Kilnside Folk Events

Kilnside Folk Events Folk music concerts & events in the heart of Swadlincote, S. Derbyshire 🪕🎶🎻

Take a punt on award winning duo Janice Burns & Jon Doran coming to Swadlincote LIVE this Sunday 13th September! 📍 Swadl...
09/09/2026

Take a punt on award winning duo Janice Burns & Jon Doran coming to Swadlincote LIVE this Sunday 13th September!

📍 Swadlincote Town Hall DE11 0AG
🕗 8pm (7:40pm doors)
🎫 £15 / £12 / £20 - pay what you can
🚗 Free parking in Midland Rd car park, bus station next door
🍻 BYO drinks

"Clever and uncluttered musical storytelling" Songlines

"A revelation - crystal clear voices, great musicianship and obvious deep love of the tradition" Mike Harding

"Gorgeous harmony arrangements really well crafted, intimate beautifully understated" Karine Polwart

Janice Burns & Jon Doran

Settle in for a KILNSIDE ORIGIN STORY 📖Hi, I'm Mel. A folk musician who burnt out through touring. I didn't want to rush...
08/09/2026

Settle in for a KILNSIDE ORIGIN STORY 📖

Hi, I'm Mel. A folk musician who burnt out through touring.

I didn't want to rush back to the stage after lockdown ended and the world started opening up again.

But I also didn't want to disassociate myself completely from a music scene that I had grown up on. A scene that had offered me so much. A scene which I consider family.

In this 'new world' that touring musicians now face:
Venue closures...
Venue/promoter % takes on merch...
Rising costs...
Failing ticket sales...

If it wasn't hard enough before, it certainly was now.

Now that I'm no longer constantly on the road, I've taken a couple of years to get to know the place I live, its people, and I've gotten involved in several community groups & arts events here.

There's a lot going on, but not so much on the folk scene this side of the river.

So I decided to try and do something about it.

I wanted to provide a semi-regular folk music event series here in my hometown of Swadlincote for music-loving locals to come out and enjoy the kind of acts I know and love.

I wanted to create a homely destination on the map for touring acts to visit, in the face of other Derbyshire venues closing or just not booking what I want to see.

I've been hosting house concerts at my place since 2025 when my house extension completed. I love the intimacy of having people over to enjoy live music in my kitchen!

I love taking care of artists and giving them a quiet place to stay and reboot whilst they're away from their own homes, families and loved ones.

Earlier this year I started hosting events in Swadlincote Town Hall.

I'm hosting my next guests Janice Burns & Jon Doran there this Sunday and I'd love for you to come and give a Kilnside event a go!

I promise you - it'll be worth leaving the house for on a Sunday evening 😂

You can find the ticket link in the bio, which will take you to a page with more info about them, including YouTube videos so you can hear their exquisite voices.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I hope to see you there on Sunday!

And if you're able to support Kilnside or you'd like to be involved in future events, drop me a DM. 🙏

01/09/2026

Something different on a Sunday evening in Swad!

📍 Swadlincote Town Hall DE11 0AG
🗓️ Sunday 13th September
🕗 8pm (7:40pm doors)
🎫 £15 / £12 / £20 - pay what you can
🚗 Free parking in Midland Rd car park, bus station next door
🍻 BYOB

Come on down to the Town Hall to hear Jan & Jon sing & play traditional music and songs that tell vivid stories about the nature of life and our place in the world.

Folk songs have always travelled, put down new roots, borrowed and evolved. Janice & Jon bring together songs that have survived through the ages, shapeshifting and adapting to changing environments as they’ve been passed from singer to singer. Exploring humankind's relationship with nature, love, and loss, these are songs with an enduring resonance.

Jan & Jon’s ‘clever and uncluttered musical storytelling’ [Songlines] comes alive through tight vocal harmonies and sensitive interplay between mandolin, bouzouki, and guitar. Their arrangements have a spellbinding presence and an understated energy that transports their songs from the pages of books and manuscripts into the imagination of the listener.

Their debut album ‘No More the Green Hills' has gained overwhelmingly positive feedback, finding its place in the Official UK Folk Chart whilst gaining airplay throughout the UK and internationally, on stations such as BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio Scotland. R&R describes it as ‘superb’, ‘Great singing, fantastic harmonies, and very sympathetic backing’.

They are building a reputation as one of the UK's foremost touring acts, with their relaxed and personable approach to performance. They've played at notable venues and festivals such as Celtic Connections, Cambridge Folk Festival, Edinburgh Tradfest, Sidmouth Folk Festival, Cecil Sharp House, and Sage Gateshead.

MEET THE BAND! Janice Burns & Jon Doran are an award-winning Anglo-Scottish duo who came together after discovering a sh...
23/08/2026

MEET THE BAND!

Janice Burns & Jon Doran are an award-winning Anglo-Scottish duo who came together after discovering a shared love of traditional music. Their compelling storytelling comes alive through tight vocal harmonies and sensitive interplay between mandolin, bouzouki and guitar.

With their relaxed and personable approach to performance, Janice & Jon are renowned for the warmth of their connection with audiences. From opening Stage 2 at Cambridge Folk Festival, to playing at the likes of Celtic Connections, Edinburgh Tradfest and Cecil Sharp House, the duo are highly sought after across the UK and beyond.

Following the success of their self-titled EP in 2020, Janice & Jon released their debut album, No More the Green Hills, in Autumn 2022. The album had overwhelmingly positive feedback, finding its place in the Official UK Folk Albums Chart, as well as gaining airplay on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio Scotland.–

**** “Clever and uncluttered musical storytelling” – Songlines Magazine

***** “Five stars for this duo that have made an album destined for repeated listening.” – Irish Music Magazine

“They’re a revelation – crystal clear voices, great musicianship and an obvious deep love of the tradition.” – Mike Harding

“They play lovely strings, they have gorgeous harmony arrangements. Really well crafted, intimate, beautifully understated.” – Karine Polwart

📍LIVE in Swadlincote Town Hall South Derbyshire
🗓️ 13th September
🕗 8pm / 7:40pm doors

Pay what you can. Tickets available via link in IG bio / FB comments

19/08/2026

Coming up soon at Kilnside Folk live in Swadlincote Town Hall on Sunday 13th September we have the glorious award winning duo !

⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Clever and uncluttered musical storytelling"
- Songlines Magazine

Enjoy a Sunday night out with a difference and discover musicians you may not already know, but are soon to love!

📆 Sunday 13th September
📍 Swadlincote Town Hall, Midland Rd, DE11 0AG
🕗 8pm | doors 7:40pm

Tickets: £12 / £15 / £20 - Pay What You Can (no questions asked)
Free carer ticket available

Buy your tickets in advance via the link in the comments

Coming up in November, an evening of soul soothing instrumental folk music from Grace Smith trio (with Sam Partridge and...
18/07/2026

Coming up in November, an evening of soul soothing instrumental folk music from Grace Smith trio (with Sam Partridge and ) and Archie Churchill-Moss solo. Double headliner house concert Live@Mel's + livestream to your sofa wherever you are in the world!

Tickets on sale now - link in IG bio/FB comments.

🗓️ Sunday 29th November
🕗 7:30pm GMT
📍 Mel's house, Swadlincote (exact location will be emailed to you after you purchase your tickets)

🪑+🍺 BYO chair & drinks! Some will be provided.

Coming up next at Kilnside Folk we have the sublime Janice Burns & Jon Doran! Tickets are on sale now -link in IG bio/FB...
18/07/2026

Coming up next at Kilnside Folk we have the sublime Janice Burns & Jon Doran!

Tickets are on sale now -link in IG bio/FB comments.

🗓️ Sunday 13th September
🕗 8pm (7:40pm doors)
📍 Swadlincote Town Hall, DE11 0AG
🚗 FREE parking

30/05/2026

What a gorgeous evening last night was in Swadlincote Town Hall in the fine company of & The Northern Assembly 🪈 & 🪗 .

Here's a compilation of highlights 🌞 A huge thanks to our friends across the river for your support and for bringing your wonderful voices to join in the choruses.

Thanks to for running the door, and for capturing this beautiful moment where and I had a little waltz around the room 🥰

Thanks to Mike, Julia and Joanne for supporting the event, especially with the venue change at short notice.

The band continue their tour north this evening New Mills, and tomorrow night they'll be back in their hometown of Newcastle Upon Tyne .

Keep an eye out for our next Kilnside Folk concert, announced very soon! One of the artists you may recognise... 👀

Now that all the venue stress is behind me, I can focus on the excitement of hosting Jon, Heather & Jordan here in Swadl...
22/05/2026

Now that all the venue stress is behind me, I can focus on the excitement of hosting Jon, Heather & Jordan here in Swadlincote this time next Friday!

Jon's voice is one you can lose yourself in quite easily. Together the band manage to create such a presence of sound and powerful storytelling, not only in their lyrics but in their instrumental arrangements too. They manage to create something bigger than just the three of them, with a dry humourous approach to stage craft making for a very entertaining package.

They blur the lines between two contrasting sides of the folk genre – the bright, vibrant energy of contemporary instrumental folk music, and the intensity of traditional storytelling songs.

Kilnside Folk Events presents:
🎶 Jon Doran And The Northern Assembly
📅 29th May
📍 Swadlincote Town Hall, DE11 0AG
🚗 Easily reached via car or bus. FREE local parking.
🎫 £15 std // £20 pay more // £12 pay less - pay as you can, no questions asked

A little plea from me: if you're thinking of coming along but you haven't bought your tickets yet, please please purchase your tickets in advance if you can. It really helps to ensure the concert can go ahead.

🔗 You can find the ticket link in our bio if you're seeing this on Instagram or in the comments if you're seeing this on Facebook.

This will be a 'bring your own bottle' event, but please take your empties home afterwards for recycling ♻️

I'm looking forward to seeing you on the night!
~ Mel

🚨 VENUE UPDATE 🚨Owing to unforeseen circumstances, this concert will no longer take place at People Express, Sharpe's Po...
21/05/2026

🚨 VENUE UPDATE 🚨

Owing to unforeseen circumstances, this concert will no longer take place at People Express, Sharpe's Pottery Musuem.

The new venue is Swadlincote Town Hall, DE11 0AG.

All current ticket holders have been notified. Tickets remain valid.

The ticket link remains the same, but venue access, parking & transport information has been updated.

Head to the ticket link in our bio for the updated venue info & details!

🎶 & The Northern Assembly ( + )

📅 Friday 29th May
📍 Swadlincote Town Hall, 1 Midland Road, DE11 0AG
🕗 7:30pm doors, 8pm start
🎫 £15 std // £20 pay more // £12 pay less
🤗 Pay as you feel, no questions asked

Thanks to the band and for their support and understanding in this matter, and to for supporting this short notice venue alteration.

And breeeathe...! 😮‍💨

Address

Swadlincote

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Kilnside Folk Events posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Kilnside Folk Events:

Shortcuts

Share