KING Courgette re-surface for their first spring public outing on Saturday (May 18) at the Black Swan Inn, Peaseholme Green, York.

"Y’know, it’s a funny old business being in a vegetable string band. Y’spend the whole winter under the soil, absorbing the compost, thinkin’ warm thoughts and practising the banjo (well, maybe not the last bit)," says String Bean Slim, the alias of band member and York tour guide Alfred Hickling.

"Then spring comes around, the weather warms up and after all that germinating, we come busting out in the mood for a party. So we’d love to invite you to join us for our Shin-kickin’ Spring-chicken Shindig at the weekend."

It won’t be only King Courgette's bluegrass "racket" tomorrow, advises String Bean Slim. "The fun starts at 7.30pm, when we’ve got some good friends joining us. First up, the incredible Nashville songster Billy Kemp joins us as part of his 2019 UK tour.

"If you ain’t heard Billy Kemp yet, he’s the real deal: a roots guitarist and banjo wrangler par excellence – as they say in Louisiana – who's played at the Grand Ole Opry and has a couple of Grammy long-listed nominations under his belt," he says.

"And just in case this all gets too transatlantic, we’re also real pleased to welcome Mikkelsson, the smokin’ folk outfit from York, who we reckon are one of the hottest acts on the traditional music scene at the moment and hope you fancy gettin' your ears burned by them too."

Tickets cost £10 on 01904 676103, or from the Little Apple Bookshop, in High Petergate, York, or on the door.