Storytelling and Folk Singing Performances since 2010

REGULAR EVENTS (Ongoing)

David Metcalfe is the current regular convenor of and long-term contributor to Tales & Ales, the monthly gathering of the Bath Storytelling Circle, which meets upstairs in the Library Bar at The Raven, Queen St, Bath, on the third Monday each month at 8.00pm. The Circle was founded by Anthony Nanson in December 1999, has met at The Raven since 2005 and is the subject of ‘Voices in the City’, Chapter 13 in Storytelling for Nature Connection (Hathorn Press, 2022). Entry is free and all-comers are welcome.

SELECTED SOLO & GROUP PERFORMANCES (Since 2010)

October 31^st 2023: ‘The Thinning Veil’ on board the Sula Lightship, Llanthony Wharf, Gloucester. Ghost stories and otherworldly songs for Halloween performed by Kirsty Hartsiotis, Anthony Nanson and David Metcalfe of Fire Springs.

June 24^th 2019: ‘Tales of the Northlands’ at Ponte Vecchio Restaurant, Bath. A set of Celto-Nordic songs and stories performed by David Metcalfe for Middelalder Oslo.

June 1^st 2019: ‘Right Proper Barding – The Tales Before Shakespeare’ at The Pavilion, Museum in the Park, Stroud, as part of the Stroud Shakespeare Festival. Storytellers Kirsty Hartsiotis, David Metcalfe and Anthony Nanson of Fire Springs bringing the Bard’s tales of tragedy, history and comedy to life.

April 23^rd 2019: ‘A Fair Field Full of Folk’ at St Gregory’s Church, Cheltenham, as part of the Cheltenham Christian Arts Festival. Anthony Nanson, Kirsty Hartsiotis and David Metcalfe of Fire Springs present visions of life, love, death and redemption from England’s Middle Ages – a colourful tapestry of tales and music that open a medieval window on today’s world.

December 7^th 2018: At What a Performance! St James Wine Vaults, Bath, upstairs Gallery Room. David Metcalfe appearing as part an evening of music and spoken word antics hosted by Richard Selby.

September 21^st 2018: ‘Heart of Place’ at Widcombe Social Club, Bath. David Metcalfe appearing as part of an evening of spoken word and music in aid of Julian House and Bath Welcomes Refugees, supporting homeless and displaced people in Bath, hosted by Kirsten Bolwig.

May 25^th 2017: ‘Outsiders and Outcasts’ at Midsomer Norton Town Hall. Traditional songs and stories from the British Isles exploring heroic outsiders and outcasts. Devised and performed by Richard Selby and David Metcalfe for the Bath Literature Festival.

March 23^rd 2017: ‘Heroes and Villains’ at Midsomer Norton Library. Traditional songs and stories from the British Isles exploring old myths and legends and how they reflect upon the modern world. Including the tale of Heledd and Cynddylan from the ancient books of Wales and a new version of the medieval tale of Gawain and the Green Knight. Devised and performed by Richard Selby and David Metcalfe for the Bath Literature Festival.

April 17^th 2016: ‘Dark Age Deeds of the Celtic Saints’ at St Philip and St James’, Leckhampton, Cheltenham, as part of the Cheltenham Christian Arts Festival. Celtic saints carried the torch of civilisation in an age of darkness, faced monsters and king, and ploughed the waves in search of earthly paradise. Dynamic storytelling from Anthony Nanson and David Metcalfe, with haunting music on guitar and bodhran.

March 5^th 2016: ‘Tales Before Shakespeare, Part 2’ at the Guildhall, Bath. The second of two linked but distinct storytelling events exploring the plots and stories behind Shakespeare’s plays as part of the Bath Literature Festival. Devised and performed by David Metcalfe and Richard Selby.

March 2^nd 2016: ‘Tales Before Shakespeare, Part 1’ at the Guildhall, Bath. The first of two linked but distinct storytelling events exploring the plots and stories behind Shakespeare’s plays. Devised and performed by David Metcalfe and Richard Selby for the Bath Literature Festival.

December 9^th 2015: ‘Winter Tales’ at Eastwood Park, Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire. Seasonal stories and songs for the depths of winter and the joys of Christmas, from Anthony Nanson, David Metcalfe and Kirsty Hartsiotis of Fire Springs.

March 4^th 2015: ‘The Deepest Seas’ at the Guildhall, Bath. The second of two storytelling events, each with its own unique content, exploring the varied landscape of the human condition through wonder tales, ballads and music. Devised and performed by David Metcalfe, Beth Porter and Richard Selby for the Bath Literature Festival.

March 3^rd 2015: ‘The Darkest Hours’ at Midsomer Norton Library. The first of two storytelling events, each with its own unique content, exploring the varied landscape of the human condition through wonder tales, ballads and music. Devised and performed by David Metcalfe, Beth Porter and Richard Selby for the Bath Literature Festival.

October 31^st 2014: ‘Spooky Stories’ at the National Trust’s Fairy Wood (Bath Skyline). Grab your lantern for a woodland walk then warm up next to a large camp fire and listen to stories and songs on the scariest night of the year.

July 4^th-6^th 2014: At Beyond the Border, Wales International Storytelling Festival, St Donat’s Castle: ‘Tales to Sustain: Storytelling for a Greener World’ in Milgi’s Tipi on Saturday 5^th July and Sunday 6^th July, exploring how stories and storytelling can help us find creative rather than destructive pathways into a challenging future, with Anthony Nanson, Charlene Collison, Eric Maddern, Jane Flood and David Metcalfe, plus special appearances from Hugh Lupton and Ashley Ramsden; and ‘Ballads in the Bar’, Friday 4^th July and Sunday 6^th July with Cath Little, David Metcalfe and others.

March 2^nd 2014: ‘Word Perfect – Voices in the City’ at the Guildhall, Bath. Enjoy an entertaining evening with students from Bath Spa University as they showcase the best bits from their street performances over the weekend, plus some special items reserved for indoors, hosted by Bath bard and storyteller David Metcalfe for the Bath Literature Festival.

November 23^rd 2013: ‘Winter Blues’ downstairs at St James Wine Vaults, Bath. David Metcalfe appearing alongside others as part of a fundraising event for Bath Artists’ Studios.

July 16^th 2013: ‘Dark Age Deeds of the Celtic Saints’ at Milgi’s Yurt, Cardiff. Born from Druids, and tuned to wild nature and the memory of old gods, Irish monks carried the torch of civilisation through a dark age of conflict. Patrick, Columba, Colman, Brendan – they parlayed with pagan heroes, battled with words for the spiritual compass of these isles, and ploughed the waves in search of earthly paradise. With their distinctive blend of tale and music, Anthony Nanson and David Metcalfe of Fire Springs storytellers bring legend to life.

March 3^rd 2013: ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’ at The Bell Inn, Bath. Bath Spa University students, showcasing the best bits from their performances on the streets of Bath city centre over the weekend, plus some extra bits specially reserved for indoors and after dark, hosted by David Metcalfe.

March 3^rd 2013: ‘Unhappy Love’ at the Holburne Museum, Bath. David Metcalfe performing traditional ballads about the complexities of love and the pain of rejection taken from the New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs as part of the Bath Literature Festival.

November 23^rd 2012: ‘Dark Age Deeds of the Celtic Saints’ at the Rondo Theatre, Bath. Born from Druids, and tuned to wild nature and the memory of old gods, Irish monks carried the torch of civilisation through a dark age of conflict. Patrick, Columba, Colman, Brendan – they parlayed with pagan heroes, battled with words for the spiritual compass of these isles, and ploughed the waves in search of earthly paradise. With their distinctive blend of tale and music, Anthony Nanson and David Metcalfe of Fire Springs storytellers bring legend to life.

June 1^st 2012: At What a Performance! St James Wine Vaults, Bath, upstairs Gallery Room. David Metcalfe appearing as part an evening of music and spoken word antics hosted by Richard Selby.

April 21^st 2012: ‘Songs and Stories’ at Yate Heritage Centre. David Metcalfe performing two sets of ballads and folk tales as part of St George’s Day Celebrations.

March 11th 2012: ‘Forgotten Lives, Inspiring Stories – Memory, History, Legend’ at the Holburne Museum, Bath. Storytellers David Metcalfe, Anthony Nanson, Kirsty Hartsiotis and Kevan Manwaring of Fire Springs take a trip back in time to meet, in person, an astonishing assembly of Bath’s forgotten and half-remembered denizens – adventurers and inventors, kings and clerics, writers and visionaries. Specially commissioned for the Bath Literature Festival.

March 2^nd 2012: ‘New Breath for Vanished Voices’ at the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, Queen Square, Bath, as part of Voices in the City – the opening day of the Bath Literature Festival. David Metcalfe and Anthony Nanson of Fire Springs, with Bath Spa University students, celebrate forgotten corners of history in spoken-word performance.

February 3^rd 2012: ‘Sons of Erin, Daughter of Cymru’ at Garway Village Hall, Herefordshire. An evening of legendary tales of Ireland’s hero-gods, the Tuatha De Danaan, enchantingly told by Herefordshire storyteller Austin Keenan, tales and songs for the turning of the year by storyteller and singer Cath Little, and songs from Ireland’s troubled history of conflict, famine and faith, by folk-singer and guitarist David Metcalfe.

December 15^th 2011: ‘Winter Ballads - Stark Songs for Dark Nights’ at Waterstones, Bath. A set of mid-winter folk-songs performed by David Metcalfe.

December 8^th 2011: ‘Sons of Erin’ at Five Valleys Foyer (British School), Gloucester St, Stroud, as part of the Stroud Arts Festival. Stories and songs from Ireland, ancient and modern – legendary tales of Ireland’s hero-gods, the Tuatha De Danaan, as the sons of Turann struggle for honour and redemption, enchantingly told by Herefordshire storyteller Austin Keenan, and stirring songs from Ireland’s troubled history of conflict, famine and faith, performed by Bath-based folk-singer and guitarist David Metcalfe.

September 2^nd 2011: ‘Earthy Strong’ at the Star and Shadow Cinema, Byker, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Stories and songs of life, love and death, from history and legend. Journey from the Anglo-Scottish Borders to the Welsh Marches, from Ireland to North America, to Languedoc, to the Holy Land and back again, in the company of warriors and holy men, exiles and assassins, rivals and lovers, as storyteller, singer and guitarist David Metcalfe unearths links between folk tradition, history and archaeology.

March 25^th 2011: ‘Dark Age Deeds of the Celtic Saints’ at the Brewhouse Theatre, Taunton. Born from Druids, and tuned to wild nature and the memory of old gods, Irish monks carried the torch of civilisation through a dark age of conflict. Patrick, Columba, Colman, Brendan – they parlayed with pagan heroes, battled with words for the spiritual compass of these isles, and ploughed the waves in search of earthly paradise. With their distinctive blend of tale and music, Anthony Nanson and David Metcalfe of Fire Springs storytellers bring legend to life.

January 28^th 2011: ‘Wearing the Green’ at St James Wine Vaults, Bath, upstairs Gallery Room. David Metcalfe featuring at What a Performance! with a set of songs and stories about significant events in Ireland’s struggle for independence from Britain from the eighteenth to the twentieth century, through the lens of the family memory of his Irish ancestors.

September 11^th 2010: ‘Songs and Stories’ at Yate Heritage Centre. David Metcalfe performing two sets of ballads and folk tales

.

August 11^th 2010: ‘A Twist in the Tale’ at the Gallery Room, St James Wine Vaults, Bath, as part of the Bath Folk Festival. Tales within tales, a talkative corpse, the Devil in disguise, and much more – stories and songs in which things are not what they seem. Prepare to be led a merry dance of the imagination by Anthony Nanson, Kirsty Hartsiotis, Richard Selby, Kevan Manwaring and David Metcalfe of Fire Springs.