F E S T I V A L P R O G R A M M E

2 8 - 3 0 t h J u n e 2 0 1 9

Y E A R

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INTRODUCTION

This event will be held over 3 days at the Gower Heritage Centre. It will be our 4th year celebrating this great instrument and its awesome community. You can expect quality artists, workshops, open mic sessions, jamming areas, singalongs, stalls and much more...

Based in the heart of the beautiful Gower Peninsula, an area of outstanding natural beauty.

We have home-grown world-class acts, also camping, stalls, workshops, open mic and jamming, not to forget a luscious selection of fine ales and other refreshments all for your enjoyment and entertainment, these are just a few of the many community-based activities we have planned for UFOW 2019. Promising to be a fun packed weekend. In addition to the Festival, the centre has craft shops, craft activities, old fashioned games arcade, sandpit area, adventure playground, soft play area, tractor play area, an animal farm with chicks, ducks, rabbits, guinea pigs, goats, sheep and horses and is home to La Charrette Wales’ smallest cinema.

We will be kicking off this year’s Festival on the 28th June, you can view the festival songbook and timetable below so get those Uke’s ready!!!

UFOWC O N T E N T S

I N T R O D U C T I O N

Page 2

P E R F O R M E R S

Pages 3 / 7Timetable / Page 8

W O R K S H O P S

Pages 9 / 10Timetable / Page 11

S P O N S O R S

Sponsors Page 12

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PERFORMERS

Gary Phillips has performed all over the globe and will be playing a special set of tunes showing the true potential of the ukulele in many different styles including Hawaiian, Latin, Gypsy Jazz, Bluegrass, Ragtime, Blues, Old-Timey, Contemporary and more,Gary will also be providing workshops for different styles of the Ukulele for beginner and advanced at the Festival.

THE AMIGOS TRIO

Formed for a talent contest in late 2008, Captain Cat and the Sailors are a Swansea based folk outfit who perform with verve. Playing a range of styles including traditional, contemporary and shanties, their performances are rarely forgotten. Whether singing ballads, telling stories or playing their own creations they are sure to entertain.

CAPTAIN CAT & THE SAILORS

Corinne has been treading the musical boards for a few decades now in various guises! Originally found playing six strings with her guitar partner Mark Trueman, then doing some solo work in pubs and folk clubs she began her ukulele career in 2010 playing uke rock, blues and soul and performing with the popular Nantwich band , the N’Ukes.

CORINNE FINNAN

Festival favourites Dead Mans Uke are a two man band playing old blues, dirt swing and hokum tunes on double bass and a resonator uke that belonged to Tiny Tim. They have recently played shows in Prague, Austria, Germany, Paris, London’s Hippodrome, Las Vegas and... Rotherham and are excited to be playing in Wales!

DEAD MAN’S UKE

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A biligual band with a difference putting an ubeat feel to well known classics as well as originals. Dont think usual folk band.. rather a moder up beat amplified combo - ukuleles,banjos,bongos,cajon,guitar, handrum and unconventional instruments.

DIM PROBLEM

The music band Gaudy Orde reside in South Wales and play original toe-tapping quirky music that is fun and flippant. If you’re looking for a genre then you might try ‘skiffle’ or ‘vaudeville’ although neither of those trousers are a perfect fit. However you decide to describe Gaudy Orde, one thing is certain, they are a thoroughly entertaining live act.

GAUDY ORDE

He’s better known as the axe wielding frontman of such much-loved Welsh rock outfits as Dopamine and Attack! Attack!, but now Neil Starr is taking on a challenge that is a world away from his rock ‘n’ roll past.The musician from Caerphilly is forsaking ear-shattering decibels for a year-long ukulele challenge.

NEIL STARR

The Naughty Corner Ukulele Band are a three piece outfit based in Worcester. They are all-singing, all-strumming, toe-tapping Ukulele players with a diverse songbook. The band formed at the start of 2015 primarily as a group of buskers to raise money for a band member to run the London Marathon.

THE NAUGHTY CORNER UKULELE BAND

CONTINUED..

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Plastic Jeezus are a three-piece from Bournemouth. We write toe-tapping tunes with hummable melodies and drily witty lyrics to make audiences chortle. We’re very passionate about performing original songs – there is no better feeling feeling than being onstage, watching a crowd dancing, smiling and singing along to song that YOU wrote.

PLASTIC JEEZUS

Opera-lele is a crossover act specialising in singing music from opera and musical theatre accompanied by the emotionally powerful yet understated twang of the ukulele. Having both trained as singers at the Royal College of Music and Goldsmiths College in London, George Bartle and Amanda Harkett have gone on individually to forge careers for themselves as entertainers of the highest calibre.

OPERA-LELE

Quaintest Show On Earth are an alternative folk band from Wigan. They have played main stage with artists from all over the world at some of the most prestigious Ukulele festivals. Heavily featured across radio, short films and many forms of artistic media QSOE has caught the curiosity of many and gained a loyal following.

QUAINTEST SHOW ON EARTH

A singer/ songwriter, Sarah Kelly has supported stars like Joe Brown, Keston Cobblers Club and Mike Sanchez. In an eclectic set, rich with live-looped layers of harmony she presents original songs, old songs and contemporary songs but always TRUE songs.

SARAH KELLY

CONTINUED..

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Steven Sproat is a singer/songwriter, guitarist, ukulele exponent and bestselling author. His recording career began in the ‘80s and on his musical journey so far he has released 5 albums with several songs from those albums garnering airplay on BBC Radio 2, noteably by Aled Jones and Jeremy Vine.

STEVEN SPROAT

A band formed from a ukulele club based in Resolven near Neath, the band brings a lively, varied and foot tapping set with some ‘unusual’ songs not often associated with the ukulele. Covering songs by artists such as Elton John, The Eagles, The Kinks and The Rolling Stones, their performance promises to be a memorable one!

INDONESIAN ARCHITECTS

Al is our resident photographer. However,alongside his passion for taking pictures Al has been a lifelong student of the blues and ragtime, learning his craft playing guitar and harmonica in local bands. This year, along with taking pictures, Al will be bringing a taste of the Juke Joints of the Mississippi Delta to the festival, echoing the styles of Robert Johnson, Mississippi John Hurt, many others.

UKULELE AL

The Ukoholix are an established Swansea band who perform a wide range of genres from 1960’s to current day hits.They have played in many festivals and were winners of The Golden Ukulele at Winchester Ukulele Festival 2017, they have also completed a tour of Jersey. Utilising a rhythm section and a funky bass, get ready to dust off your dancing shoes for some uke madness.

UKOHOLIX

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The Ukulele Uff Trio is comprised of Chris ‘Ukulele’ Hough on ukulele, ‘Lonesome’ Dave Searson on guitar and ‘Brother’ Bill Leach on Hawaiian guitar. They specialize in obscure 1920’s and 1930`s jazz, tin pan alley songs and traditional Hawaiian music with a skill and authenticity.

UKULELE UFF TRIO

Are a dynamic and imaginative trio, consisting of 2 electro Ukes, Bass Uke and keyboard, and with their rich 3 part WWvocal harmonies they have this year thrilled audiences all over Europe and the Uk. They constantly strive to show what a lyrically beautiful instrument the Ukulele is, as well as a rhythmical one.

THE LEAGUE OF UKULELE GENTLEMEN

CONTINUED..

For providing the sound for the last couple of year’sCheers Guys !!

Special Thank you to Ian James & Alan margetson

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5pm

PERFORMERS TIMETABLE

2 8F R I D A Y

OPEN

6pm PLAYALONG WITH INDONESIAN AR C HITEC TS

7pm NEIL STA R R

8pm OPEN MIC

9pm CAPTAIN CAT & THE SAIL OR S

10pm DEAD MAN’S UKE

11pm CLOSE

10:30am

2 9S A T U R D A Y

OPEN

11am OPEN MIC

12pm PLAYALONG

1pm THE LEAGUE OF UKULEL E GENTL EMEN

2pm DIM PROBL EM

3pm UKULELE AL

4pm OPEN MIC

5pm QUAINTEST SHOW ON EARTH

6pm STEVEN SP R OAT

7pm PLAYALONG WITH NAUGHT Y C OR NER UKUL EL E BAND

8pm GAUDY OR D E

9pm PLAYALONG WITH UKOHOL IX

10pm UKULELE UFF TR IO

10:30am

3 0S U N D A Y

OPEN

11am OPEN MIC

12pm PLAYALONG

1pm THE AMIGOS TR IO

2pm CORINNE FINNAN

3pm PLASTIC JEEZUS

4pm SARAH KEL LY

5pm OPERA-LE L E

6pm CLOSE

11pm CLOSE

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CHRIS UFF

In this workshop i intend to dissect some aspects of my own playing. I will be explaining some of my favourite techniques including strums and finger picking and how to use them. In other words i’ll show you some fancy stuff!

WORKSHOPS

M y F a v o u r i t e T e c h n i q u e s

C l a w h a m m e r T e c h n i q u e

LIAM KIRBY

This workshop will look at how the clawhammer ‘bum-diddy’ and a few right-hand tricks can inform and expand simple chordal accompaniment styles, without having to learn whole new arrangements. Beginners welcome!

S i n g i n g a n d S t r u m m i n g

OPERA - LELE

Ever wondered if you could sing in the opera? Well, Here’s your operatunity! George and Mandi from Opera-lele will teach you a famous opera chorus which you will then have the chance to perform on stage with Opera-lele. Here is your big chance to break into the opera - next stop, Covent Garden Opera House!

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ROLAND EMMANEUL

This Workshop Roland will be teaching,singing and in particular vocal harmony If you want to find an easy and fun way to learn how to sing harmony by ear then this is the course for you. No note reading, no bogging down in music theory, learn to sing harmony intuitively. Just come along and enjoy!

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H o w t o S i n g H a r m o n y

I n t r o d u c i n g t h e S p l i t S t r o k e

STEVEN SPROAT

Gentle introduction to a very complex technique ,Easing in with splitting beats/explanation of splitting beats (no upstrokes at this stage) Gradually adding the upstrokes once the ‘split’ is being understood. Not just for Formby songs but any genre that has a beat or jazziness, can be played slow, medium or fast.

SARAH KELLY

Jump on board one of her free beginners sessions and UKE-CAN be playing and singing Rock and Roll classics in minutes! Suitable for beginners of all ages. If ‘yer really good’, she might share some songs with you too! ALL ABOARD!!

B e g i n n e r s

L e a r n a N e w S k i l l

DRUMMERBEAT

Back by popular demand. Come and join us for an hour of fun packed, rhythym shaking, carnival style drumming. A fantastic opportunity to expand your horizons, learn a new skill. No previous experience necessary.

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12pm

WORKSHOPS TIMETABLE

2 9S A T U R D A Y

SA MBA

2.30pm LIA M KIRBY - C LAWHA MME R TECH NIQUE

3.45pm STEVEN SPROAT - IN TRO DUCING TH E SPLIT STROKE

1HR WORKSHOP @MOUNT PISGAH CHAPEL. FEE £10

1HR WORKSHOP @HERITAGE CENTRE CLASSROOM. FREE ADMISSION

1pm SA RA H KELLY - B E GINNERS

12pm

3 0S U N D A Y

C HRIS UFF - M Y FAVO URITE TECH NIQUE S

1 .15pm O PERA-LELE - S IN GIN G AND STRUMMING

2.30pm RO LA N D EM MA N EUL - HOW TO SING H ARMONY

1HR WORKSHOP @HERITAGE CENTRE CLASSROOM. FREE ADMISSION

1pm SA RA H KELLY - B E GINNERS

1HR WORKSHOP @MOUNT PISGAH CHAPEL. FEE £10

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SPONSORSA B i g T h a n k Y o u t o o u r S p o n s o r s ! ! !

Brynhyfryd Music Teaching Studios is Swansea’s Premier Music School. Giving the people of Wales a chance to learn and study many different aspects of music.

B R Y N H Y F R Y D M U S I C T E A C H I N G S T U D I O S

Popty Pizza is a new concept in catering. A fully mobile trailer with a professional commercial kitchen grade wood fired oven on board. Let the Pizza Come to you! our pizza oven is designed to produce high quality authentic ‘stonebake’ pizzas very quickly.

P O P T Y P I Z Z A

Established in 2011, Mumbles Brewery Ltd is committed to producing quality real ales with a local flavour. Brewing beer locally has reduced “beer miles” and expanded the range of real ales consumed in the area.

M U M B L E S B R E W E R Y

Ukuleles and guitars, handmade in England. Vintage designs, traditional construction. I make these instruments entirely by hand, using traditional hand tools and, as far as I can, techniques. I own neither bandsaw, nor thickness sander.

W U N D E R K A M M E R

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S U P P O R T I N G

Tŷ Hafan is one of the UK’s leading paediatric palliative care charities and offers care to children and support for their families, throughout Wales.