details of future Gigs
Posted 26/1/2024
I’m still at it!
It’s a pretty small pub which makes its own beer and our spot will be around half an hour long. It’s free.
On monday 12th Feb I’m playing with Wendy Lanchin at Folk in the cellar
Needless to say it’s upstairs above a vegan restaurant/bar called MAP cafe near Kentish Town. It’s £5.
This is early warning that on 26th April Wendy and I are doing a triple bill blues concert at ‘The Goose Is Out’ at the Ivy House pub in Nunhead with Dave Peabody and Alan Glen and Fran McGillivray and Mick Burke. These are all old friends and I’m really looking forward to it. There are some gigs in May too but that can wait.
Here is some news: The ‘All Star Medicine Show’ record which Steve Rye, Bob Hall, John Pilgrim and myself made in the late seventies has been re-released on CD with 5 additional tracks and new notes by me. I’ve listened to it for the first time in years and I was pleasantly surprised. I think it has survived really well. Steve and Bob are both brilliant and the group really swings.
Let me know if you want a copy. They’ll be £10 plus postage of £2 or £3 if tracked.
Posted 9/10/23
Wendy Lanchin and I are doing a rather special gig at Cecil Sharp House. The home of British folk song and dance. Yes I know. It came as a surprise to me too!
It’s on Wednesday 29th November at 7.30. We’re going to do something on the history of the blues – from Leadbelly to Charlie Parker – obviously illustrated with lots of songs. It’s £10 plus a £2 per transaction fee. Cecil Sharp House is a short walk from Camden Town Tube. It’s wheelchair accessible.
Here are some fok jokes to honour the occasion.
A folk singer won the lottery. When asked what he was going to do with it. He said “I’ll carry on ‘gigging’ until the money runs out!”
When I was a boy I told my father When I grow up, I want to be a folk singer. He said ‘Son, you’ll have to choose.’
Hope to see you
Simon
Posted 18/8/23
I’m playing with ‘Doc’ Stenson and Wendy Lanchin at the Colour House theatre, Merton Abbey Mills on August bank holiday sunday. That’s Sunday week 27th August at 7.30. This seems to have become an annual event and we got a really good turnout last year. It’s a nice venue. It’s £10.
The following day,
Monday 28th August ‘Doc’ Stenson and I are playing at the Midnight Special Blues club in Camberley: The Cabin, 173-175 London Rd, Camberley GU15 3JS
https://midnightspecialblues.com/ It’s £15 but we’re much rarer in Camberley!
Posted 26/7/23
Just a quick reminder that Wendy and I are at Deptford folk tomorrow night (Thursday)
Here is an extract from their publicity email:
This Thursday, we have another terrific night of folk music for you at the Endeavour in Deptford!
On 27th July our featured act is Simon Prager and Wendy Lanchin, two folk legends who play an exciting mixture of acoustic music from Country Blues to Ragtime, Jazz, skiffle, swing and novelty songs.
Although entry is free, we have a suggested donation of £5 if you like what you hear, card or cash.
A reminder that our website is up and running for information on future gigs:
Things will kick off from around 7:30pm, but would recommend turning up from around 7 if you want to secure a floor spot.
Look forward to seeing you all there!
Posted 18/6/2023
I’m doing a gig with Wendy Lanchin on Thursday 27th July at 7.30 at Deptford folk underneath a bar called the Endeavour, 39 Deptford Broadway, London SE8 4PQ. They have a suggested donation of £5.
I am also playing with Wendy and ‘Doc’ Stenson at the Colour House Theatre, Merton Abbey Mills on Sunday August bank holiday 27th August.
The following night, monday 28th August, ‘Doc’ Stenson and I are playing at the Midnight Special Blues club at The Cabin, 173-175 London Rd, Camberley, Camberley, United Kingdom.
Intro to the Blues:
- The blues are not about limitless choice.
- The following colors do not belong in the blues:
o violet
o beige
o mauve
- You can’t have the blues in an office or mall: the lighting is wrong
- Good places for the blues:
o The highway (the best: a crossroads)
o The jailhouse
o An empty bed
- Bad places:
o Ashrams
o Wine tastings
o A weekend in Tuscany
Bye.
posted 5/4/2023
It’s been a while but I am still very much alive and kicking and I have 2 gigs coming up in the first week of May.
Monday May 1st 8.00 I’m playing with Wendy Lanchin at the Cellar Upstairs at The Alpaca,
84-86 Essex Road, Islington N1 8LU. (about 7 minutes from Angel tube). Yes. I know I don’t do many gigs in North London but that’s only because they don’t ask… Wendy is a wonderful Blues, Jazz and Folk singer. We met online during lockdown. The Cellar upstairs is a folk club run by Sheila Miller who has been an absolute stalwart of the London Folk scene for a long time. https://www.folkandhoney.co.uk/london/cellar-upstairs-folk-club-e1293/
It’s £7/9 to get in.
Thursday May 4th I’m playing with ‘Doc’ Stenson at The Rifleman, Twickenham
https://www.facebook.com/RiflemaninTwickenham/
This one’s in the bar and it’s officially an open mike run by our good friend Chris Hodgson but we’re doing a half hour set. Not sure what time but it’s free.
News of another re-release. Steve Rye, Bob Hall and myself used to go out as the ‘All Star Medicine Show’ and we made a record under that name in 1972 I think. Someone bought the rights (in 1992) and is now planning to re-release it together with 5 tracks that weren’t used at the time. I’m writing the sleeve notes. I don’t know when it’s coming out but I’m pleased that someone is taking notice and I think it’s a good record. I’ll let you know as soon as I do.
posted 31/10/2022
I’m doing 2 gigs at opposite ends of town this month. They’re both 40 odd minute spots and I’m doing them with Wendy Lanchin who is a lovely Jazz and blues singer.
On wednesday week, 9th November
The venue is run by a couple of performers. Kevin (‘Doc’) and I did a gig there when they were based in Tooting and it was a nice place. Incidentally, I still play with Kevin but not on these 2 gigs.
On monday 28th November we’re at the Cellar Downstairs near Kentish Town. It’s at
MAP Studio Cafe, 46 Grafton Road,London NW5 3DU. Apparently it’s actually upstairs. Don’t ask. It says £2 – 5 which is probably out of date but anyway it’s cheap.
It would be spiffing to see you at one of these.
posted 1/8/2022
A long time since I last posted. I am well. I’ve had covid but in my quadruple jabbed state it was fairly mild.
Kevin ‘Doc’ Stenson and I are doing a gig at the Colour House Theatre, Merton Abbey Mills on August bank holiday sunday 28th august 2022. This gig is threatening to become annual. We’re doing it with Wendy Lanchin. She is a lovely singer who appeared with us last year and went down very well.
Here are the details:
It would be lovely to see you there!
I am still selling copies of the 4CD and booklet set of British blues tracks from the late 60s and early 70s. There are 18 tracks of Steve Rye and myself on the set and a chapter in the booklet with lots of photos. It’s been well received and I’m selling them for £20 or £25 by post. They’re normally £45
.
posted 8/7/2021
Well it’s certainly been a long time but I’m still here! I’ve been entertaining myself during lockdown singing at a few musical zooms, I also bought myself some recording hardware and software and I’ve been trying to teach myself how to be a recording engineer. It’s a long slog. The one thing you can’t do through zoom is to play with other people so I’m really looking forward to doing some live stuff.
On Sunday 29th August, Doc Stenson and I are playing at BBs at the Colour House Theatre, Merton Abbey Mills London, SW19 2RD. It starts at 7.00 and admission is £10 or £12 on the door.. Here’s the web site if you want to book ahead. Ignore the price on the site: https://colourhousetheatre.co.uk/blues/
A new friend, Wendy Lanchin may be doing a cameo spot. Wendy is a wonderful singer who I met online through Zoom. In practice, I guess it won’t start till 7.30 but it would be lovely to see you and say hello.
If this screwed up government has miscalculated and we’re all in lockdown at the time, I’ll let you know and we’ll do it on Zoom instead.