Bluebell Roots - Music in the Kitchen

Bluebell Roots - Music in the Kitchen Folk, Blues, Acoustic and other music. 1 or 2 invited performers plus an "open floor" session. FOR THE AUDIENCE:

Join us in beautiful Arlington, East Sussex.

A lovely friendly community-based evening. In the Bluebell Kitchen you'll get great MUSIC, great COMPANY and great FOOD. There's no ticket price - we simply ask for a contribution for our guest. We suggest £10 per per person but just ask you to contribute whatever you can afford. We start at 6:15 and usually finish between 9:30-10:00pm. Food is usually available as our hostess, Philippa, provides

delicious home-cooked grub! She asks £10 per person and there is often second helpings available! Although our guests are booked in advance, each event is only promoted after the previous one is over and as it's a community-based event, we open bookings to locals and people on our mailing list first, then start promoting publicly. To join our mailing list, email [email protected]



FOR PERFORMERS:

We're aiming for a friendly, informal open mic/house-concert hybrid style evening. One of the frustrations with open mics is that you usually only get to perform to other people waiting to play their slot, so we invite a performer to play a 45+ minute minute set in return for what is collected in the hat (saucepan in this case) and some of Philippa's delicious grub. Before our guest, we open the floor to up to 6 x 10 minute floor slots (Please book your slot in advance). This format has been successful in building a loyal, music-loving, listening and appreciative audience who stay for the whole evening. So in a nutshell:
1 x guest performer (small band) to play for up to 1 hour in return for food and a collection
Up to 6 x floor performers who will get 10-15 minutes to play to a listening attentive audience
There is no entry charge but we ask for a contribution to pay our guest
Floor performers do not have to buy food or drink - you can bring snacks and your own drink. There is a small and very simple PA - no phantom power.

11/04/2026

Question: For those that have already listened to Episode 14 of our podcast, Bluebell Notes, you’ll have heard our “question of the show”. Answers below please 😁 (ps it’s “what is your favourite cover version of a song?”, but please listen to the podcast anyway! )

You probably thought we'd all emigrated! But, with apologies for the huge delay (blame Neil - if anything's late, it'll ...
09/04/2026

You probably thought we'd all emigrated! But, with apologies for the huge delay (blame Neil - if anything's late, it'll be down to Neil!) we present episode 14, where we chat about performing and recording covers of others' work. Our guest at the Bluebell Roots live show was Rob Corcoran, who performed with Roger Askew and, after the show, Jim and Jo sat down to chat with them about Rob's work and about being covered by a very well known Irish musician ...

There's a live version of the track discussed and we find out what Jim tried to insist his friends called him at school. As always, we'd love to read your thoughts and comments - wherever you listen, add your thoughts below the episode or comment below the Facebook post!

https://bluebellnotes.podbean.com/e/bluebell-notes-episode-14-with-rob-corcoran-cover-versions/

As always, we're grateful to our sponsors, Phil and the team at Long Way Home Productions, who enable us to publish across all the different platforms. Learn more about what they offer at www.lwhp.co.uk and, while you're at it, check out Phil Jones's live music and theatre productions at www.philjonesmusic.co.uk

You probably thought we'd all emigrated! But, with apologies for the huge delay (blame Neil - if anything's late, it'll be down to Neil!) we present episode 14, where we chat about performing and recording covers of others' work. Our guest at the Bluebell Roots live show was Rob Corcoran, who perfor...

Our latest mini newsletter is out: https://mailchi.mp/miltonhide/apr12-br-17996322?e=248de64e93Why not sign up to get th...
01/04/2026

Our latest mini newsletter is out: https://mailchi.mp/miltonhide/apr12-br-17996322?e=248de64e93
Why not sign up to get the latest news direct to your inbox?

There is still time to book your place! Our next guests, we are delighted to say, will be the duo 'From The Workshop'. Jonnie brings the grit and honesty of Show of Hands, Chris Cornell, Frank Turner and Bayside to the table; Helen weaves in echoes of musical theatre and her love for Radiohead, Flee...

You can now book for our April Bluebell Roots event.https://forms.gle/3aGH3zhuzDY9hc4T7Our guest performers on Sunday 12...
11/03/2026

You can now book for our April Bluebell Roots event.
https://forms.gle/3aGH3zhuzDY9hc4T7

Our guest performers on Sunday 12th April are From The Workshop, Jonnie Temple and Helen Rosemary.
From The Workshop is the story of two voices woven together by chance and stitched tight by fate. Drawn together by strange coincidences, they began stripping rock anthems down to their bare bones, reimagining them with nothing but raw voices and acoustic strings.
Jonnie brings the grit and honesty of Show of Hands, Chris Cornell, Frank Turner and Bayside to the table; Helen weaves in echoes of musical theatre and her love for Radiohead, Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell and Miranda Sykes. Together, they shape songs that feel like letters from the heart — a fresh, soulful twist on contemporary folk. https://officialftw.com/home

Places are limited so booking is essential.
This is a Pass The Hat Event so we expect a generous donation towards the music and the running of the event. Bring cash on the night or you can donate online in advance - see details on the booking form or on our website. When booking your place, you can also order the optional meal for £14. You are also welcome to bring your own food if you prefer. Bring your own drinks as there is no bar.

10/02/2026

We're are so encouraged by the recent response. The Roots List site is getting some really nice entries. Join today and spread the word. Let's get venues, performers, audiences, promoters, media and anyone interested in the UK Folk/Roots scene talking and engaging with each other.

09/02/2026
07/02/2026

NOTE: We had scheduled an event on 5th April but it was pointed out to us that this was Easter Sunday! Hence we have moved the April event to 12th.
So the calendar for the rest of 2026 looks like this:
12th April – From The Workshop
14th June – 𝗕𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗿
12th July – Paul McClure - Rutland Troubadour
6th September – Bruce Watson music
4th October – Liz Overs and Ed Blunt
6th December – Milton Hide festive special with The Cheer Up Mollys
Add all of the dates to your diary and you can join our mailing list to be the first to know when bookings open for each event. Sign up on our website.

We are delighted to announce that our next Bluebell Roots guests will be From The Workshop. Put Sunday 12th April in you...
07/02/2026

We are delighted to announce that our next Bluebell Roots guests will be From The Workshop. Put Sunday 12th April in your diary now and we'll open bookings shortly.

From The Workshop is an Alternative Folk duo crafting raw, unconventional harmonies and driving acoustic rhythms that stir both heart and mind. Hailing from Beckenham and Bromley, Jonnie Temple and Helen Rosemary write deeply honest songs that reflect the shifting landscapes of their lives—tales of love, loss, hope, and quiet rebellion.

Armed with guitar, kick-drum, and ukulele bass, their stripped-back setup delivers a surprising punch. Drawing influence from the likes of Frank Turner, Show of Hands, Joni Mitchell, Vocal Few, Radiohead & Cara Luft, From The Workshop blend poetic lyricism with dynamic folk energy to create a sound unmistakably their own.

22/01/2026

Here's another video of Soft Power, one of our lovely headline acts for February 1st Bluebell Roots with Soft Power and The Heartlands - you can still book your place and order (and pay for) food if you also want to have the delicious meal. Remember, we only have 6 events in the Bluebell Roots calendar this year and spaces are limited so don't miss out!

What an absolutely fantastic way to close the year for Bluebell Roots. A full house, fourteen performers, curry and cake...
08/12/2025

What an absolutely fantastic way to close the year for Bluebell Roots. A full house, fourteen performers, curry and cake, Christmas lights and lots of joining in and laughter. We’re back in February. Huge thanks to everyone who has performed, supported us and helped to keep this great independent music event alive.

Quick reminder that our festive Bluebell Roots starts at the slightly earlier time of 6pm😁
07/12/2025

Quick reminder that our festive Bluebell Roots starts at the slightly earlier time of 6pm

😁

Address

Arlington Village Hall, Arlington
Polegate
BN266RX

Telephone

+447980892072

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