Recently announced: four concerts around the North East of England with Alistair Anderson & Northlands and Folkestra. More information here.
Rachel Newton Band tour dates
Delighted to be playing with the Rachel Newton Band again over the next few months! I'll be joining the crew in Inverness, Aldershot, Reading, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Cardiff, Cambridge and London.
National Youth Folk Ensemble - thanks!
I had a great time tutoring at the National Youth Folk Ensemble residential. They're a truly inspiring group of young musicians: it was a privilege to work with them, and their concert at Cecil Sharp House was fantastic. Thanks to the Ensemble, EFDSS and tutor team Sam Sweeney, Rob Harbron, Miranda Rutter, Saul Rose and Jack Rutter for a lovely week. See some photos here!
National Youth Folk Ensemble
I'm really looking forward to being part of the tutor team for the National Youth Folk Ensemble residential course in a couple of weeks' time. This one culminates in the ensemble's first full length gig, at Cecil Sharp House on Wednesday 12th April. More information (including details of how to apply for the NYFE in 2017-18) here.
Start To End
Start To End is a group of Glasgow musicians who interpret their favourite albums, in full, in a live setting. So far they've tackled records by David Bowie, Neutral Milk Hotel, Radiohead and Daft Punk. Here's a recent interview they did for the The Skinny.
The latest in the series is Feist's wonderful 2007 album, The Reminder, to which I'll be lending some flute, keys and backing vocals this Wednesday 15th March at The Hug and Pint.
There are a few tickets left here. Don't delay!
Asunder
I'm very excited to be part of a special performance at the Barbican Centre on 12th February, where I'll be playing alongside the amazing Field Music, Warm Digits, The Cornshed Sisters and a string quartet. We're performing the live score to a screening of Asunder, a film by Esther Johnson and Bob Stanley, which explores the effects of World War One on Sunderland and surrounding areas. More information here.
Alistair Anderson & Northlands - debut album
The new album from Alistair Anderson & Northlands is released this Saturday. You can listen (and order if you like!) here. Mark Radcliffe kindly gave us a spin on his BBC Radio 2 Folk Show last night, too.
Looking forward to some more gigs with this band later in the year...
Celtic Connections
It's nearly that time of year again... Here come some Celtic Connections adventures with:
Wildings - 22nd January
Rachel Newton Music - 27th January
Admiral Fallow - 29th January
November adventures
I've a few gigs over the next couple of weeks with different bands, plus a solo appearance at The Islay Sessions, too. Looking forward to getting out and about.
With Rachel Newton:
9th - The Hug and Pint, Glasgow
With Wildings
11th - Caol Community Centre, Fort William
12th - Old Inn, Carbost, Isle of Skye
15th - The Old Hairdressers, Glasgow
19th - Scots Fiddle Festival, Edinburgh
Solo
20th - Port Charlotte Hotel, Islay
With Alistair Anderson & Northlands
23rd - Percy Park RFC, North Shields
24th - Community Centre, Stocksfield
25th - Alnwick Playhouse
Here comes a busy autumn...
Some September news
Over the next couple of weeks I'll be working with long time collaborator Sara Kazmi (vocals) and new friends Rakae Jamil (sitar), Adam Stearns (keys, vocals) and Hardeep Deerhe (tabla) to create some new music rooted in Scottish and South Asian folk traditions. We'll be based at the Glad Cafe, delivering workshops in local schools and playing two gigs on 17th and 18th September. More information available soon!
24th September sees a rare live outing for my solo album, Woven. The mighty six piece band and I will be performing it in full at the Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, supporting The Shee at the launch of their new record, Continuum.
Very excitingly I've found myself in the house band for Running Up That Hill: A Celebration Of The Work Of Kate Bush (25th September, His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen). Curated by Emma Pollock, with a whole host of star guest singers: Kathryn Williams, Karine Polwart, Kathryn Joseph, Rachel Sermanni, James Graham, Peter Brewis, Roddy Hart and Emma herself.