Friendly traditional English, Irish, Breton tune folk music session at Rule 7 Bar, Wellington, Somerset 1st Wednesday of Month

Last night (2nd February 2011, 1st Wednesday of the month) I attended a very pleasant and friendly traditional English, Irish, Breton tune folk music session at Rule 7 Bar, Wellington Somerset.

Rule 7 is quite difficult to find unless you know where you are going but several of the session folk musicians spotted me wandering aimlessly around in the centre of Wellington, Somerset with my haversack on my back and folkie hat protecting by head from the elements, recognised me from a session at Bampton Folk Festival and kindly led me down the steps of 21 High Street into the basement bar that is called Rule 7. Such is the friendliness of this group that, when a trucker asked them directions, they immediately invited him to the session too. He listened to us all evening and finally borrowed a melodeon and proved a very proficient musician confessing he had a room full of squeezeboxes at home.

Present at the session were melodeons, a whistle, a recorder, a violin, a bodhran, a piano accordion, a concertina, a hurdy gurdy and, of course, my soprano sax. There was a friendly atmosphere and everybody was welcomed to jump in and start a tune as they wished. Tunes played included traditional English folk dance tunes, Irish folk music, some French or Breton folk tunes and they didn't even complain when I popped in a quick Klezmer tune in D minor.

So, if you are in the Wellington, Somerset area and are looking for a traditional folk music session where a wide variety of styles of music are welcomed, the session at Rule 7, 21 High Street, Wellington, TA21 8QT is worth checking out on the first Wednesday of the month. (As always, it is worth phoning ahead and checking with the proprietor of Rule 7 that it is taking place as arrangements can change from time to time.)