it in Oundle and join us in the Queen Victoria Hall on the Friday night as we host Blazin' Fiddles there too. Tickets for that are to be found at www.vicsgigs.com
Please note that there is no accessible entrance to the performing area of the Westgate Suite at this venue and there is a short staircase up to the room.
Heidi & Boo
For over 30 years Ivor Novello award winning Boo Hewerdine has been considered one of the UK’s finest singer-songwriters. As lead singer of seminal band, The Bible through to his subsequent solo work and long-time collaboration with the incredible Eddi Reader he has become something of a national treasure. He is in demand as a writer, producer and performer. Over a hundred of his songs have been covered by the likes of KD Lang, Kris Drever, Chris Difford, Duke Special and Hannah Rarity.
Heidi has shared the stage and recorded with Mark Knopfler, Graham Coxon (Blur), Eddi Reader, Idlewild, Matt Rollings, King Creosote, Kris Drever, Tim O'Brien and Jerry Douglas. She is equally at home in front of a Symphony Orchestra, performing widely at Arts Centres, Festivals and even at the White House.
Nominated for Folk singer of the year and Best Traditional Song by BBC Radio 2, Best Live Act by the Scottish Traditional Music Awards and Best Female Vocalist at The Irish Music Awards, 2023 saw Heidi win Composer of The Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards.
On this special weekend with their Friends, Boo and Heidi will be singing songs new and old with a dash of humour and a good measure of storytelling. Their gigs are always a total joy.
Kris Drever
Kris Drever originally comes from Hrossey in the Orkney Islands. Over the years, he has taught himself to be a songwriter, guitarist and singer of note (and sometimes many notes). �
As well as creating award-winning original songs and instrumental pieces with the trio Lau, he has had a fruitful solo career exploring the cracks between classic and modern songwriting and the traditional music that he comes from. ��Drever’s sound is rooted in the earthy and hypnotic rhythms of much older music, but there’s a sophistication to both the lyricism and the instrumentalism which places him skilfully in the present.
He has an extensive collection of BBCR2 Folk awards, plus a fistful of Scottish NaTrads awards for everything from best album, best singer and best live act to best original song.��He has worked with many excellent musicians, including Jack Bruce, Eddi Reader, Mark Knopfler, Jerry Douglas and Roddy Woomble, and is a member of the beautiful multi-media project Spell Songs: The Lost Words.
Kris played a brilliant sold out concert here in Oundle this March with Chris Stout and we are especially pleased to host him back here as part of this weekend of Folk!
Polly Paulusma
Polly Paulusma returns to Oundle and a different venue to where she last played a Little Ember Session back in October 2022 and we are over the moon to be welcoming her back.
Polly recently played a stunning show of songs accompanied by Jon Thorne (Lamb, Yorkston Thorne Khan) on upright bass to celebrate the release of her latest album 'Wildfires'.
This album, 'Wildfires', is an extraordinary extended piece of work containing two hours of breathtakingly emotional songs interlaced with spoken word poetry. A truly immersive experience, the album has been produced by acclaimed record producer Ethan Johns (Laura Marling, Ray Lamontagne, Ryan Adams).
Chris Brown
Local singer-songwriter, Chris Brown, creates a mood of calm, blending his warm voice with lush acoustic guitar. Originally from Newcastle he sings story songs of the everyday and surreal, mixing folk and jazz elements with a keen ambient sensibility.
Ex of hazeyjane who released two acclaimed albums between 2016 and 2020 he now performs solo and occasionally with Ross Alexander II as hazeyjane II and he hopes to release a third album soon. He also formed part of the duo Lucy Brown.
Chris played a fantastic support set to Heidi and Boo here last year and it’s no surprise that they have requested he do this once again on their return. A dear Friend of ours here at the Little Ember Sessions we were also keen to have him back.
Tamsin Elliott
Tamsin is a multi-instrumentalist and composer with roots in the traditional dance tunes of the British Isles. Her debut solo album, FREY, established her as a rising star on the folk scene, with the Guardian praising her ‘beautiful, filmic compositions for accordion, harp, whistle and voice’.
In this work Tamsin explores themes of limbo, pain, healing and acceptance, reflecting on the microcosm of her personal experience of chronic illness alongside wider themes of societal disconnection and environmental grief. Her forthcoming record The Meeting Tree celebrates connection, nature and the joy of sharing tunes with friends.
A versatile composer-performer, Tamsin also contributes to chamber-folk quite Header and festival favourite Mediterranean fusion band, Solana. As a musician in residence at UHBW NHS Trust, she channels her musical passion into healing and connection, writing new music on lever harp and playing for patients on wards including the ICU.
Jill Jackson
Scottish Americana artist Jill Jackson’s latest album, ‘Curse of the Damned,’
delves into her personal journey with neurodiversity, challenging misconceptions and
breaking free from the challenges of her past.
In the heart of the UK’s bustling Americana scene, Jill Jackson has been steadily ascending, illuminating the landscape with her raw talent and honest storytelling. A name that has gained prominence, as not just a musician; she’s a force of nature, an artist whose music strikes a chord with the deepest emotions of listeners.
From her humble beginnings in Glasgow to gracing the stages of Top of The Pops, of T In The Park and touring with Bryan Adams with her then band Speedway, Jackson’s journey has been nothing short of remarkable.
“I’m too Country for Pop or I’m too Pop for Country. I’ve never fit the mould. Now with this album I am embracing my true identity. This is me. I am pop, I am country, I am Americana, I am all the things I love.”
In 2024, Jackson re-introduced herself to the world with her new album, “Curse of The Damned.” approached with the same honesty and vulnerability that had endeared her to fans. The album promises a deeper dive into the intricacies of life’s twists and turns and the complex nature of neurodiversity. In her own words, Jackson described the album as a “front seat to my life” that explores her tumultuous journey to the present.
Renowned for her storytelling prowess, Jill draws comparisons to artists such as Brandi Carlile, Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell. She seamlessly blends the vibrant charm of Americana music with Scottish heart, skilfully smudging the boundaries of musical genres.
Michele Stodart
Michele Stodart is a multi-award-winning singer-songwriter, producer, musical director and multi-instrumentalist. She is best known as bassist, vocalist and co-songwriter of Mercury-nominated, double-platinum selling band, The Magic Numbers, who have released five critically acclaimed studio albums with top ten singles, and supported the likes of Neil Young, Radiohead, Brian Wilson, U2, The Who, Flaming Lips and Bright Eyes. She continues to play with the band and tour world-wide, and they are set to release a new album next year.
Born in Trinidad, where she spent her early childhood until she and her family fled a military coup attempt, leading them to Queens, New York, and eventually to London (UK), where she is now based, Michele has always pursued her own writing, nurturing a love for Folk, Country and Americana music, and has released three solo albums of her own songs. Hailed as "remarkable" (Rolling Stone), "breath-taking" (For Folk's Sake) and "a thing of perfection" (Folk Radio UK), Michele's solo music has been described by Uncut Magazine as sitting "...in a rich tradition that encompasses such touchstone female performers as Karen Dalton, Judee Sill... Emmylou Harris or Gillian Welch". Her most recent release, ‘Invitation’ - a confessional, melodic album with an orchestral, cinematic feel - received outstanding critical acclaim and went on to win ‘UK Album of the Year’ at the UK Americana Awards 2024, where Michele also scooped the coveted award for ‘UK Artist of the Year’.
In recent years, Michele divides her time between The Magic Numbers and her solo projects. In between recording and touring, she has been building a name for herself as musical director, collaborator and producer. She has been invited to curate stages at a number of festivals and events, and curates and directs an annual multi-artist show celebrating International Women’s Day, as well as promoting and hosting regular nights at the legendary Green Note in Camden Town, celebrating both established and up-and-coming talent. She has also worked as a tutor and held songwriting masterclasses at a range of different creative workshops and songwriting retreats, for both adults and children.
In 2019, Michele graced our screens in the Danny Boyle / Richard Curtis blockbuster film ‘Yesterday’. She was chosen for her role in the movie due to her melodic bass playing and electric, enigmatic stage presence. Working alongside Boyle, Curtis and musical composer Daniel Pemberton, Michele’s bass and vocals are featured on the Abbey Road Studios movie soundtrack, reinterpreting The Beatles’ most beloved hits.
In 2022, she received public recognition for her musical talent, when she was awarded the AMA-UK 'Instrumentalist Of The Year' Award. The following year, she was invited back as musical director at the UK Americana Awards, where she put together an all-female house band and played with the likes of Mike Scott (of The Waterboys), Allison Russell, and Lifetime Achievement award-winner Judy Collins, who took a moment on stage to compliment Michele on her "incredible" talent. Since then, she has continued in the role of Musical Director at the annual Awards show, where she has collaborated with many different musicians and worked with a range of award-winning artists including Candi Staton, Billy Bragg, Lyle Lovett and many more.
Master Of Ceremonies
We are very pleased to share that the MC will be the fabulous Anth Hodson-Curran.
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Where is it happening?
The Talbot Hotel Oundle, 7 New Street, Peterborough, PE8 4, United KingdomEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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