The World's Room

The World's Room The World's Room is a home for traditional singing in the heart of Edinburgh. Guest nights: Tickets can be bought at the door on the night at £5.00.

The World's Room is Edinburgh's home for traditional singing, presenting the rich heritage of traditional song from Scotland and elsewhere. At most of our events, guest singers contribute throughout the evening, and the floor is open to all singers in between. We also have regular singers nights, where the evening is entirely devoted to songs from the floor. The World's Room generally meets around

the third Friday of the month upstairs at Ryrie's Bar, Haymarket, with the singing kicking off at 8:30pm (doors open 8pm). Singers nights: Entry free, suggested donation of £3.00.

Final World's Room of the season this week. Our guest is Co. Durham's Anne Lamb, who many will know from appearances at ...
06/04/2026

Final World's Room of the season this week. Our guest is Co. Durham's Anne Lamb, who many will know from appearances at a number of festivals in recent years. Expect plenty of songs from her native airt, with, as ever, contributions from the company. Please note we're on Friday, 10th April, 8pm due to a double booking at the Cumberland Arms.

The good news is that next season we will be consistently on a Thursday night (with one Christmas-related exception), starting on October 15th.

We look forward to seeing (and hearing) folk on Friday.

10/03/2026

Superb night last night at the World's Room with our American guests, Molly Gawler and Bennett Konesni. Between the guests and the company we had shanties and work songs - ploughing, lumberjacking, rowing; songs about pursuits, fox-hunting and whaling, that are now only to be found in folkworld for the most part; old favourites, The Black Velvet Band, Twa Recruitin Sergeants and Yella's On the Broom; ballads; newer songs from Davy Steele and Penny Stone who sang her own tribute to her grandfather and his take on being embroiled in two world wars; and a song in Lithuanian! Next month is the final night in the season when we welcome Anne Lamb, on April 10. NB, it's a Friday. Apologies for the inconsistent days this season, a result of late booking once we'd actually found a venue, but we hope to be able to keep to the same night each time when we resume in October.

This coming Monday we feature the World's Room's first American guests. From the rural North East state of Maine, Bennet...
02/03/2026

This coming Monday we feature the World's Room's first American guests. From the rural North East state of Maine, Bennett Konesni and Molly Gawler are active in the traditional song there. Bennett a singer, farmer, sailor, researcher, and cultural organiser. Through his Worksong Project, along with sister-in-law Molly, he revives songs for field, forest, and sea and leads the organisation Bagaduce Music. So an evening drawing on different sources of song, plus the usual wonderful variety of songs from the floor. Cumberland Bar, Cumberland Street, Edinburgh, March 9, 8pm. This is the penultimate night of the season before we conclude next month with Anne Lamb, on April 10th.

We're delighted to see the wonderful Alison McMorland returning to public performance and she is our February guest at t...
05/02/2026

We're delighted to see the wonderful Alison McMorland returning to public performance and she is our February guest at the World's Room on Thursday, February 12th. Alison has had a multi-faceted journey in traditional music - singer, collector, actor, songwriter, author, teacher, and all-round inspiration! Looking forward to welcoming her to the Cumberland Bar, Cumberland Street, Edinburgh. February 12th.

09/01/2026

Great night of singing at the World's Room last night. Adam McNaughtan and Geordie McIntyre, both of whom we lost last year, were much in evidence. The songs included a sea shanty, old favourites like Busk, Busk and Yellow's on the Broom, a funny song about Scottish innovation, the terrible tale of Tattie Jock, a rare outing for Bill Caddick's great song, 'The Making of Tipperary', ballads in the shape of Lord Gregory and a stunning version of Lambkin from our guest Neil Sutcliffe who had a wonderful variety of songs. It was a reminder that the contributions from the assembled company are a huge part of the night.

Next month we have Alison McMorland in Edinburgh (12th) and look out for the World's Room in Aberdeen in March as well. There are also whispers of a World's Room possibly starting up in Stirling.

Our January guest is Neil Sutcliffe, singer and accordionist from Stirling. Neil's style of singing is strongly influenc...
31/12/2025

Our January guest is Neil Sutcliffe, singer and accordionist from Stirling. Neil's style of singing is strongly influenced by the sangsters he has met and learned from - Geordie McIntyre, Alison McMorland, Adam McNaughtan and of course his parents,l Jo Miller and Steve Sutcliffe. Expect some classic ballads as well as protest songs and humorous songs. January 8th, 8pm, The Cumberland Bar, Cumberland Street, Edinburgh.

28/12/2025

Quick notice that the January guest at the World’s Room will be Neil Sutcliffe, January 8, 8pm, The Cumberland Bar, Cumberland St, Edinburgh. More details and mail-shot to follow in a couple of days when we’re back at the World’s Room Supercomputer.

Looking forward to the December World's Room with Alice and Elliott aka The Peerie Faeries and a whole host of singers. ...
07/12/2025

Looking forward to the December World's Room with Alice and Elliott aka The Peerie Faeries and a whole host of singers. Cumberland Bar, Cumberland Street, Edinburgh, 8pm!

Our December guests at the Cumberland are Alice Dillon and Elliot Parrott, collectively known as the Peerie Faeries. The...
01/12/2025

Our December guests at the Cumberland are Alice Dillon and Elliot Parrott, collectively known as the Peerie Faeries. The WR has an abiding memory of their outstanding support set for the Wilsons at Edinburgh Folk Club a while back, so we're looking forward to enjoying their beautiful songs on Monday December 8, at 8pm. The Cumberland Bar, Cumberland Street, in Edinburgh's New Town.

Looking forward to welcoming Sylvia McGowan to the World's Room tomorrow (Monday). Cumberland Bar, Cumberland Street, Ed...
09/11/2025

Looking forward to welcoming Sylvia McGowan to the World's Room tomorrow (Monday). Cumberland Bar, Cumberland Street, Edinburgh, 8pm.

This month's guest at the World's Room is Sylvia McGowan, a kenspeckle figure in sessions and stages in Edinburgh. Sylvi...
02/11/2025

This month's guest at the World's Room is Sylvia McGowan, a kenspeckle figure in sessions and stages in Edinburgh. Sylvia has worked with groups like Protest in Harmony for many years and was a member of a capella group, Stairheid Gossip. Monday 10 November, 8pm, at the Cumberland Bar, Cumberland Street, Edinburgh. Usual World's Room format: songs from the guest and songs from the company, making for an inclusive, convivial evening all round. Hope to see you there!

17/10/2025

The reassuring news is that the new WR venue works well! We had a grand opening night, with, unusually, different versions sung of a couple of songs. Can't think that's ever happened before. Back again at the Cumberland Bar on Monday November 10. Thanks again to Alan Prior for stepping in for an indisposed Scott Gardiner.

Address

Edinburgh

Opening Hours

8pm - 11pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The World's Room posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share