Tag: Britain’s Got Bluegrass!

Britain’s Got Bluegrass: June 2019

Posted on by Editor

Get off your couch and go hear some live music with Britain’s Got Bluegrass! Here’s the BGS-UK monthly guide to the best gigs in the UK and Ireland in June.

Mumford & Sons, 14 and 15 June, Malahide Castle, Dublin

The superstar nu-folkers are back, big time. Amid a worldwide arena tour to promote their new album, Delta, they’ve been presenting more of their awesome Gentlemen of the Road events. Mumford & Sons put on a fantastic party at All Points East festival in London, and there are two more opportunities to catch it in Ireland, where the band will be appearing with special guests Dermot Kennedy, Wild Youth, and Aurora. Throw on your waistcoat and join the fun.

Justin Townes Earle, from 20 June, nationwide

The son of Steve Earle and Carol-Ann Hunter was always destined to be a musician – how could he avoid it, being named for Townes Van Zandt? There are numerous opportunities to hear Justin Townes Earle this month, including at the Black Deer Festival in Kent and Union Chapel in London. But we think his latest compelling, political songs will speak even more powerfully in intimate spaces like the Deaf Institute in Manchester, or Brudenell Social Club in Leeds. He’s also playing Newcastle and Glasgow.

Sam Morrow, from 7 June, nationwide

Hailing from Houston, Texas, Sam Morrow plays “countrified funk” and his latest album, Concrete and Mud, is a reflection on the experiences that made him what he is today. Think classic rock refracted through a Los Angeles lens, with a blues-soul feel. Think Sturgill Simpson meets Sam Outlaw. Then go hear it, and find your own description. He’s on a 12-date tour including Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Corby, Bristol and the southeast.

Sharon Shannon & Band, 16 June, Sheffield

It’s always great to hear Sharon Shannon’s incredible collaborations, fusing Irish music with sounds from all over the world. Shannon has played her button accordion with everyone from Jackson Browne and John Prine to Willie Nelson and Alison Krauss, and her upbeat rhythms gladden the saddest of hearts. This show promises to be special – she has special guest Seckou Keita bringing a Senegalese beat with his drums and kora.

Mairi Campbell, 11 June, Glasgow

A unique and heartwarming blend of fiddle and theatre, Mairi Campbell’s show Pulse was a huge hit at the Edinburgh Fringe. Her autobiographical love story to the viola starts with a traditional classical training, moves on to Mexico and Cape Breton, and returns to her beloved Scotland in a skilful mix of song and storytelling, music and animation. You can catch it in Glasgow at the Admiral for a tenner, and we think that’s the best value you’re going to get out of any gig ticket this month.

Photo of Mumford & Sons: Alistair Taylor-Young

Britain’s Got Bluegrass: April 2019

Posted on by Editor

Get off your couch and go hear some live music with Britain’s Got Bluegrass! Here’s the BGS-UK monthly guide to the best gigs in the UK and Ireland in April.

The Devil Makes Three, April 16-26, nationwide

They’re a bit smart, this band. The roots rockers’ sixth and latest album, Chains Are Broken, draws from authors including Ernest Hemingway and essayist James Baldwin — but hey, that doesn’t mean they don’t still want to give you a rollicking good time. The Devil Makes Three are playing three nights at Vicar Street, Dublin — or join them in Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester or Brixton, and tell them we sent you.

Molly Tuttle, April 10-20, nationwide

Molly Tuttle’s uncanny ability to combine hot-picking guitar with soul-searing songwriting has made her Kind Of A Big Deal in the States, which makes us even more grateful and amazed – gramazed? – to hear that she’s playing no fewer than 10 dates in our humble home. Molly has made no secret of her love of this country — she toured last year with Rachel Baiman, and earlier this year was a featured artist with the Transatlantic Sessions. This month the two-time IBMA Guitarist of the Year launches her debut album, When You’re Ready, and Britain gets to hear her mellifluous melodies hot off the vinyl presses. We are not worthy.

The Hanging Stars, April 6-13, nationwide

The Hanging Stars define their sound as “Cosmic Country”, so if you’re wanting to prep for a summer of love, let us recommend a night out with this bunch. Their recent album Songs for Somewhere Else has the honour of having been recording in LA, Nashville and Walthamstow, which is a sentence you won’t hear often. Their acoustic-psychedelia has a strong ’70s vibe, inspired by the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers, and you can catch it this month in Manchester, Nottingham, Southampton and London, where they’re supporting The Long Ryders.

The Peregrines, April 16-18, London, Ashington and Norwich

You know how some actors just fizz with chemistry when you throw them together? Hepburn and Tracy. Hanks and Ryan. Bullock and Reeves. (OK, Bullock and practically anyone.) Some musical pairings can be just as electric. When Grant Gordy (of the David Grisman Quintet) and Joe K Walsh (of Joy Kills Sorrow) play off against each other, the sparks fly as surely as if one of them was standing on a Van Der Graaf generator. Their trio with bass player Ben Somers, The Peregrines, isn’t just a great showcase for their individual talents but also an excellent introduction to what progressive bluegrass is capable of. You can catch their act for three nights only.

Lake Street Dive, April 20 (Bristol) and 21 (Edinburgh)

Two dates. Two cities. Two chances to get down and funk your ass off, and if you plan to be there for both, hey, we’ll do the drive from Bristol to Edinburgh with you. Lake Street Dive has a groove that just won’t quit, as evidenced by their latest album, Free Yourself Up, and they also just happen to be some of the nicest people you’ll ever come across. If you still haven’t seen their cover of Jackson 5’s “Want You Back,” do yourself a favour and watch it right now. Go on. We’ll wait.

Photo credit for the Devil Makes Three: Jay Westcott

Britain’s Got Bluegrass: February 2019

Posted on by Editor

Get off your couch and go hear some live music with Britain’s Got Bluegrass!, BGS – UK’s monthly guide to the best gigs happening in the UK and Ireland. Here are our top picks for February:

Mike McGoldrick, John McCusker & John Doyle — from 11 February, nationwide.
After their sell-out shows with the Transatlantic Sessions, John McCusker, Mike McGoldrick and John Doyle take their powerhouse folk trio on the road. The Wishing Tree Tour visits 24 towns and cities across Britain until 9 March, including London (Kings Place), Liverpool and Perth.

The Dead South — 17 February, Birmingham.
The Bastard Son tour has reached the UK and Saskatchewan’s superstars of bluegrass have been steamrollering their way through the UK on a series of sold out gigs, and their remaining nights in Portsmouth, Brighton, London and Cambridge are all returns only. But you can still buy tickets for their Birmingham gig, at O2 Institute3, so grab them while you can.

Whiskey Shivers— to 23 February, nationwide.
The Austin punkgrass outfit are halfway through their rumbustious tour, with gigs still to come in Galway, Norwich, Nottingham, Settle and Newcastle upon Tyne. We recommend the 19 February gig at the Lexington in London, whose upstairs room should suit their energetic, anarchic spirit.

John Smith — 24 February, Royal Exchange, Manchester.
The singer-songwriter’s first album, Hummingbird, combines his original songs with a deeply personal collection of traditional folk tunes. And he’s bringing his unique blend of slide and fingerstyle guitar to one of Manchester’s favourite venues.