• Remi Harris. I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas 
  • Tristan Seume. All I want for Christmas – Is You
  • Will Mc Nicol. Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire
  • Strings That Nimble Leap
  • David Holmes. I Believe in Father Christmas
  • Skeet Williams. Silent Night
  • Ben Walker. Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree

Fylde Guitars Christmas Concert 2024

Every year I ask a handful of my most pliable friends if they would be able to contribute to our Christmas Concert.  Sometimes there are a few panics, but this year they were all ready in plenty of time, in fact, you might already have seen some of them.

As ever, I’m immensely grateful for their support, not just for Christmas, but throughout the year.

Before we start, I’ll just explain that there will be a short interval at half time, Mince Pies and Mulled Wine will be available at the back of the hall.

To start off the show, get you in the  mood and your feet tapping, please welcome:

Remi Harris. I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas

Thank you, Remi. I want to know where you found the snow to film this, we don’t have any and we are much further North than you.
Our next guest, frequent visitor, keen walker, cyclist and pool player only wants one thing – 

Tristan Seume. All I want for Christmas - Is You

Tris specialises in Guitar instrumental versions of Classic pop tunes, and you can’t get much more Classic than this.  I noticed that he makes his guitar sound like a Ukulele at one point and lets you hear the full sustain of the guitar at the end. 

And – he has made the TAB available on Patreon – but you expected that didn’t you?

To finish the first half of tonight’s concert, Will McNicol is offering chestnuts, but as I explained  when we started, we don’t have chestnuts, we have Mince pies, and Will doesn’t know any tunes about Mince Pies.

Will Mc Nicol. Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

Will took a lot of care over this, I’ll let him tell you about it:
“Every year, my dear friend Roger asks for a little Christmas contribution for his festive newsletter. So, I thought I’d take the opportunity to pop together a little arrangement of one of my favourite Christmas songs. I hope you enjoy it. Originally written by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé and made famous of course by Nat King Cole.”
Thank you Will. There will now be a short interval.

Please enjoy the refreshments, there is a collection box for anybody who wishes to buy the wonderful, double CD and Booklet “Strings that Nimble Leap” – featuring all your favourite artists. All proceeds will go to charity.

When you return to your seats, please remember that the committee can only allow “Plastic Glasses” in the concert hall.

Strings That Nimble Leap

You can buy the CD – Click the Book & CD button on the main menu.

Welcome back. Thank you everybody for your generous donations.

We will start the second half with our good friend Dave Holmes, taking a night off from playing guitar for the Tina Turner Show in London’s West End

A big welcome please

 

David Holmes. I Believe in Father Christmas

“You know I said I was really busy, so I’d do a simple video with one camera? Well, that didn’t happen! Sometimes things have their own momentum. This is easily my favourite Christmas song and features the excellent Lottie Day on vocals who has been adding her exceptional talents to my new songs on my current project, a kind of dark, ambient folk album. I’m pretty sure the original was recorded on 12-string, so I used my Falstaff and high strung my Olivia to recreate the sound. I hope you like it!”

Yes, I do like it Dave. You forgot to mention the Bouzouki.

Our next guest invited himself, but we are very pleased indeed to have him with us tonight, I really should have asked him.

Skeet Williams. Silent Night

Skeet describes the guitar as a 1982 Custom Shop Fylde. It comes from a time when I couldn’t make up my mind on names for new variations on a theme. One particular model became known as the “Othello”, any others were just called “Custom” until I abandoned the whole idea!

Basically, it’s an Orsino where we were trying out possible colours. Never again. It’s in good hands here though, doesn’t it sound good? Thank you, Skeet.

And now, for the final tune tonight, something to leave you in party mood.

Ben Walker! I’ll let Ben explain for himself:

Ben Walker. Rockin' around the Christmas Tree

“Brenda Lee’s Christmas classic with fingerstyle guitar treatment … obviously! The acoustic is a custom fan-fret Fylde Falstaff – I haven’t been playing that guitar so much, so it was nice to give it a fresh set of strings, tune it to DADGAD, and give it a bit of an outing … Electric is a Player’s Edition Gretsch Anniversary model: because it wouldn’t be Rockin’ without a bit of twang.  Mic’d mid-side style with a Coles 4038 (M) and Warm Audio WA-14 (S) Thanks for watching!”

Once again - A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, I hope you all enjoyed yourselves, that is all for this evening, in fact, that’s it for this year.

Many, many thanks for all your support throughout the year

We will see you all again in 2025.

Drive Carefully!

Roger Bucknall