OK XXXX. How observant are you feeling today?
Can you see what's different about this newsletter? There are no prizes ("Shame!" I hear you say) but how good are you at 'Spot the difference'?
Need a clue? Look at the banner picture at the top of this page. Compare this with what you remember of the banner picture from the last FiddleBop newsletter (yes, I know this is difficult).
Still not got it?
OK. FiddleBop has a new musician! That's him: Paul Midgley, master percussionist, on the right of the banner picture. He's our newest FiddleBopper 
.
Sadly, keyboard player Paul Stevens has had to leave the band for health-related reasons. We did our last gigs with him at the end of May. Then we had to cancel all FiddleBop's forthcoming gigs for the rest of 2025.
Which was a bit of a low point.
But then who should come along — cue roll on the drums... how appropriate! — but the wondrous Paul Midgley! He has had years of experience making various rhythmic clonking and bashing noises in a whole range of situations: bands, festivals, workshops...
So now we have FiddleBop version 3! Yaaaaay!!!
And there's more. Paul also plays various tuned percussion things (such as thumb piano), and what he calls "junk flute". This is actually a species of overtone flute made by Paul from PVC drainpipe, then hooked up to some electronic wizardry. Out of this unlikely-sounding setup, he can conjure all manner of mysterious and evocative ambient sounds, adding yet more variety to FiddleBop's aural palette.
Yipppeee! Thanks for joining us, Paul. This will be fun!
We've been rehearsing assiduously (did I spell that correctly?) and we think that you will like the new FiddleBop. What's that? You can't wait to hear what all this sounds like? You'll need to be patient.
But not for long now.
Our first outing with the new-look FiddleBop will be on Wednesday 17 September, at the Foundry (8 Bell Lane, Brecon, Powys LD3 9EE).
We're looking forward to it. Hugely. See you there?
So that's our biggest news. What else?
Well, FiddleBop has almost been cybersquatted. An online game named Sprunki Fiddlebops has opened a website with a name that differs from ours by just one letter. They can't plead ignorance, since they say on their website (and I quote) "... a creative music game inspired by the famous jazz band FiddleBop, based in Wales". Famous? Really? And there's more: "Features a colorful jazz-inspired environment, reflecting the connection to the band FiddleBop".
Hmmmm. No-one asked us. But as the saying goes, "Any publicity is good publicity".
Hmmmm again. Care to test that, anyone?
Earlier this year FiddleBop was asked to pass on a message to our fretless bass (and several other instruments) whiz, Graeme Lamble.
This concerned Graeme's younger brother Martin Lamble, who very very sadly died at the age of 19. Martin was the drummer on the first three albums by they-created-a-genre folk-rock band Fairport Convention, and to this day is remembered for his sensitive and innovative drum work on songs such as 'Who Knows Where the Time Goes?' by the late Sandy Denny.
The message asked if Graeme would be happy to see his brother remembered via a plaque on 'Jonah's Oak'. This is a tree near the site of Fairport's annual Cropredy Festival. The tree commemorates members of Fairport, and Fairport fans, who are no longer with us. It had been noticed that there was nothing there for Martin Lamble.
So at Fairport's Cropredy Festival 2025, Graeme's brother was finally remembered by a plaque on Jonah's Oak. And by this article in the festival programme.
(Click or tap for a larger version)Anything else? Maybe a recap of what has happened since 1 April, which was the date of the last FiddleBop newsletter?
OK, let's go.
First, then, was FiddleBop's gig on Friday 11 April 2025, at the Old Street Tavern (4 Old Street, Ludlow, Shropshire SY8 1NP).
After we got our collective breath back, having carried all our equipment upstairs, we had a really good time here. And we made some smashing new friends. Yup, we like Ludlow! And we look forward to playing there again...
FiddleBop's next was at the Foundry venue - bar - kitchen, on Wednesday 23 April 2025 (8 Bell Lane, Brecon, Powys LD3 9EE). We always enjoy playing here (thanks, Dean!).
This Foundry gig was especially fun, since we were joined both by friends from Hook Norton, and by the one-and-only Rob Chilcott, my boss when I worked at at 'The Music Gallery', Banbury's very popular music shop (don't ask how long ago that was, tho').
Not only that, but ace photographer Barry Hill came along. He takes superb photos at Brecon Jazz Club and Brecon Jazz Festival. And that evening, he took some really good pics of FiddleBop. Thanks, Barry!
Then on Saturday 10 May it was south to carefree Caerphilly for careworn FiddleBop. We'd not played in this town before, and we wondered what it would be like. We weren't disappointed! Our gig at Geshmak cafe - bar - bistro (6 Clive Street, Caerphilly, Gwent CF83 1GE) was one to remember. What a friendly and enthusiastic audience! Geshmak advertises as "A great night out..." and they aren't wrong . We hope to return to Geshmak. For sure.
There's no rest for the wicked! The very next day (Sunday 11 May 2025) FiddleBop played in Erwood Market Hall (Erwood, Powys LD2 3EZ), for the community celebration of the 80th Anniversary of VE Day.
A short break, then it was time for an even busier weekend. Twice as busy!
Our first of this marathon weekend was on Friday 23 May 2025, at the Apple Tree, Onibury (Onibury, Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 9AW). This is "a wonderful family-run pub..." in a pretty village. We played outside, in the summer evening air, on a sort of bandstand. And we really enjoyed meeting up again with our new friends from the Ludlow gig a few weeks back.
The second FiddleBop gig of the weekend was at HowTheLightGetsIn Festival (Hay-on-Wye, Hereford HR3 5BZ). Billed as "The World's Largest Music And Philosophy Festival", this is definitely one of the highlights of FiddleBop's year. We love playing at HTLGI. This year, the festival ran from 23 - 26 May. And guess what? This year it wasn't raining!
FiddleBop played in the very colourful Blue Moon Tent on Saturday 24 May 2025, and it was fun. Lots of fun! As usual, sound engineer Bill did a great job, thanks Bill. And helpers Andres and Roxy made life so much easier for us, since moving our equipment about on this b-i-g site can be a pain.
A short sleep then, for our third gig of the weekend, it was back again to HowTheLightGetsIn Festival on Sunday 25 May 2025. And we enjoyed this just as much as we did the day before.
After we'd played, we quickly packed up and moved our equipment (thanks again, Andres and Roxy!) off the festival site — phew! — ready for the fourth and final FiddleBop outing of the weekend. And I have to admit that I was feeling t-i-r-e-d by now...
The venue was not far away: the Globe at Hay (Newport Street, Hay-on-Wye, Hereford HR3 5BG), on the evening of Sunday 25 May 2025. This was a benefit gig for Palestine "Hay on Wye for a Free Palestine!" FiddleBop played last, to an enthusiastic audience.
And then that was it: the final gig of FiddleBop version 2.
So, next is a currently-correct list of FiddleBop's future gigs. Now that we are up and running again (yippeeee!) we're adding more gigs all the time. So take a look here since this list is always up to date. We'd love to see you at one (or more) of these gigs!
All the best
Dave, Jo, Graeme, and Paul M... the FiddleBoppers)
PS I hope you enjoyed this newsletter. And I also need to check that you wish to continue to receive FiddleBop newsletters like this one. If you don't, then click here to unsubscribe, or send an unsubscribe-request email to info@fiddlebop.org. If you don’t do either of these things then I’ll assume that you are happy to receive future FiddleBop newsletters.
This list of gigs is correct at the time of writing, but the list on our website is always up to date.
| The gig! | When/where is FiddleBop playing? | Venue, occasion, whatever... | Contact details |
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Free entry! |
From 7.30 pm |
The Foundry |
The Foundry |
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Admission TBA |
Time TBA |
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The Market Theatre |
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Admission £15 |
From 7.30 pm |
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Under the Edge Arts Centre |
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info@fiddlebop.org
01982 560726
07968 950870
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@FiddleBop
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