The Betsey Trotwood, (Upstairs Venue)
56 Farringdon Rd, Farringdon, London EC1R 3BL Ph: 020 7253 4285 7.00 advBUY NOW/ 8.50 door
Nearest tube Farringdon, 5 mins walk Doors open 7.30 pm. Music from 8.00 pm sharp.
New Roots presents THE NEW ROOTS BOUTIQUE, a brand new night UPSTAIRS in the legendary Betsey Trotwood celebrating the very best in new and upcoming contemporary roots and alt-folk artists and bands. With three acts on one superb triple bill, we ask that all attending stay for the full line-up – the ethos of the night is to introduce musicians and artists to each other’s audience , and to introduce the audience to great new artists. We’ll also be asking for no talking during performances, and for social media devices to be switched off so the music gets the full attention it deserves!
Sincere Deceivers are Matt Glover (vocals, acoustic guitar), Tim Davies (electric guitar, vocals), and Dom Main (cello, vocals). The London based Yorkshire natives have developed a folk driven sound, rooted in the storytelling tradition, drawing on a variety of contemporary influences. In 2015 they released their first EP, Autumnal Dreams, launching it at St Pancras Old Church, and followed it with notable shows for Songwriting Magazine, Sofar Sounds and Folkroom Records. In 2019 Sincere Deceivers released two singles, ‘Gladness’ and ‘Hot Handed’, receiving local and national airplay.
“…perfect poise [and] understated intelligence” Tom Robinson BBC 6 Music
Earning comparisons to Yo La Tengo, Devendra Banhart, Nick Drake and Milton Nascimento. South Londoners EWE draw on folk, blues, Latin, & their heritage North African music to create their songs. In 2016 their debut release received support from BBC 6 Music, FRUK and attracted the interest of Mice Parade’s Adam Pierce, who arranged dates across New York State for them, including a support show for British Sea Power splinter group Brakes. EWE returned from the USA to play a sellout show at St Pancras Old Church. The duo have gone on to play Festival No. 6, Red Rooster, Wilderness, Tandem and shows with Brakes, Low Chimes, Francobollo, Oh Sister, Ben Walker & Josienne Clarke, Sophie Jamieson and Patch & The Giant.
‘impeccable’ Gary Crowley – BBC Radio London / ‘an intriguing and accomplished EP… an important talent who most definitely deserves a much wider audience.’ FRUK / ‘my favourite track in an incredible week of music’ Fresh On The Net / ‘quite remarkable’ FATEA
The People Versus are a Chamber Pop assemblage offering a new spin. Fronted by the core members of London troubadours, Five Fathoms Deep, the band re-formed in Oxford, joined by new faces and a powerhouse of harmonies. Their songs depict stories of love, loss & sea monsters.
DAN RAZA: ‘The real deal’ Huey Morgan, BBC Radio 2 / “An astonishingly accomplished set of songs, one of which a veteran songwriter would be proud.” R2 Magazine LUCY KITT: “The whole album has a sun- drenched glow, reminiscent of Laurel Canyon in the 1970’s.” Country Music Magazine TRENT MILLER: ‘A darkly underground mix of hangovers, anguished love, mournful blues and lonesome country’ Q Magazine
The Harrison,
28 Harrison Street, Kings Cross, WC1H 8JF.
Ph: 020 7278 3966
8.50 advBUY NOW/ 10.00 door
Nearest tube Kings Cross, 5 mins walkDIRECTIONS
Doors open 7.30 pm. Music from 8.15 pm sharp.
New Roots presents THE NEW ROOTS SESSIONS, A series of Friday and Saturday night events at the Harrison in Kings Cross featuring three superb headline solo artists on a triple-bill. Fully seated, tickets limited to 40 only- advance purchase advised.
One of the mainstays on the London singer-songwriter and folk & roots scene, Dan Raza has been praised by Chris Farlowe, Slaid Cleaves, Mary Gauthier and Jackie Oates and has had one of his songs included by Neil Young on his ‘Living With War’ website. Across his career he has opened for Joan Armatrading, Badly Drawn Boy, Alejandro Escovedo, Cara Dillon and The Sadies, amongst others. Dan’s eponymous debut album was produced by Charlie Hart (Ronnie Lane, Ian Dury, Eric Clapton, Mose Allison). The self-produced follow up, ‘Two’, was released in 2017 and features his band, The Shrouds, as well as appearances from Geraint Watkins (Van Morrison, Paul McCartney), BJ Cole (Dolly Parton, Martin Simpson), Steve Simpson (Eric Bibb, Ronnie Lane), Frank Mead (Albert King, Eric Clapton) and Mosi Conde (Mory Kante, Salif Keita).
‘The real deal’ Huey Morgan, BBC Radio 2
“..a writer who has matured into one of this country’s finest” Country Music Magazine
“An astonishingly accomplished set of songs, one of which a veteran songwriter would be proud.” R2 Magazine
Beginning her career with a semi-finalist place at the 2006 BBC Radio 2 Young Folk awards, Lucy Kitt has shared the stage with Cara Dillon, Turin Brakes, The Unthanks, Pete Mollinari and Nick Mulvey amongst many others. Major UK festival slots have included Cambridge Folk Festival, The Isle of Wight Festival, Secret Garden Party, and Lounge on the Farm, and Red Rooster Festival. In 2014 she won the Gibson/Sundance song writing competition, and she has recorded internet TV sessions for Mahogany, Balcony TV and On’t Sofa. With 90,000 Soundcloud followers, she released her debut album ‘Stand By’ through Southern Records in 2019 to press acclaim.
“The whole album has a sun- drenched glow, reminiscent of Laurel Canyon in the 1970’s.” Country Music Magazine
“Beautifully crafted and impeccably delivered”. Maverick Magazine
Born and raised in the countryside of north-western Italy, fuelled by dreams of rock’n’roll, Trent Miller made his way to London as a youth, joining the just-blooming Americana circuit. Carrying with him the dual influence of the Beats and darkly troubled songwriters like Gene Clark, Jeffrey Lee Pierce and Thin White Rope’s Guy Kyser, he made his recorded debut on the album Hidden Desert, a tribute to the latter much missed Northern Californians. A veteran of four highly regarded folk-noir albums, over the years his band has featured Paul Cuddeford (Ian Hunter, Cat Stevens), Graham Knight (Simple Kid), Ben Walker (Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker), Paul Lush (Danny & The Champions of The World) and Basia Bartz (Dana Immanuel & The Stolen Band).
‘Fans of Gene Clark, Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark will recognise a kindred spirit in his glowering meditations and steely worldview’ Daily Mirror
‘A darkly underground mix of hangovers, anguished love, mournful blues and lonesome country’ Q Magazine
‘Dark and mystical poetic lyrics, passionate delivery, all blended with dreamy yet shadowy melodies… a unique force in what can be described as twisted and edgy folkMusicNews.com
‘A master storyteller with a voice like rolling thunder’ – GQ Magazine / ‘His ability to twist and turn a simple phrase can render the most innocent line into something utterly heartbreaking’ – Clash Magazine
The Green Note
106 Parkway, Camden Town, NW1 7AN
Ph 020 7485 9899
10.00 advBUY NOW/ 12.00 Door
Nearest tube Camden, 2 mins walk DIRECTIONS
Doors open 7.00 pm, music from 8.15 pm sharp.
London-based Dubliner Louis Brennan is a singer-songwriter in the folk tradition. His folk however aren’t the field hands and travelling minstrels of yore but the repressed middle managers and ennui-ridden urbanites of late-stage capitalism. They populate tales of bad sex, half-drunk commutes and interpersonal claustrophobia delivered in Brennans cracked baritone, at times embarrassingly intimate, at times spuriously broad, peppered with pitch-black humour.
His debut album Dead Capital was recorded at Berlin’s Candybomber Studio, located in the now-defunct Tempelhof Airport. Produced alongside acclaimed Irish songwriter A.S. Fanning and legendary engineer Into Krauss, whose credits run from noise-merchants Einsturzende Neubauten to tango pioneer Astor Piazolla, Dead Capital brings together a body of work shaped through dozens of live shows in London and further afield. It was released to critical acclaim in February 2018 with For Folks Sake remarking ‘Dead Capital is an overwhelmingly beautiful album forged from hopelessness’. He plays this evening accompanied by a full band of drums, bass, pedal steel, guitar and keys.
‘A master storyteller with a voice like rolling thunder’ – GQ Magazine
‘His ability to twist and turn a simple phrase can render the most innocent line into something utterly heartbreaking’ – Clash Magazine
‘Someone capable of turning the bleak into beautiful and relatable’ – Gigwise
‘His wry tales manage to make that which is moribund sound full of life’ – R2
‘Beth has a voice of rare beauty; dynamic, vibrant, sultry and, at times, pulsating”…” The Outsider is an album to be relished, the aural delights proffered are plentiful and compelling, with a mark of individuality that is refreshing” FATEA MAGAZINE / “haunting and compelling” BLUES IN BRITAIN
The Betsey Trotwood, (Upstairs Venue)
56 Farringdon Rd, Farringdon, London EC1R 3BL Ph: 020 7253 4285 10.00 advBUY NOW/ 12.00 door
Nearest tube Farringdon, 5 mins walk Doors open 7.30 pm. Music from 8.15 pm sharp.
New Roots presents Ma Polaine’s Great Decline at the Betsey Trotwood (upstairs venue). The band will play two sets, with a 30 minute interval.
Described as “like a young Billie Holiday gate-crashing a Tom Waits Swordfishtrombones recording session”, or “a moody Mary Margaret O’Hara” (fRoots Magazine), blues and roots duo Ma Polaine’s Great Decline continue to build a reputation as an intriguing and startlingly original act. From the very beginning Beth Packer and Clinton Hough sought to keep their song-writing influences open, and have cultivated a sound rich with otherworldly oddness, sparsity and a subtle quality that is uniquely their own.
Their most recent album, 2018’s ‘The Outsider’, has had wide-spread radio play, including notable outings on Tom Robinson’s BBC 6 show, Verity Sharp’s Late Junction on BBC Radio 2 & 3, and was the subject of a feature on the band in the hugely respected fRoots magazine..
2016’s EP release Small Town Talk gained rave media reviews, building on 2015’s nomination as an emerging artist in the British Blues Awards for the album “Got Me Out Of Hell”. The album also won the duo a Reveal Records ‘Emerging Act’ competition, and earned an international song-writing semi-final spot for their song ‘Suffer It Well’ from their 2013 EP of the same name.
Throughout 2019 & 2020 Ma Polaine’s Great Decline have toured the country, taking in the best of the UK’s folk & roots venues, and have enjoyed a busy festival season, including shows at the prestigious Green Man and Purbeck Valley Folk Festivals.
“…a record of profound maturity”…” Beth has a voice of rare beauty; dynamic, vibrant, sultry and, at times, pulsating”…” The Outsider is an album to be relished, the aural delights proffered are plentiful and compelling, with a mark of individuality that is refreshing” FATEA MAGAZINE
“haunting and compelling” BLUES IN BRITAIN
“The Outsider is a series of continuing brilliance to which cannot be contained or pigeon holed”. LIVERPOOL SOUND & VISION
The Harrison,
28 Harrison Street, Kings Cross, WC1H 8JF.
Ph: 020 7278 3966
8.50 advBUY NOW/ 10.00 door
Nearest tube Kings Cross, 5 mins walkDIRECTIONS
Doors open 7.30 pm. Music from 8.15 pm sharp.
Sincere Deceivers are Matt Glover (vocals, acoustic guitar), Tim Davies (electric guitar, vocals), and Dom Main (cello, vocals). A long way from the rolling hills of home, the Yorkshire natives have developed a folk driven sound, rooted in the storytelling tradition, drawing on a variety of contemporary influences. In 2015 they released their first EP, Autumnal Dreams, launching it at St Pancras Old Church, and followed it with notable shows for Songwriting Magazine, Sofar Sounds and Folkroom Records. In 2019 Sincere Deceivers released two singles, ‘Gladness’ and ‘Hot Handed’. Their music has been described by Tom Robinson (BBC Radio 6) as displaying“perfect poise [and] understated intelligence”, and has received local and national airplay, including support from BBC 6 Music .
Two compelling musicians drawn together by an expansive approach to song and interpretation, guitar-vocal duo James Kitchman (UK) and Sylvia Schmidt (DE) share an affinity for the Anglo-American folk songs of the Appalachian mountains. The debut album ‘As Long As Songbirds Sing’ is due for release in June 2020, and includes the track ‘I Wonder As I Wander’ which was selected by BBC Radio 3 to be aired on the Christmas eve ‘Breakfast Show’, 2019.
Great new gigs on the way! Thurs 30 Jan to Thurs 13 Feb – tickets, details, videos & more…!
Hiya folks – we’ve got four great New Roots gigs on the way for you between now and 13 Feb! Ticket links, youtube videos and gig details below, with lots more for the coming months up on the website- dive in!
Thurs 30 Nov: The New Roots Boutique: Gus White / Prima Queen / Rob Quo
The Betsey Trotwood, (Upstairs Venue)
56 Farringdon Rd, Farringdon, London EC1R 3BL Ph: 020 7253 4285 7.00 advBUY NOW/ 8.50 door
Nearest tube Farringdon, 5 mins walk Doors open 7.30 pm. Music from 8.00 pm sharp.
New Roots presents THE NEW ROOTS BOUTIQUE, a brand new night UPSTAIRS in the legendary Betsey Trotwood celebrating the very best in new and upcoming contemporary roots and alt-folk artists and bands. With three acts on one superb triple bill, we ask that all attending stay for the full line-up – the ethos of the night is to introduce musicians and artists to each other’s audience , and to introduce the audience to great new artists. We’ll also be asking for no talking during performances, and for social media devices to be switched off so the music gets the full attention it deserves!
Gus White offers something truly unique to the UK alt-folk and contemporary roots scene, combining his distinctive voice and considered songwriting approach with an accomplished guitar style that pays its respects to Nick Drake and John Martyn. With artfully observed lyrics, his distinctly English, pastoral sound is both timeless and resoundingly contemporary. Gus’s beautifully composed alt-folk songs are supported by fine close harmony accompaniment from singer Kristin McFadden, fleshed out by cello and clarinet.
‘Warmly recommended for fans of Nick Drake, John Martyn… fresh minted for the 21st century’ – Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music
Prima Queen is an all female indie/alternative rock band fronted by songwriting duo and best friends Louise Macphail (Bristol, UK) and Kristin McFadden (Chicago, USA). Combining vulnerable and nostalgic story telling with light-hearted lyrical imagery, their bitter-sweet and gritty style draws influences from artists such as Alvvays, Julia Jacklin, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. Prima Queen were named in the ‘Top 5 Indie Queens’ by influential blog Wolf In A Suit, describing their music as ‘beautiful harmonies created by two talented women through sounds that showcase the storytelling of folk, the rebellious charm of rock and the connection with the people of pop’.
Taking inspiration from the folk innovators of the 60’s/70’s, those who drew blues & jazz into the genre, and breaking new ground via music’s most well-beaten path, Rob Gore‘s songs draw from the folk/blues tradition – simple melodies atop sympathetic guitar arrangements, with the message always at the very forefront.
Sat 1st Feb: Tom Mansi & The Icebreakers
The Green Note
106 Parkway, Camden Town, NW1 7AN
Ph 020 7485 9899
10.00 advBUY NOW/ 12.00 Door
Nearest tube Camden, 2 mins walkDIRECTIONS
Doors open 7.00 pm, music from 8.15 pm sharp.
“Our record of the week” – Mark Radcliffe & Stuart Marconi (BBC Radio 2)
“I put it on and thought this is the stuff!” – Phil Jupitus (BBC Radio 4 and BBC 6 Music)
“The band I always wanted to be in…” Jamie T
A perfect Saturday night rockin’-roots-rhythm & blues band, Tom Mansi & The Icebreakers have spent the last 10 years honing their sound, playing countless shows across the UK and Europe. All three members are much-respected musicians in their own right, their careers ranging from collaborative work with legendary film director David Lynch to the British musical icon Donovan, and extensive time spent in the vibrant British burlesque and alternative cabaret scene. It is from these experiences that the band have forged their unique sound, channeling in equal measure the rock’n’roll spirit of Sam Phillips’ Sun Studios, the electric blues of Howlin’ Wolf, the bass-heavy jazz attitude of Charles Mingus, the noir themes of Tom Waits, and the electric energy of Captain Beefheart. Above ell else, the super tight sound of the rock’n’roll, rocking blues, rhythm & blues and beyond that Tom Mansi & The Icebreakers bring lights up the room like an arclight- the best way to spend a Saturday night!
The three-piece have performed at many of the best venues and festivals across the UK and Europe including Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party, The Big Chill, The Scala and Hammersmith Palais, and have shared the stage with Son of Dave, Imelda May, Florence & The Machine, The Sadies, Fat Freddie’s Drop and countless more across their career to date.
Sun 2nd Feb:Alden, Patterson & Dashwood / Bird In The Belly
The Green Note
106 Parkway, Camden Town, NW1 7AN
Ph 020 7485 9899
10.00 advBUY NOW/ 12.00 Door
Nearest tube Camden, 2 mins walk DIRECTIONS
Doors open 7.00 pm, music from 8.15 pm sharp.
Taking inspiration from the twin pillars of American bluegrass and English folk, Alden Patterson & Dashwood weave rich vocal harmonies backed with fiddle, dobro and guitar around a combination of finely crafted original compositions and traditional songs, all the while maintaining a thoroughly contemporary cutting edge. Their debut album, Call Me Home, was fRoots 2016 Album of the Year Editor’s Choice. In 2018 they made their debut performance at the prestigious Folk by the Oak festival, followed by a nationwide UK tour with folk legends Show of Hands. No museum pieces, A P & D feel equally at home alongside the likes of First Aid Kit and Old Crow Medicine Show as they do the stalwarts of US & UK trad folk.
“It’s lovely stuff” – Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 2 Folk Show
★★★★★ Album Of The Year Editors Choice – fROOTS Magazine
★★★★★ R2
★★★★ Songlines
“When we saw this Folk / Americana trio live we were completely captivated, and knew we had to bring them to Folk by the Oak and share them with our audience” Adam Slough – Folk By The Oak Festival Director
Brighton based quartet Bird in the Belly collect little known and forgotten lyrics, poems and stories from around the UK, and set them to their own“hypnotically original compositions” (fRoots). Their sound is raw and bare-boned with “distinctively contemporary and earthy vocalising” (R2 Magazine), linking them stylistically to contemporaries Stick In The Wheel and Lankum. Their debut album ‘The Crowing’ (March 2018, GF*M Records) was met with critical acclaim across the board from fRoots, R2, Songlines, Louder Than War, Northern Sky, Folk Radio UK, with the Sunday Express giving the album 5 stars and hailing it folk album of the year.
Tues 4 Nov:SOLD OUT Ned Roberts plus special guest Michele Stodart
The Slaughtered Lamb
34-35 Great Sutton St, Clerkenwell, EC1V 0DX.
Ph: 020 7253 1516 Nearest tube Farringdon, 8 mins walk Doors open 7.30 pm. Music from 8.00 pm sharp.
Ned Roberts launches his new album “Dream Sweetheart” on Aveline Records, with special guest support from Michele Stodart.
Dream Sweetheart is Ned Roberts’ third album, and his third with producer Luther Russell (Richmond Fontaine, Fabiano do Nascimento, Sarabeth Tucek), recorded in Los Angeles in Electrosound Studios. His eponymous debut was a predominantly solo affair, and garnered significant national press, notably in UNCUT and The Guardian. The second, Outside My Mind, added an Americana expanse to the folk foundations of his debut, cutting live to tape to create a warm, spacious sound. It was released to wide acclaim on Aveline Records in 2017 (Ani Difranco, Ruth Theodore), and played across BBC 6Music and BBC Radio Scotland. Dream Sweetheart builds further on this creative dynamic. With ten days in the studio, and working from simple acoustic demos, the ethos of the record was one of invention and spontaneity. The copper pan loops on Slower than the Sea, the train/rain soundtrack to Stay A Little Longer, the late night recording of cicadas that accompanies Miles Between – these are just a sample of the soundscapes that resulted from staying open and alive to the possibilities each song suggested, whilst keeping Ned’s voice front and centre.
Ned has toured widely around the UK. He attained a much sought after support tour with celebrated US songwriter Anais Mitchell, and has also supported the likes of Joe Pug, Micah P. Hinson, The Delines, Sam Morrow, and The Stray Birds. He has toured the West Coast of the US, and recently embarked on a 10 date tour of Germany, as well as gigs in France, Spain and Italy.
DREAM SWEETHEART will be released on January 31st on Aveline Records, with a UK tour in February 2020.
Thurs 13 Feb: Mock Deer Album Launch plus special guest The Magic Lantern
The Water Rats
328 Grays Inn Rd, Kings Cross WC1X 8BZ Ph 020 7833 3312 10.00 advBUY NOW/ 12.00 Door
Nearest Kings Cross, 5 mins walk DIRECTIONS
Doors open 7.00 pm, music from 8.15 pm sharp.
A self-taught musician with a unique playing and writing style, Mock Deer has spent the majority of his life in the North of England. He has immersed himself in the capital’s alt-folk scene over recent years, playing shows for many of the best local promoters and touring both in the U.K. and Europe. As well as writing original music for theatre and television, he has released 2 EPs ‘Cold and Bright’ and ‘How We Used to live’.
Over the years Mock Deer has shared the stage with The Burning Hell (Can), Rainbrother (DK), Sam Brookes (UK) and Kristin McClement (UK) as well as many U.K. festivals, including repeat performances at the prestigious Festival No.6, Wilderness and Head for the Hills festivals.
The Magic Lantern is the musical moniker of Jamie Doe, an independent artist dedicated to remedying the anxiety and fear present in everyone. Born in Australia before moving to the UK at 12, he is a part of a thriving scene of contemporary musicians living in London who sit across and between genres from folk to jazz, to go about things their own way.
‘Beautiful’ – Huw Stephens, BBC Radio 1
“Extraordinary. Beautiful poised singing, amazing
lyrics and hypnotic production” – Tom Robinson, BBC Radio 6 Music
“Gorgeous, beautiful. This stopped me in my tracks. Slightly surreal, in all the right ways”
Jamie Cullum, BBC Radio 2
“Dreamy, beautiful. Something very, very special” – Lauren Laverne, BBC6 Music
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.
‘Absolutely gorgeous stuff…one to really get excited about’ – Lauren Laverne, BBC 6 Music / ‘An understated gem’ – The Independent on Sunday / ★★★★ The Guardian
The Slaughtered Lamb
34-35 Great Sutton St, Clerkenwell, EC1V 0DX.
Ph: 020 7253 1516 10.00 advBUY NOW/ 12.00 door
Nearest tube Farringdon, 8 mins walk Doors open 7.30 pm. Music from 8.00 pm sharp.
Ned Roberts launches his new album “Dream Sweetheart” on Aveline Records, with special guest support from Michele Stodart.
Dream Sweetheart is Ned Roberts’ third album, and his third with producer Luther Russell (Richmond Fontaine, Noah & The Whale, Fabiano do Nascimento, Sarabeth Tucek), recorded in Los Angeles in Electrosound Studios. His eponymous debut was a predominantly solo affair, and garnered significant national press, notably in UNCUT and The Guardian. The second, Outside My Mind, added an Americana expanse to the folk foundations of his debut, cutting live to tape to create a warm, spacious sound. It was released to wide acclaim on Aveline Records in 2017 (Ani Difranco, Ruth Theodore), and played across BBC 6Music and BBC Radio Scotland. Dream Sweetheart builds further on this creative dynamic. With ten days in the studio, and working from simple acoustic demos, the ethos of the record was one of invention and spontaneity. The copper pan loops on Slower than the Sea, the train/rain soundtrack to Stay A Little Longer, the late night recording of cicadas that accompanies Miles Between – these are just a sample of the soundscapes that resulted from staying open and alive to the possibilities each song suggested, whilst keeping Ned’s voice front and centre.
Ned has toured widely around the UK. He attained a much sought after support tour with celebrated US songwriter Anais Mitchell, and has also supported the likes of Joe Pug, Micah P. Hinson, The Delines, Sam Morrow, and The Stray Birds. He has toured the West Coast of the US, and recently embarked on a 10 date tour of Germany, as well as gigs in France, Spain and Italy.
‘Absolutely gorgeous stuff…one to really get excited about’ – Lauren Laverne, BBC 6 Music
‘A warm treat…his melodies reminiscent of Leonard Cohen with lyrical nods to Bob Dylan, and his voice has echoes of Tim Hardin‘ ★★★★ The Guardian
‘…a beautiful record’ – Gideon Coe, BBC 6Music
‘so gifted, possessing a fine ear for a tune and a real knack for storytelling..stunning’. 8/10 – UNCUT
“Our record of the week” – Mark Radcliffe & Stuart Marconi (BBC Radio 2) / “I put it on and thought this is the stuff!” – Phil Jupitus (BBC Radio 4 and BBC 6 Music) / “The band I always wanted to be in…” Jamie T
The Green Note
106 Parkway, Camden Town, NW1 7AN
Ph 020 7485 9899
10.00 advBUY NOW/ 12.00 Door
Nearest tube Camden, 2 mins walk DIRECTIONS
Doors open 7.00 pm, music from 8.15 pm sharp.
A perfect Saturday night rockin’-roots-rhythm & blues band, Tom Mansi & The Icebreakers have spent the last 10 years honing their sound, playing countless shows across the UK and Europe. All three members are much-respected musicians in their own right, their careers ranging from collaborative work with legendary film director David Lynch to the British musical icon Donovan, and extensive time spent in the vibrant British burlesque and alternative cabaret scene. It is from these experiences that the band have forged their unique sound, channeling in equal measure the rock’n’roll spirit of Sam Phillips’ Sun Studios, the electric blues of Howlin’ Wolf, the bass-heavy jazz attitude of Charles Mingus, the noir themes of Tom Waits, and the electric energy of Captain Beefheart. Above ell else, the super tight sound of the rock’n’roll, rocking blues, rhythm & blues and beyond that Tom Mansi & The Icebreakers bring lights up the room like an arclight- the best way to spend a Saturday night!
The three-piece have performed at many of the best venues and festivals across the UK and Europe including Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party, The Big Chill, The Scala and Hammersmith Palais, and have shared the stage with Son of Dave, Imelda May, Florence & The Machine, The Sadies, Fat Freddie’s Drop and countless more across their career to date.
The Betsey Trotwood, (Upstairs Venue)
56 Farringdon Rd, Farringdon, London EC1R 3BL Ph: 020 7253 4285 7.00 advBUY NOW/ 8.50 door
Nearest tube Farringdon, 5 mins walk Doors open 7.30 pm. Music from 8.00 pm sharp.
New Roots presents THE NEW ROOTS BOUTIQUE, a brand new night UPSTAIRS in the legendary Betsey Trotwood celebrating the very best in new and upcoming contemporary roots and alt-folk artists and bands. With three acts on one superb triple bill, we ask that all attending stay for the full line-up – the ethos of the night is to introduce musicians and artists to each other’s audience , and to introduce the audience to great new artists. We’ll also be asking for no talking during performances, and for social media devices to be switched off so the music gets the full attention it deserves!
Gus White offers something truly unique to the UK alt-folk and contemporary roots scene, combining his distinctive voice and considered songwriting approach with an accomplished guitar style that pays its respects to Nick Drake and John Martyn. With artfully observed lyrics, his distinctly English, pastoral sound is both timeless and resoundingly contemporary. Gus’s beautifully composed alt-folk songs are supported by fine close harmony accompaniment from singer Kristin McFadden, fleshed out by cello and clarinet.
‘Warmly recommended for fans of Nick Drake, John Martyn… fresh minted for the 21st century’ – Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music
Prima Queen is an all female indie/alternative rock band fronted by songwriting duo and best friends Louise Macphail (Bristol, UK) and Kristin McFadden (Chicago, USA). Combining vulnerable and nostalgic story telling with light-hearted lyrical imagery, their bitter-sweet and gritty style draws influences from artists such as Alvvays, Julia Jacklin, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. Prima Queen were named in the ‘Top 5 Indie Queens’ by influential blog Wolf In A Suit, describing their music as ‘beautiful harmonies created by two talented women through sounds that showcase the storytelling of folk, the rebellious charm of rock and the connection with the people of pop’.
Taking inspiration from the folk innovators of the 60’s/70’s, those who drew blues & jazz into the genre, and breaking new ground via music’s most well-beaten path, Rob Quo‘s songs draw from the folk/blues tradition – simple melodies atop sympathetic guitar arrangements, with the message always at the very forefront.
‘Extraordinary’ Mojo / ‘Exquisite’ The Observer / ‘Josienne Clarke sings like a haunted angel’ Financial Times / ‘…a voice that can trickle back over centuries’ Cerys Matthews, BBC 6 Music
The Green Note
106 Parkway, Camden Town, NW1 7AN
Ph 020 7485 9899
12.00 advBUY NOW/ 14.00 Door
Nearest tube Camden, 2 mins walk DIRECTIONS
Doors open 7.00 pm, music from 8.15 pm sharp.
When Josienne Clarke signed to the illustrious independent music champions Rough Trade Records, its founder Geoff Travis told The Guardian that she writes ‘songs that rearrange your internal emotional landscape reinventing the popular song structure‘. With a rare gift for poetic melancholy, Josienne’s songs have also been described as ‘extraordinary‘ (Mojo), ‘gently exquisite‘ (The Observer) and ‘full of depth‘ (The Telegraph), while the World Music bible Songlines said ‘Clarkes dark, complex imagery in the lyrics pushes the songs into rich metaphorical territory, one of the heart and of self-enquiry’. American Songwriter magazine named Josienne one of the best songwriters of 2016.
Having been awed by a live performance at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, 6 Music DJ Cerys Matthews arranged for Josienne to act and sing in The National Theatres revival of Timberlake Wertenbakers Our Countrys Good. In addition to performing on the Olivier stage each night in a role specially created for her Josienne contributed two of her own songs to the play. In their review of the acclaimed production, The Financial Times said, ‘Josienne Clarke sings like a haunted angel‘. It marked the start of a continued relationship with the National Theatre which has included composing songs for a new adaptation of Hans Christian Andersons The Snow Queen, with acclaimed young playwright Zoe Cooper.
With an elegant, nuanced and emotionally affecting singing style (Cerys Matthews described her as having ‘a voice that can trickle back over centuries‘) Josienne has frequently been compared to the great Sandy Denny, but present too are elements of Nina Simone and Gillian Welch; all three are important influences on her work.
Expanding beyond the folk music for which she was first known, Josienne has partnered with rising star jazz pianist Kit Downes to release the Such A Sky EP. And her friendship with London-based Scottish singer songwriter Samantha Whates has bloomed into new group PicaPica, whose debut album was recently released by Rough Trade. fRoots magazine has described the bands sound as ‘originally exciting‘. In the last two years, Josienne has supported the great Richard Thompson on a dream-come-true tour of the UK and opened for the legendary Robert Plant in Europe. The summer of 2018 saw her perform with guitarist Ben Walker at some of the UKs best-loved festivals, including Latitude, Larmer Tree and End Of The Road. She even found herself in demand as a writer and broadcaster, contributing to Standard Issue magazine and appearing on BBC Radio 3′s The Verb to discuss her pet subject melancholy, alongside poet Simon Armitage.
In November 2019 she released her much anticipated solo album In All Kinds of Weather on Rough Trade, with Tim Cummings of the Arts Desk awarding it his Album of 2019, hailing it as ‘a stepping-up to confirm Clarke as among our finest songwriters producing one of the most quietly devastating albums of the year’.
New Roots 