THREE of the county’s finest are in the line up for Furness Tradition’s first gig of 2019 staged at Ulverston’s Coronation Hall, on Friday, February 15 (7.30pm).

On the bill are the Wierdstring Band. Drawing on the lesser-remarked-upon aspects of Cumbrian life, they sing about anything from love and time travel to the ancient art of worm charming. They are equally at home calling a ceilidh, rocking the main stage or playing to whoever else they find sat around a fire. Each of their shows are packed to the gunnels with folk music both ancient and modern, with madcap invention by the bucketful.

Having honed their idiosyncratic craft on the festival stages and acoustic spaces of the UK and beyond, Wierdstring serve up what’s described as a “steaming broth,” combining original songs and tunes, hilarious reimaginings of time-worn classics and dances from all corners of civilisation, all guaranteed to make you smile.

Furness Tradition also brings Mike Willoughby’s power trio Raving Rock to the Coro.

Their urgent, anthemic songs take on Cumbrian cultural roots, ecological concerns and personal soul-searching. They draw on their rich musical lineage, from 1980s folk roots pioneers Strange Folk through to current ceilidh legends Striding Edge. They offer up a new music steeped in folk and yet possessing a socially relevant, contemporary edge.

Mike Willoughby’s articulate vocals are complemented by his jangling bouzouki and infectious melodies from his melodeon and harmonica. Rick Middleton’s double bass and guitar and Sam King Middleton’s jembe, bodhran and kick-drum create bold and intricate grooves. All three voices combine on rousing choruses.

Completing the February 15 bill are Stooshie, a four-piece band, whose sweet melodies and raucous reels blend traditional and self-penned fiddle tunes with bass and percussion, creating a sound from the warm and melancholic to a jigging frenzy that’ll make you want to dance all night.

Furness Tradition has been going now for 20 years, running a festival each year that brings a huge number of important musicians, dancers and storytellers to Ulverston, not only from all over the UK, but also Australia, USA and Scandinavia.

FT also runs a weekly session at The Hope and Anchor every Tuesday, the first hour of which is about slower steadier playing for people learning tunes.

Box office 01229-587140.