The Martlets Hall in Burgess Hill closes its doors on Saturday 30th June 2018 and “a proud tradition of live shows will come to an end,” says arts promoter Robert Eggleston. A key part of the music scene at the Martlets Hall has been folk music with acts like the Dubliners, Ralph McTell, Martin Carthy, Dave Swarbrick, Faustus, Spiers and Boden, and Show of Hands featuring across the years.
“Bringing down the final curtain on folk music at the Martlets Hall is going to be very poignant”, says Robert. So for one last time the venue will play host to folk with a double header on Saturday 9th June 2018 featuring Americana group The Orange Circus Band and Folk Rock legends Home Service.
The Orange Circus Band is a raucous country Americana collective based in Wales and Kent, with roots in Virginia, USA. They are set to headline one of the main stages at this year’s Cambridge Folk Festival.
Having a hand in roots, rock and gospel music, and updating traditional songs taken from The Blue Ridge Mountains - The Orange Circus Band produces original music that has a wholly unique, fresh sound. You can expect wild playing, beautiful harmonies and boundless energy guaranteed to raise the roof and warm the hearts. They have played with the likes of Noah and The Whale’s Urby Whale, Michele Stodart of The Magic Numbers, The Grahams, and Born Crooked and many more.
Home Service, one the greatest ever folk-rock ensembles was formed in the early 1980s by a core of musicians who had been part of the influential Albion Band in the previous decade. The band released a single and three albums; by the time of the last of these, "Alright Jack", the band had attained genuine legendary status. Reuniting in 2011 and very much back in business they won the BBC Radio 2 award for Best Folk/Roots Live Act in 2012.
Fronted now by the legendary John Kirkpatrick (Steeleye Span, Albion Band) and with a first album of entirely new material for 30 years winning them 5-star reviews, they are going from strength to strength!
Home Service live is still the very mightiest of sounds that could grace any stage, with nothing
remotely comparable in the folk-rock arena in terms of maximum visceral and emotional impact which combines traditional folk rock with a great brass section.
The night is part of the Burgess Hill Summer Festival and not to be missed. Tickets can be purchased via www.live-arts.co.uk at £17.00 adults, £15.00 concessions and children (16 and under) £7.00.