Roland Walls was the indefatigable, quiet leader of the Black Swan Folk Club. When he died in 2019 from Motor Neurone Disease his death was a big loss to York’s music scene.

By Miles Salter

Holly Taymar photos by Oz Hardwick

He had steered the folk club to being well regarded throughout the UK, booking hundreds of acts over the years, and gaining a BBC Radio Award for ‘Best Folk Club’ in 2009.

Fortunately, his efforts continue, guided by folk club stalwarts Chris Euesden, Stan Graham, Eddie Affleck and Phil Cerny, plus other helpers. Between them, this talented team can write songs, act as comperes, work as sound engineers, book acts, and work on publicity. They put teamwork before ego. 

The site, as ever, is Peasholme Green’s Black Swan, with a marquee in the car park. The weekend takes place every June.

Downstairs in the pub on Saturday, there was a folk session of high quality, the room crowded with musicians – multiple fiddle players, several accordionists, a guitar or two. They played reels and jigs with a sort of calm telepathy, switching direction like a school of fish, moving in unison. It’s a thing to behold (and hear).

Saturday’s line-up began with Les Roustiques, a duo specialising in French folk music. There were some unintended moments of comedy during their set, punctuated by self-conscious pauses. ‘We usually play ceilidhs,’ said the singer. ‘It’s better in a way because people aren’t really listening.’ But they were very good, although could perhaps work on their web presence – I found other bands with a similar name, but not this one.

Leather ‘O are a seasoned York folk band, forming in 2012 and busy since then. Angela Gordon and Lindsey Woods play six instruments between them, and Rachel Wilson is a deft fiddle player. Billy Hickling played drums in the first of two appearances during the afternoon. Bob Ward is guitarist and singer. They’re dynamic, professional and manage to balance serious intention with spirited energy.

White Sailprovide music that is calm, thoughtful, and meditative. The line-up is Jane Stockdale, Sarah Dean – who also acted as one of the comperes over the weekend – and, playing almost anything that lands in his hands, Chris Bartram. Their set ended with a rousing cover of Fairport Convention’s Meet On The Ledge.

Billy Hickling returned with some of his family members for a set by King Courgette, playing country-roots material. King Courgette have been playing in York for years and are always reliable as a live act. The set included a version of When the Levee Breaks, the song made famous by Led Zeppelin in 1971 – but the courgette version draws on the folk song from decades earlier. It was an apocalyptic reminder that New Orleans was vulnerable, surrounded by water – and in 2005 it came true, with widespread flooding.

Sunday saw Holly Taymar providing an excellent set in the afternoon, coping admirably with the challenge of one of the tent’s momentarily taking off. She acted as calm commentator and cheerleader as gang of volunteers helped to stabilise the situation. More guy ropes next year, perhaps.

Holly is always, consistently good. She has a voice like poured chocolate (Karen Carpenter comes to mind) and is a very good guitarist. She’s getting lots of gigs these days and providing a popular show based on the music of Eva Cassidy.

She always takes on songwriting commissions and has had to write songs that include phrases about belly button fluff and a Ford Focus (no, really). She’s been playing in York for the best part of twenty years – her first gig was at the Black Swan and is a more confident performer now (I first saw her when she was quite young).

Covers in her set included Big Yellow Taxi and an acoustic version of the Kate Bush classic Wuthering Heights, not easy to play. The two blokes near me approved. ‘Better than the original,’ said one man to his mate. ‘Less squealing.’ 

Later in the afternoon there was a set by Duncan McFarlane and his band, turning up the volume and matching rock with folk with a large and boisterous line-up. They’ve won accolades from BBC Radio 2 and elsewhere.

This is not the whole story – there were a lot more acts across the three days. This is a really good weekend. There’s no pretension; it’s good humoured. It’s free to enjoy and it should be far better attended than it is. The place should have been heaving. Why isn’t it? Is it that people find folk music difficult, or they’re too absorbed by yet more shopping? I scratch my head to find an answer. But let’s hope it continues. It’s a good thing for York.