About Us
The Taverners were formed during the seventies and built up a large following in the folk scene playing regularly in clubs throughout the South of England as well as holding their own weekly club in Brighton.
In the late seventies, the band began to broaden their repertoire to include the popular songs of the sixties and seventies and developed a cabaret style based on music and humour. This enabled them to accept bookings in clubs and pubs as well as many private functions for companies, weddings, birthdays, PTAs, etc.
In the eighties, the band could be heard on BBC’s ‘Late Night Line Up‘ and featured on BBC TV’s ‘Nationwide’ as well as local radio.
Their record output includes an early EP, three LPs and in 1997 the first CD ‘Still Rolling’ to commemorate twenty years of playing.
The band is very adaptable and is equally at home in an intimate pub atmosphere, at a wedding reception, a noisy club or in the dance hall, although they still have a preference for cabaret and folk music, especially, Irish, Scottish and English.
In the late eighties and nineties, the band have found themselves in great demand for their informal barn dances which have stemmed from their great knowledge of folk music and their great sense of fun. As well as playing the well-known and popular barn dances, with sympathetic tuition to accommodate all abilities, the band will also entertain between dances with songs and comedy. Our caller is very experienced and is an expert at coaxing the most reluctant dancer onto the floor through a mixture of bribery, flattery and coercion!
This style has also become popular for wedding parties when, mixed with mainstream pop, jazz, blues, swing and ballroom, all tastes are catered for, particularly with mixed generations.
The band consists of a flexible number of players to suit style, taste and budget. The usual line up includes a mixture of guitars, keyboards/drums, bass, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, flute and pipes. All members of the band are singer/entertainers in their own right but one of their strengths has always been their ability to harmonise.
The many venues played by the band include weddings at Michaelham Priory, Drusillas, Wiston House, Barkham Manor, South Lodge, Ashdown Forest hotel, as well as many of the seaside resort hotels in Sussex. They have also performed concerts at the Dome in Brighton, Horsham Arts Centre, Sussex University, the Brighton Centre, where the band played as part of its opening night, and many other popular venues in the South-East of England.
For bookings or further enquiries, contact Geoff Goater ON 01444 457531 or email Gsmikey@aol.com
About the Players
Click on any name below to find out more about our band members.
Stuart started singing with The Taverners in the 70s. These days he is better known as a solo performer and has recorded seven albums in his own right.
He has made many appearances on BBC & ITV and was a regular on BBC Radio 2's Night Ride. He has played concerts, cabaret and clubs in many parts of the world and is well-known on the entertainment circuit in the south-east.
Stuart has taken his huge repertoire of songs to club and concert venues all over the world.
Whether unplugged with acoustic guitar, or with a full range of backing tracks, he continues to delight audiences with his outstanding vocals and easy charm.
Pete co-founded the Taverners in the 70s and quickly built up a reputation as a fine folk singer across Sussex.
He has a vast knowledge of Irish songs and his repertoire is extensive.
Through this expertise, he has also built up a fine reputation as a barn dance caller, which combined with his fine singing voice has made him a popular figure as front man with the band.
As well as featuring on the band's CDs, Pete has recently released his first solo CD.
Geoff joined the Taverners in 1975. He has great experience in many fields of music including classical orchestral playing, Jazz, Folk, Dance and Pop.
In the late 1980s, tired of putting his Double Bass under his chin, he added keyboards to the band which has enabled it to diversity from folk into other main streams of music.
He is also a keen humorist and has a never ending selection of jokes and comic songs! He also performs regularly in the two man revue act "Anything Goes".
Vince is a key member of the ceilidh band and plays both fiddle and banjo. He joined the band in the early 2000s and has introduced a wide range of Celtic and American music to suit ceilidh dances and tunes.
Vince is an stringed instrument maker by trade and specialises in restoration and repair.
Barry has been a regular member of the ceilidh band for many years and is equally at home playing a limitless range of instruments. These include, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, keyboards, flute/whistle , trumpet, trombone and euphonium.
He was formerly a member of the popular Uncle John's Band based in Worthing and also runs his own band, the Rude Mechanicals. Barry also works as a session musician and features on the Taverner's latest CD.
From time to time, other noted players join the band and these include the popular and ever busy west country musician, PAUL DOWNES; accordianist and all-round entertainer WILL SOUTHCOTE, fiddle and pipes player TIM COUSINS and many more.
Photo Gallery
Click the button below to launch the Brighton Taverners photo gallery!
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Stuart Reed
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Dave and Geoff 1
Dave and Geoff 2
Dave and Geoff 3
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The Taverners Music Player
Hear The Brighton Taverners! Choose to listen to any track below simply by clicking the song name.
For more samples of our music, explore the other pages of this website where you will find more songs covering our extensive repertoire.
