UNLIKE Scrooge, Hank Wangford remains resolutely miserable at Christmas. As he prepares to wheel his wagon train back to The Shed this weekend for his sixth cheerless Christmas festivities with the Lost Cowboys, Hank promises: "Last year you had our personal guarantee of getting depressed in the middle of nowhere; this year we may even have transcended that misery."

Hank, country music maverick and practising doctor, has patented a strangely addictive medicine to counter outbreaks of festive frivolity, and once more his prescription has sold out. There is not a seat to be had for tomorrow and Sunday's 8pm shows at Hovingham Village Hall.

What depressing Christmas goodies lie in store? "I don't want to do just the old favourites with the Lost Cowboys, so guitarist Reg and I will be doing some duo material from our Hank Wangford and Reg Meuross Head Off rural tour, and I've just got this real liking for this very odd singer called Johnny Hartman..."

...Johnny who? "Johnny Hartman. He was the only singer that John Coltrane would play with. He had this amazing, old-fashioned, chocolate-rich baritone, and the first time you hear him you can't stop laughing because you can't believe it's real, but then it gets under your skin. Anyway he's on this album I found called Yule Be Miserable. Perfect."

Expect an Ernest Tubb festive number too. "I'm not saying which one but it is very miserable! He made a very good living singing flatter than anyone has sung before, but you don't mind that," says Hank.

"Oh, all right, then I will tell you the song title: it's I'm Trimming My Christmas Tree With Teardrops. I'll have to do it now, even if I have to read the words. It's a tune that's just made for singing flat!"

For returned tickets only, ring 01653 668494.

Updated: 10:23 Friday, December 10, 2004