GREETINGS from unseasonably warm and sunny Vancouver on Canada’s West Coast, where I’m staying with exiled Geordie folk-singer Tim Readman, after my three concerts in the vicinity.

It always amazes me how much support, financial and moral, the Canadian folk scene gets from official quarters, and rightly so. If only the UK arts funding was of a similar mind. But I guess we do okay without their help, as can be seen by the wealth of great music on display in the North-East during the week ahead.

There’s some inspirational guitar-picking going on for a start, with Eddie Walker at Darlington’s Copper Beech tonight, and tomorrow there’s walking legend Ralph McTell at Redcar Pavillion. I heard Ralph playing live on the Bob Harris BBC Radio 2 show a few weeks ago, and he was breathtakingly good. And if that wasn’t enough, mind-blowing guitarist Brian Willoughby is at Washington’s Davy Lamp on Saturday, with partner Kathryn Craig.

Gateshead’s Sage has an onslaught of top female performers this week, starting on Sunday, with Joan Armatrading in Hall One (with my mate Chris Wood in support!) and Irish songstress Mary Coughlin in Hall Two. Then, on Monday, The Sage has a double bill of American country-folk, with Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin doing a joint show. Monday also has The Wilsons at Stockton’s Sun Inn, and, on Tuesday, you can choose between Flossie Malavialle at Cramlington’s Hind and Dave Gibb at The Candlelight in Newton Aycliffe. Finally, Wednesday has John Wrightson and Joan Edmundson at Eaglescliffe’s Pot and Glass, and Bishop Auckland Town Hall presents American duo Tania Opland and Mike Freeman, with local lads Brother Crow in support.

I’m heading south to Pasadena for my next performance, then it’s hairy flowers time in San Francisco, from where I’ll be reporting next week.