Steve Redshaw and Comharsa - Double Header
2025wed16jul19:30wed22:30Atherstone Red Lion Hotel, 99 Long Street, Atherstone CV9 1BB
Event Details
Steve Redshaw
Steve has taught in primary schools for the best part of forty years. Now retired and living aboard his narrow boat, Miss Amelia, he can pursue his passion for making music. Over the years, Steve has played in a variety of bands – a Pogues rip-off, the Lincolnshire-based Old Parrot Band, several East Anglian Ceilidh bands, the Petworth Town Brass Band and The Charcoal Burners, a south of England based folk fusion four piece. He is presently a member of the popular Rugby trio, The Scutters.
His aquaintance with the unique Steve Boyer (now sadly departed) has involved him in much charity busking, a children’s holiday club, dementia music cafes and even a Hank Williams tribute band. He has also worked on musical and film projects for young people with the Warwick based RYTC.
Steve has been playing the acoustic guitar for what he says are too many years to count and draws on a deep love of traditional music, performing in many of the wonderful Folk Clubs and sessions that thrive in this area of the Midlands.
A double header, with …
Comharsa are becoming an established part of the folk scene having been formed in 2012. Neighbours in Polesworth, Mick Stanley and Mick McGrath, talking after one too many Guinness, decided it would be good idea to have a jamming session at Mick Stanley’s house. They included their daughters, Alison and Emma Stanley and Megan McGrath, and decided on the name Comharsa which was Gaelic for neighbour.
With Jimmy Cook on Cajon, and just 3 numbers in their repertoire, they went along to a local open mic night. When they were asked to play more, they knew then that they would need to practice more songs and eventually perform as a band.
Megan eventually left to study music at Liverpool but still joins in when time allows, so Mick Stanley’s brother Tom joined the band on guitar.
The bands performances were halted briefly when lead singer Mick Stanley was hit by a car outside Nuneaton Folk Club in November 2014 and he sustained serious leg injuries, but the group are performing again, better than ever.
Group members are multi talented, playing several instruments to bring different sounds to the performance.
Although all the band members are English, they are all of Irish decent and try to keep to the true flavour of irish folk music. Songs made famous by bands such as the Clancey Brothers and The Dubliners, with renditions of Irish Rover, Whiskey in the Jar, Tell Me Ma, Holy Ground, etc, along with ballads such as Spancil Hill and Fields of Athenry and others, makes for a good Irish night.
