Video of the Month : Young Waters : Swimming Pool
Bristol's Young Waters have released an eponymous debut album that is 'a spellbinding declaration of neo-folk intent'. Swimming Pool is the closing track of the set and demonstrates their unique way with a song. Apetite whetted, there is a full review of the album here. [More : Facebook I Twitter I Website]
Essential Diary Dates
Jack Lukeman I Tue 6 November
After a rousing set at Liverpool's first Feis, Jack Lukeman returns to the city for a solo show. The combination of voice, songs and high octane charisma the Irish singer-songwriter brings to a stage guarantees that the Philharmonic gig will be a compelling musical spectacle. Lukeman's full tour dates can be found here.
Philharmonic [Liverpool] 8.00pm / Tickets £12/£15
Tom Blackwell I Sat 1 December
Tom Blackwell's last album, Memphis Volume 1, released in July, is an understated classic. The Liverpool based singer-songwriter draws on country, blues, gospel & American folk music to create what Bob Harris has rightly described as 'Wonderful, heartfelt music'. Unmissable.
Blue Sky Café [Bangor] 7.00pm / £10 Adv
Cara Dillon I Christmas Tour
Looking for something special for Christmas that ranged beyond the site's usual geographic limits inevitably led to Cara Dillon's seasonal show, Upon a Winter's Night. Described by Mojo as possessing "quite possibly the world's most beautiful female voice", this will be the third year Dillon has taken a set of ancient and modern songs on the road with intention of celebrating the mystery of Christmas.The 17 date tour starts in her native Derry before working its way across Ireland then the UK:
30 Nov : DERRY Millennium Forum I 028 7126 4455
01 Dec : DÚN LAOGHAIRE : Pavilion Theatre I 01 231 2929
02 Dec : BELFAST : The Ulster Hall I 028 9033 4400
06 Dec : SHEFFIELD : Firth Hall
07 Dec : GATESHEAD : Sage I 0191 443 461
08 Dec : EDINBURGH : The Queens Hall I 0131 668 2019
09 Dec : MANCHESTER : Stoller Hall I 0333 130 0967
12 Dec : BROMSGROVE : Atrix I 01527 577330
13 Dec : MILTON KEYNES : The Stables I 01908 280800
14 Dec : LONDON : Union Chapel - See Tickets I 0871 220 0260
15 Dec : SOUTHAMPTON : Turner Sims I 023 8059 5151
16 Dec : FROME : Cheese & Grain I 01373 455420
18 Dec : MAIDENHEAD : Norden Farm Arts I 01628 788997
19 Dec : BRISTOL : St Georges Hall I 0845 4024 001
20 Dec : BASINGSTOKE : Haymarket Theatre I 01256 844244
21 Dec : CANTERBURY : Gulbenkian Theatre I 01227 769075
22 Dec : SNAPE : Maltings Concert Hall I 01728 687110
[More : Cara Dillon Website]
Fara & Plu I Fri 21 December
Acclaimed Orkney folk band Fara visit the Pontio on the back of a new album, Times from Times Fall, to appear for a Christmas date with the beatific harmonies and inventiveness of North West Wales' Plu supporting.
Pontio [Bangor] 8.00pm / Tickets £13-14
[Full Gig Listings] [Top of Page]
From the Archive
- Blodau Gwylltion : Llifo Fel Oed
An exquisite, muted mix of folk and country influences, this debut album from duo Manon Steffan Ros and Elwyn Williams will be one of the first chiselled into 2018 end of year lists.
- Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage : Awake
English folk duo Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage, who released their acclaimed debut album Before the Sun in 2016 now have a follow up collection, Awake. Awake is stunning in its grace and flawlessness - with a brilliant cover of Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key as a keystone.
- Live : Matthew Frederick @ 3rd Space
Performing solo in Llandudno, Climbing Trees' frontman Matthew Frederick used keyboard, guitar, kazoo and vocal to conjure up a minor-key delight of a show.
- Bob Delyn a'r Ebillion : Dal i 'Redig Dipyn Bach
Fourteen years after Dore, Bob Delyn a'r Ebillion have released a new album, Dal i 'Redig Dipyn Bach (Still ploughing on a little bit). From a band credited with putting fire into the 90's Welsh folk revival, the new album does their heritage full justice.
- Toby Hay : The Gathering
Released in March 2017, guitarist Toby Hay's debut album (after a series of evocative EPs) confirms he is emerging as a significant figure, taking the tradition that runs from Davey Graham and Bert Jansch a compelling, creative step further forward.
- Daoiri Farrell / Elidyr Glyn : Galeri : 15.05.18
Award winning Irish folk musician Daoirí Farrell and support, singer-songwriter Elidyr Glyn, offered remarkable performances at Caernarfon's Galeri
- Colorama : Some Things Just Take Time
Worth the wait, this latest Colorama album shows Carwyn Ellis' vital force as a songwriter, arranger and performer is undimmed. Some Things Just Take Time is a burst of superb, elegant retro-pop. Like the collaborative Bendith project he spent some of 2016 so fruitfully on, the recording of this set of songs seemingly brought together extraordinary talent, and then delivered something more than the sum of the parts.
- Band Pres Llareggub : Kurn
Band Pres Llareggub fuse hip hop and New Orleans brass with the influences from their North West Wales roots in a new release that it is impossible not to love - second album Kurn is quite superb: exuberant, joyful, inventive and full of life.
- 9Bach : Anian
'... challenging, experimental and a graceful triumph'.
- Bendith : Bendith
A collaborative project between Carwyn Ellis of Colorama and Snowdonia's Plu has produced a beautiful collection of songs.
