Ray Cooper tour in Northern Germany, May/June 2023

  Click here for the tour blog site.

This was a two and a half week tour. We met in Copenhagen, I flew in and Ray drove down. The shows took us to Wendland and the old border between West and East Germany where differences still remain, to Flensburg in Schleswig-Holstein, the farthest north and close to the Danish border, to Lower Saxony, near the border with both North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany and Holland, then up to the coast near Rostock in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and down east to south-east of Berlin and a church from 1450 in the state of Brandenburg. Germany is indeed a big country, the land area is half as big again as the UK.

Ray’s music is very well received here. Audiences numbers varied with many saying people are still not comfortable going to indoor venues. The exception being in the Klostergarten of Bad Doberan where the indoor show was part of their weekend festival and they had to bring extra chairs into the packed hall. The outdoor concerts were very well attended – both in the vineyard in Bad Bentheim where Ray premiered a new song and outside the church in Altlandsberg.

Ray Cooper Tour April 2023

The tour began at the Milkmaid Folk Club in Bury St Edmonds and then into London for a matinee at the Green Note cafe in Camden Town. It continued in Wales at the Lost Arc in Rhayader, then the Red Lion Folk Club in Kings Heath Birmingham and The Stables Milton Keynes. The final two dates were at St Ediths in Sevenoaks followed by The Seagull Theatre in Pakefield, just outside of Lowestoft.

The Milkmaid Folk Club, Bury St Edmonds
Performing at the Lost Arc in Rhayader
The Stage Door for the Red Lion Folk Club in Kings Heath, Birmingham
The Seagull Theatre lies inside an old school.
Sound check inside the theatre.
One of the props found in the dressing room

Ray Cooper ‘Land Of Heroes’ tour February 2022

I assisted Ray as tour manager, driver and roadie. We covered just over 1000 miles (when you add the final journey into London). We visited the Eastbourne Folk Club, the Kitchen Garden Cafe, The Milkmaid Folk Club in Bury St Edmonds, a house concert in Wellingborough, the Victoria Hall in Settle, a two night stay in Barnoldswick where we recorded an interview and four songs for Home Stage, Cubley Hall in Penistone, Farncombe, ending with a matinee at the Green Note Cafe in Camden Town, London.

tour map

You can view the Tuesday Folk Session on the Home Stage website by clicking here.

JJ-RR in the North Lakes

Thursday to Saturday, 26-28th September 2019

On the Thursday afternoon, over 50 walkers met at the Castlerigg Stone Circle to walk down between High and Low Rigg to the Keswick Golf Club for an evening session with music by John Jones and the Reluctant Ramblers band, Boff Whalley, Rowan Godel, the Rambling Choir and other walkers.

On the Friday, a little under 50 walkers joined John for a low level walk in the rain along the slopes of Blencathra before a concert and ceilidh in the Threlkeld Village Hall.

On Saturday, some 60 walkers enjoyed a dry walk along St John In The Vale and then back over High and Low Rigg to Threlkeld for a sold-out evening concert from John and the Reluctant Ramblers band.

Further details on the JJ-RR website.

JJ-RR walk into the Wickham Festival

Thursday 1st August

John Jones, lead singer of Oysterband, led some 60 walkers from the Bucks Head in Meonstoke, up to Old Winchester Hill and down to Soberton for lunch. They then walked along the old railway line and into the Wickham Festival where John and the Reluctant Ramblers band played a rousing set on the Village Stage.

Matthew Bannister joined the walk to record an episode for his Folk On Foot podcast series. This is to be released in November 2019. See www.folkonfoot.com for further details.

Ray Cooper ‘Love and Vengeance’ Tour February 2019

Wednesday 13th York – The Black Swan Thursday 14th Settle – Victoria Hall Wednesday 20th Stroud – The Prince Albert Friday 22nd Alton, Hants – Holybourne Theatre Sunday 24th (Matinee at 2.30pm) St Mary’s Tower Hornsey. with House Concerts on the dates in between (click here for information on house concerts)

Ray Cooper and White Sail in York

A very special evening of music with beautiful and original songs from legendary singer-songwriter Ray Cooper and alt-folk trio White Sail.
Click here to see Ray’s website
Click here to see more about White Sail
Click here to hear excerpts from Ray’s latest album