DORSET’s own folk music stars, Ninebarrow – Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere (pictured) – make a welcome return to Lyme Folk Weekend, appearing at the Marine Theatre on Saturday 30th August at 8pm.

The duo, who are patrons of Lyme Folk, are back by popular demand, and will be joined on stage by friends and fellow musicians, Will McNicol and Jack Rutter.

Will wowed the Lyme audiences with his incredible virtuoso guitar playing as part of the Ninebarrow show back in 2018. He was Guitarist Magazine’s UK Acoustic Guitarist of the Year 2011, and Guitar World called him “one of the best acoustic players on the planet”.

Yorkshire folk singer Jack Rutter has established himself as one of the standout voices of the folk, roots and acoustic music scene in recent years. He came to Lyme with the Sam Sweeney band in 2019, impressing the audience with his soaring vocal, powerhouse guitar and bouzouki playing and masterful arrangements of traditional songs and contemporary covers.

Another highlight of the weekend, the finale concert on Sunday 31st, will feature the Australian phenomenon, The Spooky Men’s Chorale, a magnificent, many-headed beast which has single-handedly turned the world of men’s singing upside down.

Formed in New South Wales in 2001, the Spooks have become rock-solid festival and theatre favourites in Australia, UK and Europe, with seven albums and 900 gigs under their belts. No subject is too trivial or weighty for their attention, and such ability to find new musical rooms to explore contributes greatly to their astonishing fan loyalty.

Both gigs begin at 8pm.