Great New Roots Gigs On The Way!! Fri 03 May to Fri 15 May – Tickets, Details, Videos…
Hi folks- lots of fantastic gigs on the way over the next fortnight! This Friday we’re at The Harrison with Laura Frances and her full band, with support from Ned Roberts. On Sunday Dai & The Ramblers bring their deliciously rootsy folk-soul-jazz Cajun New Orleans gumbo to the Green Note for two sets, and on Fri 10 May we’re back at The Harrison for Gem Andrews and her alt-country band. On Tues 14 May Dublin rocker Stefan Murphy brings his Athletes of Soul to the Slaughtered Lamb for a rock’n’roll-garage-soul revue, with support from Rob Corcoran & Ciaran Dwyer, on the 15 May beautiful folk duo Solasta are at The Harrison, and on the same night Sam Brookes will be at the sold-out Servant Jazz Quarters– see you there if you’ve got a ticket. All details in the bulletin below, and lots more gigs for May & June up on the website….Dive in!
Fri 3 May: Laura Frances with support from Ned Roberts
The Harrison,
28 Harrison Street, Kings Cross, WC1H 8JF.
Ph: 020 7278 3966
8.50 adv BUY NOW / 10.00 door
Nearest tube Kings Cross, 5 mins walk DIRECTIONS
Doors open 7.30 pm. Music from 8.00 pm sharp.
New Roots presents Laura Frances (full band show), with support from Ned Roberts.
Laura Frances is a striking new voice in UK alt-folk, with a startling depth and a richly intense tone that instantly marks her out as one to watch. The deep vulnerability in her lyrics and unique vocal style is juxtaposed by lush layers of dreamy guitar, captivating and transporting the listener. Laura’s debut album is set for release in the summer of 2020, and she plays its songs tonight with a new 4-piece band.
Singer-songwrter Ned Roberts has played the UK, Europe and the West Coast of America extensively, touring with Anais Mitchell, and sharing bills with Joe Pug, Micah P. Hinson, The Delines and Sarabeth Tucek amongst many more. Signed to the Green Note affiliated Aveline label (home to Ruth Theodore and Ani Di Franco), his three-album career to date has brought him critical radio and press acclaim.
‘Absolutely gorgeous stuff…one to really get excited about’ – Lauren Laverne, BBC 6 Music
‘An understated gem’ – The Independent on Sunday
Sun 5 May: Dai & The Ramblers (two sets)
The Green Note
106 Parkway, Camden Town, NW1 7AN
Ph 020 7485 9899
10.00 adv BUY NOW / 12.00 Door
Nearest tube Camden, 2 mins walk DIRECTIONS
Doors open 7.00 pm, music form 8.15 pm sharp.
Please note, the venue consists of both seated and standing areas. To ensure a seat, please arrive early.
New Roots presents a Cajun, New Orleans, folk-soul-jazz gumbo!
4-piece Dai & The Ramblers have recorded two critically acclaimed albums, Duw Duw and Bon Bon, crammed full of their rhythm & blues spiced brand of Cajun and New Orleans soaked soul, folk and jazz. The upright bass, guitar, piano and fiddle 4-piece have a serious pedigree- between them they’ve played with Paul McCartmey, Van Morrison, Jeff Beck, Richard Thompson, Bob Geldof, Loudon Wainwright and The Penguin Cafe Orchestra. Wonderful musicianship matched to superb songwriting from Dai Price makes for a set of songs that feel instantly familiar, like classics that have been around forever. Dai & The Rambers ooze class; brilliant musicians, brilliant songs, brilliantly played.
“I love his voice; I love the whole band.” Paul Heaton (The Beatiful South)
“Absolutely gorgeous… They make a beautiful sound.” Janice Long (BBC Radio 2)
“Righteous and loose… contagious and worth spreading” Alan Cackett (Maverick)
“A joyous romp… will raise your spirits and gladden your heart” Michael Farley (Americana UK)
Fri 10 May: Gem Andrews (full band show)
The Harrison,
28 Harrison Street, Kings Cross, WC1H 8JF.
Ph: 020 7278 3966
8.50 adv BUY NOW / 10.00 door
Nearest tube Kings Cross, 5 mins walk DIRECTIONS
Doors open 7.30 pm. Music from 8.15 pm sharp.
Gem Andrews writes Americana and folk music with an honesty and rawness that cuts to the quick. Andrews’ superb songs are backed by lush harmonies, sweet fiddle, piano and accordion, and supported by a double bass and drums rhythm section. Deeply rooted in contemporary alt-country, her sound makes respectful nods to the giants of roots and country music, Patsy Cline, Lucinda Williams and Kate & Anna McGarrigle, all the while maintaining her own fiercely independent spirit.
In Andrews’ powerful new album ‘North’, released in January 2018, she employs a noir-country stye to tackle heavyweight themes of mental illness, poverty, community and destitution. Running through every song is the North East of England- as subect, backdrop and through tribute to local legends, including adaptations of poems by the late, great local poet and playwright Julia Darling. ‘North’ captures the energy and warmth of the people of the region, and the rage felt at a political class who have left them to waste.
Tues 14 May: Stevan Murphy & The Athletes of Soul with support from Rob Corcoran / Ciaran Dwyer
The Slaughtered Lamb,
34-35 Great Sutton St, Clerkenwell, London EC1V 0DX
Ph: 020 7253 1516
10.00 adv BUY NOW / 12.00 door
Nearest tube Farringdon, 8 mins walk DIRECTIONS
Doors open 7.30 pm. Music from 8.15 pm sharp.
Stefan Murphy & The Athletes Of Soul is a collaborative concept from long-time, much respected Dublin rocker Stefan Murphy (The Might Stef, Count Vaseline). To date Athletes of Soul have included members of Black Angels, The Germs, Ariel Pink, The Pogues, Reigning Sound, Ash, Altered Images, One Dove, Fontaines DC, Badlands and The Republic Of Loose. Across his career Stevan Murphy has shared bills and tours with Jonathan Richman, The Fall, Black Lips, King Khan, Happy Mondays, Television Personalities, Jeffrey Lewis, Dead Boys, Alice Cooper, The Boomtown Rats, Rancid, The Stooges, Queens Of The Stoneage, Arcade Fire, and the Libertines to name but a few….Expect soulful roots-rock and garage-soul shot through with pure punk attitude.
Weds 15 May: Sold Out! Sam Brookes with support from Genevieve Dawson
Servant Jazz Quarters
10A Bradbury St, Dalston, London N16 8JN
Ph: 020 7684 8411
Nearest train station Dalston Kingsland, 2 mins walk DIRECTIONS
Doors open 7.30 pm. Music from 8.15 pm sharp.
Inspired by the British and American folk revivalists of the 60’s, a sixteen-year-old Brookes began to write and perform while training as a gilder in his late father’s workshop. By his mid-twenties, Brookes had begun to receive serious critical recognition, his self-released album, Kairos, being acclaimed by The Independent as one of the stand-out records of 2014. Now in demand as a vocalist and collaborator, the long list of artists Brookes has worked with includes Scott Matthews, Lucy Rose, Newton Faulkner and Basement Jaxx.
Tempus, released 3rd May, sees Sam rework Kairos’s most arresting, intimate songs into richly layered acoustic versions with the help of producer Laurence Love Greed and some of the UK’s finest session players. This Tempus tour will see Sam performing a very special set of intimate duo shows with voice, guitar and piano.
“he excels at propulsive, narratively rich folk, delivered in a soaring, clear-as-a-bell singing voice” – The Sunday Times
“there are vast emotional reserves at work” – The Independent
“a stunning work on so many levels” – Folk Radio
Genevieve Dawson is a singer-songwriter originally from Edinburgh, now based in South-East London. Bringing together a frank lyrical style with a wonderfully rich and soulful tone, her sophisticated sound, supported by a superbly accomplished five piece band of keys, horns, bass and drums, pulls influence from jazz and folk in equal measure. She has recently completed studies in composition at Goldsmiths University of London, following in the footsteps of James Blake and Rosie Lowe, amongst many other esteemed alumni.
‘ [She] blends folk-roots with spicy infusions of off-kilter improvisation and ambitiously ambiguous harmony. Genevieve’s take is not unlike that of Hejira-era Joni Mitchell- her songwriting knows no upper bounds…see her and her band at any opportunity you get’ Bittersweet Symphonies.
That’s all from New Roots for now– if there’s anything more you’d like to know please drop me an email to newrootsevents@gmail.com. Cheers! Rory.
New Roots 