News and entertainment worth sharing – York and North Yorkshire

York pub has a Ball at its blues festival

Chasing away the winter blues… the Half Hand Hoodoo Blues Band. Photograph: Facebook
@ Things to do

Chasing away the winter blues… the Half Hand Hoodoo Blues Band. Photograph: Facebook
Chasing away the winter blues… the Half Hand Hoodoo Blues Band. Photograph: Facebook
We’ve got those, can’t get enough of those, York boozer blues… The Golden Ball on Cromwell Road, the pub that’s run by the local community, is hosting a blues festival this weekend.

Here at the Ball there has long been live music on Thursday evenings – it’s said to be one of York’s best kept secrets. The dominant style is blues with Gypsy Bill and Del regular performers. Bill is opening our weekend with his band Resonators at 9pm on Thursday, January 17.

The Resonators are followed on Friday by Half Hand Hoodoo and Saturday with Blue Saloon.

There is an open acoustic jam session at 2pm on Saturday and Sunday – so any blues musicians out there you’re welcome to come along, have some fun and entertain.

Let’s face it, January can be quite a depressing month, but music is a great therapy. So head for the Golden Ball and chase away those winter blues with some excellent home-grown musicians, many who are our regulars like Half Hand Hoodoo and Blue Saloon.

Bluebird Bakery bread will be on sale on Saturday and the folk band will play as normal on Sunday afternoon.