David Kidman - Compère / MC
David has a proven track record as a compère on the folk circuit, having worked in this capacity at many festivals, several folk clubs and various other events – he's equally happy to MC main-stage, small-stage or acoustic venues.
He also has considerable experience of hosting or running singarounds and other similar activities at festivals and folk clubs and other convivial gatherings.
Over the years, he's gained a solid reputation as a "Go-To MC" who can be relied upon.
Folks appreciate key qualities such as his informed and genuine enthusiasm for the music, his fairness, and his ability to keep things running to time and schedule. Here are just some of the comments received:
"As an MC David ensures that he knows as much as possible about the performers and their strengths, using the information to give entertaining and welcoming introductions, often in off-the-cuff verse. He achieves - seemingly effortlessly - that which is so simple yet so important in such circumstances: making both performer and audience comfortable with each other from the start. And it all happens with an adherence to schedule that any rail service would be proud of!" (George Papavgeris)
"As a compère, David is always well-prepared and brings to the job his enthusiasm and wealth of knowledge about the music." (Dave Cowan & Marjorie Paterson, Fyrish)
David has compèred at several folk clubs over the years: in the early years of the millennium at Leeds' The Grove and at Skipton, and intermittently by request at The Sun, Stockton; also at The Topic, Bradford, where he was one of that club's valued resident MCs until 2012. Perhaps his longest-serving stint as a club MC, however, continued into 2016 at York's famous Black Swan (BBC Radio 2 Folk Club of The Year 2009), while he also kept his hand in by compering at the FAB Folk & Blues Club at Haxby (to give Big Uncle Tony a well-earned night off occasionally!) for a couple of years. Latterly he's been engaged as a regular guest compère at the Raising The Rafters folk club in Wath upon Dearne. Otherwise, although he has more or less (at any rate officially!) retired from compèring at folk clubs, he is still happy to undertake this duty when his skills are specially requested - and thus is available for the occasional booking!
For upcoming compèring engagements see Appearances page.
Here's an alphabetical list of Folk Festivals etc at which David has compèred over the years:
Alcester & Arden, BAAFest, Banbury, Bedworth, Birdsedge, Cleckheaton, Derby TMA, Ellesmere Port (Shanty UK), Fylde, Gainsborough, Hull Shanty Festival, Kirkby Fleetham, Leeds (Oxjam Fundraisers), Loughborough, Middlesbrough (Nature's World and Dorman's), Moira Furnace, Ormskirk, Otley, Saddleworth, Shrewsbury, Wakefield, Whitby SeaFest, York (VicFest).
David has also compèred many small concerts and fund-raising / charity events at various locations, including almost all of the Lend Us Your Ears series of poetry-and-music evenings for the Talking Zebras group.
David is available for bookings.
Use the contact form below to discuss specific requirements.
He also has considerable experience of hosting or running singarounds and other similar activities at festivals and folk clubs and other convivial gatherings.
Over the years, he's gained a solid reputation as a "Go-To MC" who can be relied upon.
Folks appreciate key qualities such as his informed and genuine enthusiasm for the music, his fairness, and his ability to keep things running to time and schedule. Here are just some of the comments received:
"As an MC David ensures that he knows as much as possible about the performers and their strengths, using the information to give entertaining and welcoming introductions, often in off-the-cuff verse. He achieves - seemingly effortlessly - that which is so simple yet so important in such circumstances: making both performer and audience comfortable with each other from the start. And it all happens with an adherence to schedule that any rail service would be proud of!" (George Papavgeris)
"As a compère, David is always well-prepared and brings to the job his enthusiasm and wealth of knowledge about the music." (Dave Cowan & Marjorie Paterson, Fyrish)
David has compèred at several folk clubs over the years: in the early years of the millennium at Leeds' The Grove and at Skipton, and intermittently by request at The Sun, Stockton; also at The Topic, Bradford, where he was one of that club's valued resident MCs until 2012. Perhaps his longest-serving stint as a club MC, however, continued into 2016 at York's famous Black Swan (BBC Radio 2 Folk Club of The Year 2009), while he also kept his hand in by compering at the FAB Folk & Blues Club at Haxby (to give Big Uncle Tony a well-earned night off occasionally!) for a couple of years. Latterly he's been engaged as a regular guest compère at the Raising The Rafters folk club in Wath upon Dearne. Otherwise, although he has more or less (at any rate officially!) retired from compèring at folk clubs, he is still happy to undertake this duty when his skills are specially requested - and thus is available for the occasional booking!
For upcoming compèring engagements see Appearances page.
Here's an alphabetical list of Folk Festivals etc at which David has compèred over the years:
Alcester & Arden, BAAFest, Banbury, Bedworth, Birdsedge, Cleckheaton, Derby TMA, Ellesmere Port (Shanty UK), Fylde, Gainsborough, Hull Shanty Festival, Kirkby Fleetham, Leeds (Oxjam Fundraisers), Loughborough, Middlesbrough (Nature's World and Dorman's), Moira Furnace, Ormskirk, Otley, Saddleworth, Shrewsbury, Wakefield, Whitby SeaFest, York (VicFest).
David has also compèred many small concerts and fund-raising / charity events at various locations, including almost all of the Lend Us Your Ears series of poetry-and-music evenings for the Talking Zebras group.
David is available for bookings.
Use the contact form below to discuss specific requirements.
