THURSDAY nights are rapidly becoming the highpoint of the week for local folk fans. Just look at the choice of live events we have across the region tonight. At Blaydon’s Tynefolk at The Black Bull, Benny Graham and Ed Pickford come together in an unmissable double bill of North-East song, while down the road at The Beamish Mary in No Place near Stanley, Tobias Ben Jacob makes what must be his local debut on a visit from his native West Country. At The Duke of Wellington in Wolviston, songwriter Keith Hancock makes a welcome return after spending the last decade or more living in foreign parts, while over in Darlington at The Copper Beech, John Watterson will present his Fake Thackray tribute show, which has been delighting audiences around the country.

Tomorrow, seasoned American troubadour Don McLean will be hoping for a Starry, Starry Night with plenty of American Pie at Gateshead’s Sage, and then on Saturday, Vin Garbutt is back on top form for an appearance at The Witham in Barnard Castle.

Sunday brings Australian duo Cloudstreet to South Shields Customs House, and on Tuesday the engaging singer-songwriter Louise Jordan will be at The Clef and Cask in Cramlington. Advance news now of the Robin Hood’s Bay folk weekend which will be taking place across the weekend of June 5 to 7, with lots of singing and dancing in that most charming of coastal villages. Looking further ahead, I’ll be joining my musical cousins, The Broonzies for a get-together at The Causeway in Hartlepool on June 13, before to our impending festival shows later this summer. It's a good while since I last played in Hartlepool, which is where it all started for me a long, long time ago. I can still remember.