Sunday 26th April
We were blessed with the weather again as the “Tune-Up” roadshow rolled
into Briston Three Horseshoes for another bout of local traditional music,
song and step dancing, a pub which has quite a lot of relevant history as it
was run by famed step dancer Dick Hewitt years ago. A lovely setting of the
open-sided pavilion in the garden was the backdrop for another few hours
music-making in time-honoured manner. Quite a throng filled the pavilion
area, and spilled out into the neighbouring tables, in the sunshine.
We had a selection of the local tunes of various types, with a fair amount of
people joining the Unthank Irregulars on a wide variety of instruments:
trombone and guitar-banjo as well as the more usual fiddles, whistles and
concertinas. Dancing dolls there were a-plenty, and honourable mention
must be made to Sheila Park, not just for her wonderful songs but also for
bringing and playing a doll made for her by Harry Cox. Also plenty of step
dancing, as the tunes inspired dancers to get up; lovely to see a few
spontaneous attempts from some teenagers in the wings too. Once again,
it was wonderful to have the couple-dancing of Monica Rackham and Barry
Mobbs, polkas and waltzes as well as the stepdances.
Full band sets were interspersed with the occasional dulcimer solo, or
dulcimer-led set, and we were fortunate enough to have two players, Tom
Knights, with tunes learned from his grandfather Reg Reader, as well as
our usual stalwart Richard Blake: quite a tour-de-force when playing
together. Some traditional songs, mostly of local provenance, rounded out
an enjoyable afternoon and, once again, it was gratifying to see so many
local people enjoying the spectacle and some curious enough to want to
find out more about this local heritage.
May will see us in Erpingham Spread Eagle – on Sunday 17th – for more of
the same. Also, if anyone is at a loose end on Sunday 24th, the Unthank
Irregulars are playing at Melton Park fete (1.30-4.00). Do come and join us
(to play if you wish) in the beautiful surroundings of the Norman estate
church.
Chris Holderness, April 2026