Shoulder of Mutton, Wantage, Oxfordshire beer festival, folk music sessions and barn dance ceilidh musician workshops

What a splendid last weekend I enjoyed (19th - 20th August 2011) in session with Monty's Maggot Barn Dance and Ceilidh Band at the beer festival hosted by the Shoulder of Mutton, Wantage, Oxfordshire. I think the landlord Peter Fowler must qualify for a 'good pub host of the year award' if there is one. The weekend went swimmingly with great music, great drinks and all with a friendly and smiling face from the landlord (who, it turns out, is also an artist - checkout his pictures on the pub wall!).

The Shoulder of Mutton, Wantage, Oxfordshire is certainly a pub that is now going places and I hear Peter (see photo left) has great plans. Already offering extremely tasty vegetarian food as a speciality of the pub and wonderful beer, rumour has it he is planning to host his own micro brewery on the premises to add to his wide range of beers and other drinks. If his own beer is as yummy as his vegetarian food, which I enjoyed Saturday evening, customers could be in for a treat indeed.

Local Wantage and Oxfordshire folk musicians have also discovered the pleasures of Shoulder of Mutton hospitality (photo right) and the pub now hosts regular Wantage folk music sessions with all welcome and musicians invited to join in.

The network of intimate pub rooms that comprise the Shoulder of Mutton real ale pub would seem an ideal venue for the workshops planned for 19 & 20 November 2011, at the Shoulder of Mutton, Wantage. These are being organised by Jerry Tozer (photo left) of Monty's Maggot Barn dance and Ceilidh Band and focus on the English music tradition for all levels of musician.

The tutor line up for the workshops is spectacular indeed. On Sat & Sun mornings there will be ‘Single Instrument’ tune and technique workshops' with melodeon (& free reed) tutored by Ian Dedic of The Committee Band & Panjandrum. The fiddle workshop will be led by Flos Headford of The Old Swan Band & Mellstock Band and, tutoring wind & other instruments, will be Jo Freya of Blowzabella, Old Swan & Token Women bands. On Sat & Sun afternoons, participants will be divided into 3 ‘bands’, playing for dance.

I had the opportunity to play with Flos Headford over the weekend (bearded Flos is seen seated next to well known local Oxfordshire folk musician Cat Kelly playing fiddle in photo on right) and it was an amazing experience. He transforms simple folk tunes into a wonderful musical experience and is immensely stimulating to play with. One member of the audience over the weekend just sat there and kept saying 'Wow!', another described the music as having 'amazing energy' and much of the energy was provided by Flos Headford's lead.

With such great musicians as tutors at the barndance and ceilidh workshops 19 & 20 November 2011 at the Shoulder of Mutton, Wantage, musicians on the courses should find the courses stimulating indeed.

Not only musicians but also singers and belly dancers entertained the public over the weekend at the Shoulder of Mutton, Wantage. There were some wonderful songs from Ellie Brown, the 15 year old (August 2011) modern singing phenomenon from Witney, and Lutece Constant, a 17 year old modern singer from Oxford. On the dance front, the Ashnah Performers belly dancers performed at first to their own music and then, showing music knows no barriers, belly danced to traditional English tunes played by Monty's Maggot Ceilidh and Barn Dance Band - a delight for the eyes as well as for the ears!