12 April: Christina Alden & Alex Patterson

Christina Alden & Alex Patterson are multi-instrumentalists and songwriters from East Anglia. Their music is rich with intertwining harmony, sensitive accomplished musicianship and a creative songwriting style that is both delicate and moving. Deeply inspired by the world around them, they have a keen environmental eye to craft stories with the natural world at its heart, reflecting on the relationship between humans and the wild.

Christina and Alex have toured extensively in the UK and Europe, including a 23-date concert hall tour with Show of Hands, a show at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall for Celtic Connections and headline and main stage performances at some of the UK’s most prestigious folk festivals and performances in Norway, Belgium, France and Ireland. They have written and self-released four albums, composed music for a BBC Radio 4 documentary series and have had more than a million streams on Spotify.

“A bright, lively collection of songs that plays so sweetly it evokes the sensation of a summer folk festival” – The Guardian

“A milestone for contemporary folk songwriting” – Bright Young Folk

“Gorgeous harmonies and lush melodies” – BBC Countryfile

… Continue reading. →

19 April: The Carrivick Sisters + support from Calico Thieves

One thing that is always evident at a Carrivick Sisters performance is their joy in playing together, in singing in close harmony and in delighting an audience. Twin sisters Charlotte and Laura Carrivick have grown up playing music together, and at a live show the stage becomes an extension of their kitchen; welcoming you into a warm, musical embrace while cooking up delicious melodies and tasty instrumentals. The sisters draw inspiration from their passion for traditional American old time and bluegrass music, English folklore and the wide variety of instruments they play: guitars, mandolin, fiddle, banjo and dobro.

Performing professionally together since 2006, the Carrivicks have toured internationally, picking up fans and stories along the road and now have seven albums under their belts. Aside from playing as a duo, Laura and Charlotte have been involved in many other bands and projects through the years, most recently with the twice IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Award nominated, Island Recording artists Midnight Skyracer.

“One of the best young duos I’ve heard… Not only very talented instrumentalists
and singers but they write really good songs as well” – Ralph… Continue reading. →

26 April: Johnny Coppin

Johnny Coppin is a singer/songwriter, composer and poetry anthologist. Formerly with the folk-rock band Decameron, he has released many solo albums, supported Gerry Rafferty, Jasper Carrott and the Albion Band on tour and appeared at festivals in Britain, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Holland and Belgium. TV appearances include his own programme, “Song of Gloucestershire”, for the BBC, “Stars in a Dark Night” for Channel 4 and “Music Writers on TV” for HTV, while his radio work includes Radio 4 and Radio 2 as well as many appearances on British local radio shows.

Johnny has also created music for theatre, including “Songs on Lonely Roads” (the story of composer/poet Ivor Gurney) with David Goodland, the Shrewsbury Theatre Guild’s production of “Arthur’s Plough”, as well as writing and directing the music for the Festival Players Theatre Company and their touring productions of Shakespeare, which culminate in the Three Choirs Festival.

He has edited two poetry anthologies – “Forest & Vale & High Blue Hill” and “Between the Severn and the Wye”. His third book, “A Country Christmas”, is a collections of prose, poetry, carols, songs and folklore.

“Strong, clear vocals, and… Continue reading. →