Regular Events

[Updated 24th June 2020]

Because of the Covid-19 health crisis, a large number of regular events have already been cancelled or at least suspended. I’m afraid I can’t promise to keep on top of all the events listed here as they go offline and (hopefully) resume further down the line. Of course, I’ll remove anything I know to have stopped happening altogether in due course. Where I can, I’ll continue to repost any relevant information on the Wheal Alice page on Facebook. Whether you decide to go to events that are still running is up to you, of course, at least until the government decrees otherwise: for the moment I’m leaving the list intact with contact details – where I have them – so that you can check on current status. 

Obviously, a work in process, and not always a high priority. I can’t guarantee that it will be up to date, either. Check with the venue before travelling.

There is a useful list of regular events at Open Mic Cornwall you might want to check, and lots more resources listed on the Useful music(-ish) links page here. I do flag events that grab my attention on the Wheal Alice Facebook page as they come up.

Sunday

  • Every Sunday
    • Farmers Arms, Penzance: open mic session 3-7
    • Engine Inn, Cripplesease: Pub reopened in early April 2019, but I’m not aware of the old sessions being revived at present. There does seem to be some live music though: see the Facebook page linked above for more info.
    • Western Hotel Kettle and Wink, St Ives. Acoustic jam session. “Everyone welcome: play, sing or just listen.” A very friendly group, in my limited experience.
    • Dreamer’s Folk Club, The Sportsman’s Arms, Four Lanes, Redruth, Cornwall, TR16 6LR. Regular open nights with occasional guest nights. (Guest nights seem to be once a month-ish.) 7.30 in the back room. I haven’t been, but I hear excellent reports. And currently (June 2020) running as a Sunday night Facebook Watch Party.

 

  • 1st Sunday 
  • 2nd Sunday
  • 3rd Sunday
    • Cornish Arms, Hayle: impromptu session of Celtic music, dance and song. Joy or Frank, 01736-754976 [Unable to confirm current status: July 2017]
  • 4th Sunday
  • Last Sunday
  • Alternate Sundays:

Monday

  • Every Monday
    • Star Inn, St Just. Celtic/Irish music session.
    • Western Hotel Kettle and Wink, St Ives. Musicians unplugged.
    • Fire Engine, Marazion: jam. [Link failed – unable to confirm current status: July 2017]
    • The Crown Session in Penzance, bottom of Bread St. 8:00 – 11:00pm, hosted by Alan Shepherd. Only been once so far, but it was an excellent evening.
    • Local Vocalz choir rehearsals. Confusingly, an article in Hayle Pump says they’re at Passmore Edwards Institute, Hayle, whereas the club listings says St Elwyn’s Church (contact number given there is 07950-585787). [Update: listed in Hayle Pump  as being at the Passmore Edwards, starting at 7.45pm – “65 stong mixed voice adult choir…07446 492266” (July 2019)]
    • Open Mic at the Rising Sun Inn, Calstock Road, Gunnislake, PL18 9BX. 01822-832201. Pub’s Facebook page is minimal and gives wrong postcode. [Unable to confirm current status: July 2017]
    • Jam sessions at The Old Ale House, Truro.
    • Open Mic at the Famous Barrel, Penryn
  • 1st Monday
  • 2nd Monday
    • Songwriters Circle at Sonder Cafe Bar, 6 Princes Street, TR1 2ES Truro, Cornwall. Facebook page looks cobwebby, and Sonder page doesn’t show the event. [Unable to confirm current status: July 2017]
  • 3rd Monday
  • 4th Monday
  • Last Monday

Tuesday

  • Every Tuesday
    • Kings Arms, St Just: acoustic music session, hosted by guest musicians. I went to one recently hosted by the amazing Sarah McQuaid, and certainly intend to go again when I can.
    • Alexandra Inn, Alexandra Road, Penzance TR18 4LY. Acoustic Open Mic every Tuesday 7.30-10.30.
    • Studio Bar, Penzance: open mic. Things start too late for me to get there (or rather to get home from there) now, but went to some excellent evenings there when I used to stay in Penzance from time to time. Some sort of music event every night, I believe.
    • Western Hotel  and Kettle and Wink, St Ives.
      • St. Ives Jazz Club
      • Sergeant Pepper’s Strawberry jam (“all the great songs from the 60s to noughties and beyond”)
    • Kings Arms, Paul: bluegrass jam
    • Folk sessions at the Falcon, Bude
    • Folk on the Moor, Westward Inn, Lee Mill, PL21 9EE (Devon, near Ivybridge)
    • Praze Hayle Choir: 7.30, Methodist Hall. Don Metcalf, 01736-757720
    • Cadgwith: folk session and open mic
    • Pirate Inn, Alverton, Penzance: Celtic, mostly tunes
    • Barley Jam Night [Broken link – Unable to confirm current status: July 2017]
      Tues 20:30 · The Barley Sheaf · Truro [Broken link – Unable to confirm current status: July 2017]
    • Garland Ox jam/open mic, Bodmin
    • Farmers Arms, St Merryn nr Padstow. Open mic.
  • 1st Tuesday
  • 2nd Tuesday
    • The St Tudy Inn is to host Spoken Word Evenings, formerly the Pendoggett Poetry Evening from 8pm on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, starting in March 2017. March 14th. According to Fiona Sullivan: “Emily is going to offer a Poets Pot Luck for £10 each month but needs to know how many are coming and how many are vegetarian. Please book in advance with on 01208 850 656.” St Tudy, Bodmin PL30 3NN [Unable to confirm current status: July 2017]
    • Songwriters Circle: Sonder Truro, 6 Princes Street, TR1 2ES Truro, Cornwall [Unable to confirm current status: July 2017]
  • 3rd Tuesday
  • 4th Tuesday 
  • Last Tuesday

Wednesday

  • Every Wednesday
    • Western Hotel Kettle and Wink, St Ives. Folk night. ‘Acoustic music, song, and the spoken word’. Run by the indefatigable Ian Semple, who also does a great job of encouraging local talent wherever he can.
    • Vanilla Open Mic, 8pm till late, 1 Duke Street, Truro, 01872 242466.
    • Hayle Guitar Club: Wednesday 7pm-9.30pm Passmore Edwards Institute, Hayle
    • Heyl St Piran Singers Ladies choir: St Erth Old School Room 7.30-9.30. Ann Thomson 01736-752335
    • Whiskers open mic, Newquay
    • Queens Hotel St Ives: open mic run by Liam Jordan, but don’t think it’s all the year round.
    • Open Mic at the Star Inn, Penzance. 8.30. Bill Goodyear says “Up to three songs, free drink for performers, drums and guitar available……”
  • Alternate Wednesdays:
    • Penzance Folk Club, Very friendly group run on singaround lines. Also has guest nights. Bath Inn, Penzance
  • 1st Wednesday
    • Trevelyan Arms, Goldsithney TR20 9JU
  • 2nd Wednesday
  • 3rd Wednesday
    • Trevelyan Arms, Goldsithney TR20 9JU
  • 4th Wednesday
  • Last Wednesday

Thursday

  • Every Thursday
    • Admiral Benbow, Chapel Street, Penzance. Traditional Cornish tune session.
    • Blue Anchor, Helston. Round-the-room session starting 8pm. I hear good things, and hope to try it out soon.
    • Open Mic at the Cornubia – Cornubia Inn, Fore Street, Hayle TR27 4DX. Tried it recently: a bit boisterous, but a pleasant enough evening.
    • Tinners Arms, Zennor. Live music including, apparently, a Thursday folk session. Never been to it, but have enjoyed eating there several times in recent years. I can’t confirm that there are any events currently. [24/3/19]
    • Star Inn, St Just. Open mic. I’ve never been, but hear good things.
    • Western Hotel Kettle and Wink, St Ives. Marmalade Mash acoustic jam session
    • St Ives Arts Club, Westcott Quay: Cafe Frug: ‘poets, storytellers, songwriters, musicians, jugglers.’ Of course, some songwriters also consider themselves to be musicians. 😉 ‘Bring your own wine.’ Have been several times and really enjoyed it. 🙂
    • Open mic/jam night: Red River Inn Gwithian. Events page mentions live music, but not an open mic. [Unable to confirm current status: July 2017]
  • 1st Thursday
  • 2nd Thursday
    • Cornish Arms, Hayle: open mic. [Unable to confirm current status: July 2017]
    • Wadebridge Folk Club, Churchill Bars, 54 Molesworth St. Wadebridge held 2nd Thursday of each month 8pm -11pm
  • 3rd Thursday
  • 4th Thursday
    • Cornish Arms, Hayle: open mic [Unable to confirm current status: July 2017]
  • Last Thursday

Friday

  • Every Friday
  • 1st Friday
    • Kings Arms, Paul: Home Made Music Show [Unable to confirm current status: July 2017]
    • St. Ives library: Poetry Circle – poetry for pleasure: 1st Friday, 1.30pm [still listed on council web site]
  • 2nd Friday
    • Bird in Hand, Hayle. Jam night. Still seems to be happening as of August 2019.
  • 3rd Friday
    • The Singing Cellar, Turk’s Head, Chapel Street, Penzance. Run by the excellent harmony trio Baldrick’s Plan. May not always be held during the summer months. I haven’t been to a session at the Turk’s Head yet, but greatly enjoyed some more informal sessions recently. Next formal session probably January 16th 2021, Covid-19 allowing.
    • St. Ives library: St. Ives Poetry Workshop – 3rd Friday at 1.30pm. [Still listed on council web page]
  • 4th Friday
  • Last Friday

Saturday

  • Every Saturday
    • Union Inn, St Ives: open mic [Web page mentions lots of music currently, but not the open mic. I did hear that it’s still going, but check!]
    • Western Hotel Kettle and Wink, St Ives: live music
    • Ian Semple is no longer doing his regular Saturday lunchtime programme (12.00-14.00), as he’s now concentrating on other projects. See the Coast FM site or Facebook page to see whether the station is going to implement a similar programme. [Craig Freeman of West Kernow Sounds is currently doing a Saturday show between 12.00 and 13.00, including interviews. (June 2020)]
  • 1st Saturday
  • 2nd Saturday
  • 3rd Saturday
  • 4th Saturday
  • Last Saturday