In Kontra's early years our main concert venue was at the Community Centre in Finedon, Northants. This imaginatively converted methodist church, with its wonderful acoustics and atmosphere, was a fantastic venue for roots music, and from 2008 to 2013 we held some truly wonderful concerts there featuring prominent name acts from the worlds of folk, blues, roots and beyond: Julie Felix, The Bonzos, Wizz Jones, Richard Digance, The Pretty Things, Rory McLeod, The Daniel Smith Blues Band, Gary Fletcher, Bex Marshall, Emily Maguire, and many more. Unfortunately, declining ticket sales in 2013 meant the venue was no longer financially viable for regular music events, but though we now hold our concerts elsewhere, we are left with wonderful memories of some truly great gigs.

A modern, fully-equipped hall with 100 capacity in the award winning village of Old, near Northampton (where we also hold our Cottage Concerts), this venue is ideal for dance bands and small concerts. We started putting on music events here in 2014 and since that time have built up an enthusiastic audience for quality roots music, to the extent that nearly all our shows here attract capacity audiences. In March 2016 the Cottage Concert team organised another sell out concert featuring the UK's top Simon & Garfunkel tribute act, SOUNDS OF SIMON. This was a fundraising event for Cransley Hospice in Kettering and raised a fantastic £1,260 for this very worthy cause. Huge thanks to everyone involved for their tireless work to make the event such a success.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS IN 2017

Back by popular demand, the next concert at Old Village Hall will be the return of top Celtic band GOVANNEN on Saturday 25 March, followed by the delightful and highly entertaining RUBBER WELLIES, on Saturday 15 July (which will be another fundraiser for Cransley Hospice). Later in the year, also back by popular demand following their recent hugely enjoyable concert, will be top blues, r&b and rock 'n' roll band, THE MOONLIGHTERS, on Friday 17 November.  

We are now organising occasional concerts at this excellent venue in the picturesque village of Cranford, just to to the east of Kettering and close to the A14.

The Old Forge is delightful, very atmospheric, and can hold up to 50 people. Our first concert there in early February, featuring cult country legend BOB CHEEVERS, was a great success and further concerts are being planned.

We look forward to bringing more top quality live roots music to this fantastic little venue. See below for details of our next event.

GOVANNEN - Saturday 25th March

Tickets £8 advance (£10 on the door)

Bookings 07867 778073 / 01604 780156

Govannen played the Village Hall early in 2015 and were such a success that we just had to get them back at the earliest opportunity. They are one of the best barn-storming, roof-raising, good-time Celtic music dance bands in the UK, blending jigs and reels with traditional and contemporary Irish songs. In concert this popular and award-winning band place the emphasis on having fun, so if you're partial to a good night out, you will not be disappointed! www.govannen.com

JINSKI - Saturday 1st April

One of the north-east ‘s most accomplished and brilliant acoustic duos. A mix of contemporary song, folk, and rugged country blues, the music of songwriter Steve Jinski and guitarist Dave Kennedy captures the magic and mundanity of everyday life in a way that’s both heartfelt and compelling. Live they present an entertaining, thought provoking, foot stomping kaleidoscope of musical and lyrical imagery. www.jinski.com

Tickets £7, available from The Old Forge Coffee Shop, Grafton Road, Cranford, NN14 4JE

tel: 01536 330014