Idle Fellows
Last updated: 02.04.20
The Idle Fellows, active predominantly in the Bremen area between 1979 and 1992, were advertised as an English-German Folklore Group. Their members were:
  • Wilfried Drygala (guitar, banjo, mandolin, vocals)
  • Bernd Gerken (guitar, vocals)
  • Geoff Grainger (concertina, penny whistles, vocals
  • Brian Kelly (guitar, vocals)
The group's name was taken from the title of one of Brian's favourite folk songs namely Dammed Idle Fellows. Idle by name, idle by nature the group met in general monthly on a Sunday morning playing songs from each other's repertoires for their own amusement in each other's cellars.
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p_ifdrygalaw.jpg p_ifgerkenb.jpg p_ifgraingerg.jpg p_ifkellyb.jpg
Wilfried Drygala:
Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo, Vocals		 Bernd Gerken:
Guitar, Vocals		 Geoff Grainger:
Concertina, Penny Whistles, Vocals		 Brian Kelly:
Guitar, Vocals
Date Time Performance Programme
       
11.10.83 21:00 Bremen Rudersverein v 1882 e.V. Programme
23.02.84 20:30 Gaststätte Jahrmarkt, Wartburgstr. Programme
15.04.84 11:00 Gaststätte Jahrmarkt, Wartburgstr. - Frühschoppen Programme
02.06.84 20:00 Gaststätte Forum, Gerhard-Rolfsstr. Programme
15.09.84 20:00 Gaststätte Forum, Gerhard-Rolfsstr.  
25.11.84 11:00 Gaststätte Jahrmarkt, Wartburgstr. Programme
03.03.85 19:00 Christus-Gemeinde Woltmershausen Programme
23.03.85 20:30 Gaststätte Jahrmarkt, Wartburgstr. Programme
15.06.85 20:00 Bistro Journal, Langenberg, Schwanewede Programme
01.02.86 20:00 Bistro Journal, Langenberg, Schwanewede Programme
19.04.86 20:30 Pinökel Bremen-Vegesack, Albrecht-Poppe Str. 2 Programme
21.02.92 20:00 Zum guten Schoppen, Gerhard-Rohls-Str. 55 Programme
04.04.92 20:00 Pinökel Bremen-Vegesack, Albrecht-Poppe Str. 2 Programme
18.05.92 15:05 Prominente - Marriot Hotel Bremen Programme
12.06.92 20:00 Zum guten Schoppen, Gerhard-Rohls-Str. 55  
25.07.92 Osterholzer Stadtfest  
07.08.92 19:00 Bahnhof Worpswede  
20.11.92 20:00 Treppchen, Gerhard-Rohls-Str. 55  
15.01.93 20:00 Muddy am Bahnhof in Vegesack Programme
Notes:[More ...]
The listed performances by no means reflect all the performances ever given by the Idle Fellows over the eleven years of their existence. Writing in December 2019, the list is based on documents in my possession which have survived 10 relocations since 1983.. It may be added to if more documents, programmes, posters etc. turn up.
Pinökel Bremen-Vegesack, Albrecht-Poppe Str. 2: 19.04.86 at 20:30 CLOSE
1. Dammed Idle Fellows
2. Dirty Old Town
3. My Bonnie lies over the ocean
4. The Maid on the shore
5. Reuben James
6. Joe Hill
7. Brian O'Lynn
8. The Black Velvet Band
9. The Jolly Waggoner
10. Lustig reed he
11. Dat Hus inne Masch
12. Rolling Home
13. Johnstone's Motor Car
14. The Wild Rover
15. Turpin Hero
16. As Ik letzt to'n Maak gung
17. Herr Pastor sien Kauh
18.  ⇑Courtin' in the Kitchen
19. Rosin the Bow
20. The Wreck of the Number Nine
21. Molly Maguires
22. Whiskey in the Jar
23. Johnny Todd
24. Three Score and Ten
25. Pirate Smith of Bristol
26. Johnny I hardly knew yah
27. De Möel
28. De lustige Kock
29. Adam Buckham
30. A Mon like thee
31. Bog Down in the Valley Oh
32. High Germany
33. The Gypsy Rover
34. Fareweel to Tarwathie
35. What shall we do with a drunken sailor
36.  ⇑Pick a bale of cotton
37. With me Navvy Boots On
38. Farewell to Carlingford
39. The Rising of the Moon
40. The Knight and the Shepherd's Daughter
41. Three Gypsies
42. Hartleed
43. Last House in our Street
44. Yankee Doodle
45. El Paso
46. Buurlala
47. Et wassen twee Künnigskinner
48. The Leaving of Liverpool
49. Cockles and Mussels
50. There was an old woman
51. De Runner von Hamburg
52. Lütt Matten
53. Lütt Anna Susanna
54.  ⇑Motor Trade Workers
55. The Star of the County Down
56. The Ploughboy and the London Cockney
57. Dear Uncle Sam
58. Four Drunken Maidens
59. The Jug of Punch
60. John Brown's Body
61. Early One Morning
62. The Waverley Polka
63. Auld lang syne
Pinökel Bremen-Vegesack, Albrecht-Poppe Str. 2: 04.04.92 at 20:00 CLOSE
1. Dammed Idle Fellows
2. Reuben James
3. There was an old woman
4. The Jolly Waggoner
5. The Maid on the shore
6. My Bonnie lies over the ocean
7. Dat Hus inne Masch
8. The Black Velvet Band
9. Tackuanna
10. Kimmage
11. My Liverpool Home
12. Botany Bay
13. Blow the Candles Out
14. The Holy Ground
15. Bold Thady Quill
16. The Bonnie Lass of Fyvie
17. Courtin' in the Kitchen
18.  ⇑Molly Maguires
19. Johnny Todd
20. John Brown's Body
21. High Germany
22. Johnny I hardly knew yah
23. The Gypsy Rover
24. Pirate Smith of Bristol
25. Rosin the Bow
26. As Ik letzt to'n Maak gung
27. Adam Buckham
28. Fareweel to Tarwathie
29. What shall we do with a drunken sailor
30. What shall we do with a drunken sailor
31. Farewell to Carlingford
32. With me Navvy Boots On
33. Early One Morning
34. The Rising of the Moon
35. William Brown
36.  ⇑Three Gypsies
37. Three Gypsies
38. Whiskey in the Jar
39. The Star of the County Down
40. The Ploughboy and the London Cockney
41. Dear Uncle Sam
42. Motor Trade Workers
43. Dirty Old Town
44. Off to Sea Once More
45. Brian O'Lynn
46. Cockles and Mussels
47. Buurlala
48. Maggie May
49. Four Drunken Maidens
50. The Leaving of Liverpool
51. Johnstone's Motor Car
52. Seven Drunken Nights
53. The Wild Rover
54.  ⇑The Gypsy Girl
55. Joe Hill
56. The Wreck of the Number Nine
57. De Hoffnung
58. Last House in our Street
59. And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda
60. Herr Pastor sien Kauh
61. Dundee Weaver
62. The Knight and the Shepherd's Daughter
63. A Mon like thee
64. The Jug of Punch
65. Rolling Home
66. Kelly the Boy from Killane
67. The Old Dun Cow
68. The Wraggle Taggle Gypsies
69. Three Score and Ten
70. Michael row the boat ashore
71. Way Down to Lamorna
72.  ⇑Auld lang syne
Prominente - Marriot Hotel Bremen: 18.05.92 at 15:05 CLOSE
1. Dammed Idle Fellows
2. As Ik letzt to'n Maak gung
3. Three Gypsies
4. Dat Hus inne Masch
5. Whiskey in the Jar
6. The Wild Rover
oops