THE Black Swan Folk Club diary for the autumn is almost fully booked and the summer programme is filling up too.

Crucible, a young Sheffield quartet with a background in folk dance bands, lead off next month's programme on April 1, when Jess and Richard Arrowsmith, Gavin Davenport and Helena Reynolds play their English traditional songs.

Steve & Kristi Nebel make their York debut on April 15, playing mostly self-penned songs rooted in social and environmental issues. Roy Bailey, stalwart interpreter of political and social songs, will be in York on April 22; and singer, songwriter and guitarist Simon Haworth and Northumbrian piper Andy May, from Jez Lowe's band Bad Pennies, team up on April 29.

Six years after his last York show, blues revivalist Hans Theessink returns to the Black Swan on May 13, mixing original compositions with country blues classics.

On May 20, the "Randy Newman of the North", Scottish singer-songwriter Michael Marra, performs his wry, observant songs in York for the first time, and the guest act on May 27 will be Threlfall Ellison Edwards.

Into the summer, dates for the diary are June 3, Singers and Musicians' Night; June 10, Roger Sutcliffe; June 17, Julie Henigan; July 22, Ruth Hazleton & Kate Burke.

In the autumn, the programme features: September 9, Steve Tilston; September 16, Cockersdale; September 23, Kieran Halpin; September 30, Singers' Night; October 7, Cathryn Craig & Brian Willoughby; October 14, Bram Taylor; October 21, Sara Grey; October 28, Singers' Night; November 4, Slide; November 11, Martin Carthy; November 18, Wizz Jones; November 25, Singers' Night.

The year will end with the pre-Christmas visit of Dick Gaughan on December 16 and the club's Christmas Party on December 23.

Doors open at 8pm each Thursday at the Black Swan Inn, Peasholme Green, York. Admission on the door only.

Updated: 16:12 Thursday, March 25, 2004