April 2016 - STAGING Maverick

The Radio 2 Folk Awards celebrated newcomers and legends

The winners of this year’s BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards were announced at a spectacular event held at the Royal Albert Hall, London. Now in their 17th year, this major event in the specialist music calendar saw accolades presented for Folk Singer of the Year, Best Duo, Best Album, Musician of the Year and many more, as well as Lifetime Achievement Awards for songwriter Joan Armatrading and traditional folk legend Norma Waterson. Also on the night some of the most exciting acts in the folk music scene took to the stage for magical performances to celebrate the vibrant folk music scene in the UK and beyond. The evening kicked off with an electrifying performance by the John McCusker Band, and throughout the evening the audience were treated to performances by Grammy Award and BRIT Award nominee Joan Armatrading; British singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer and film score composer, Mark Knopfler; Mercury Award nominated Sam Lee, Dublin folk band Lynched; a special tribute to Sandy Denny by Rufus Wainwright and many more. The evening culminated in a rousing performance by acclaimed Northumbrian group The Unthanks. Singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright performed a special tribute to Sandy Denny (d. 1978) who was inducted into the Folk Awards Hall of Fame. For the rendition of Sandy’s classic ‘Who Knows Where The Time Goes’, Rufus was backed by musicians including some who were members of Fairport Convention alongside Sandy in the 1960s and 1970s. Awards were presented by a host of famous folk fans, including actors Martin Freeman (The Hobbit, Sherlock, The Office) and Matt Berry (The IT Crowd, House of Fools), musicians Richard Hawley and Graham Coxon from Blur, War Horse author Michael Morpurgo and 1960s star Sandie Shaw. The night also saw the presentation of the annual BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award, which has been finding and championing young folk talent for 18 years. The four nominees in this category also performed live during a special interval programme presented by Radio 2’s Simon Mayo and top folk musician Kathryn Tickell. Bob Shennan, Controller BBC Radio 2, 6Music and Asian Network and Director BBC Music, said: “What better way to celebrate the thriving folk music scene than a wonderful night in the impressive surroundings of the Royal Albert Hall. It was a fitting way to recognise the huge wealth of talent and I’d like to congratulate the winners of these prestigious accolades. Here’s to next year!” The awards will be available to watch on the BBC iPlayer the following day (April 28), and will be broadcast on the BBC Red Button from Saturday 30 April until Thursday 5 May. The full list of winners: FOLK SINGER OF THE YEAR Rhiannon Giddens BEST DUO Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman BEST GROUP The Young’uns BEST ALBUM Mount The Air – The Unthanks HORIZON AWARD Sam Kelly MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR Andy Cutting BEST ORIGINAL TRACK Mackerel by The Rheingans Sisters BEST TRADITIONAL TRACK Lovely Molly by Sam Lee BBC RADIO 2 YOUNG FOLK AWARD Brighde Chaimbeul LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Norma Waterson LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Joan Armatrading GOOD TRADITION AWARD John McCusker HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE Sandy Denny

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Joey Kneiser announces dates for second leg of tour

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JOEY KNEISER & KELLY SMITH 2016 TOUR DATES May 05 Sweet P’s, Knoxville, TN May 10 Callaghans, Mobile, AL May 11 Thirsty Hippo, Hattiesburg, MS May 12 Poor Boys, New Orleans, LA May 13 Spirits, Alexandria, LA May 15 The Limelight, San Antonio, TX May 16 Pour Haus, New Braunfels, TX May 17 Cactus Cafe, Austin, TX May 18 Dan’s Silverleaf, Denton, TX May 19 Great Raft Brewing, Shreveport, LA May 20 White Water Tavern, Little Rock, AR Joey Kneiser was a boy formed in the red-clay mountains of East Tennessee. Skinned-kneed and too blind to drive a car, he constantly searched for a place to locate his restlessness– playing in punk bands with instruments he taught himself to play, skateboarding with a pack of Oak Ridge ruffians, and writing his own songs amongst the humid Southern air. The boy grew up and headed west to the small Tennessee town of Murfreesboro. There he met the group of people who would go on to form the band Glossary. As the singer/songwriter for the group, Kneiser led the band through seven albums of country/soul-infused rock-and-roll. He filled his downtime between Glossary tours with his own solo projects. In 2009, he released his first solo record, The All-Night Bedroom Revival, which he wrote and recorded in his Murfreesboro home. Two years later, he recorded and released the EP Moonlight for the Graveyard Heart. Meanwhile, Glossary’s drummer Eric Giles had begun what would become a long bout with shoulder and back problems, leaving the band unable to tour or make a record. “The five of us made a promise years ago that there was no substituting anyone in the band. If someone couldn’t play, we’d take a break.” Moving to Nashville and building a small home studio, Kneiser began recording his third solo record The Wildness during Glossary’s hiatus. “I felt like I was starting over. I had no band and no money to pay one. I realized pretty quickly that if I was going to make a record I’d need to record it myself and play everything.” He called on Glossary member and ex-wife Kelly Smith to sing with him. “We’ve been singing our whole adult lives together. I don’t like to hear my voice without hers next to it.” What came out was a ramble of songs that echoes back to Kneiser’s youth by highlighting the illness that haunts musicians – an unrelenting restlessness. “I wanted to go back to the beginning and try to figure out what it was I truly loved about rock and roll.” The songs that make up The Wildness hearken back to Kneiser’s musical first loves. Bruce Springsteen, The Replacements, The Band, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan and Van Morrison all make their influence known on the record. “I wanted to make something simple and classic sounding with the writing as the centerpiece.” The record goes from rock-and-roll driven barn burners like “Run Like Hell” and “The Heart Ever Breaking” to folk songs like “Heaven Only Wants Us Once We’re Dead” and “Every Port In The Storm.” As to the overall vision for the record, Kneiser says, “These songs are a love letter to rock-and-roll and to the person closest to you who lets you pursue it.” In addition to his own music, Kneiser has produced and recorded records for numerous artists, including Austin Lucas and Wooden Wand. He has also made music videos for artists like John Moreland and Jason Isbell. Joey Kneiser’s The Wildness is out now via This Is American Music. HERE’S WHAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SAYING ABOUT JOEY KNEISER’S THE WILDNESS: The Wildness offers a loose, lived-in set of songs that feel as warm and fuzzy as the first fall day you turn on your radiators. It is an album as much rooted in The Band’s earthy Americana as it is the playful, philosophical slack-rock of Pavement. – NASHVILLE SCENE Kneiser hits all the bases: love, loss, and heartbreaking devotion to rock’n’roll. He’s not the first or last to write about these themes, but he’s absolutely one of the best. – NO DEPRESSION Forever chasing that first love, Kneiser sings both to and for us all. Writing from his sleeve-worn heart, The Wildness holds no surprises, just honest truths we’ve come to expect. Doing what he does best, Kneiser has again outdone himself. – BUCKET FULL OF NAILS This is how Van Morrison would have sounded if he’d been raised in east Tennessee. – WHEN YOU MOTOR AWAY There’s a certain reverence in the songs and music on this album and more than a little magic. – BEAT SURRENDER

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Kenny Chesney Starts Tour with 50,430 War Eagles

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Spread The Love is First Concert at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium Auburn, Ala.: They hoisted the flag of the No Shoes Nation Monday. Friday afternoon, there was tell of a few songs played at the Lambda Chi house. By 8:50 Saturday night, the War Eagles were beyond ready for Kenny Chesney, who kicked off his 2016 Spread The Love Touras the first ever concert in the 75-year history of Jordan-Hare Stadium, with two full hours. With guitars blazing, a bumper crop of hits and guest appearances from tour mates Miranda Lambert (“You and Tequila”), Sam Hunt (“Come Over”) and Old Dominion (“Save It For A Rainy Day”), the 8-time Entertainer of the Year ran, laughed, and sang songs from a career that includes 28 No. 1s. The two dozen songs ignited the crowd, who sang along throughout, often taking an a cappella chorus on songs like “Anything But Mine” and “American Kids.” “Sometimes you can feel the energy long before you hit the stage,” Chesney explained after the show. “It’s gathering, and you can sense it. This was one of those shows, one of those times. It was so intense, it was so there, this is the reason we do this: to play music and feel all that energy coming at us.” The show – billed as the Music & Miracles Festival – was created to honor the last wish of Kevin Brown, who succumbed to cancer. Telling the crowd, “Before I came onstage, I got to meet so many great people… This show is because of Kevin: his dream specifically was to see us play in this stadium. And so, War Eagle…,” the audience began what became a two-minute chant of “War! War! War! Eagle!” With only a piano, Chesney delivered a particularly heartfelt “My Home’s in Alabama” to honor the sentiment behind the event. But for much of the night, it was high impact and higher energy. Even a five-song lapse in his voice – remedied by Throat Coat Tea– didn’t slow down the man deemed “The King of the Road” by The Wall Street Journal. As the audience pumped their fists to “Noise,” his propulsive new single, the notion of being together and celebrating the night seemed to be the only thing on everyone’s mind. Miranda Lambert, in a black leather mini skirt, offered a sultry take on Hank Williams’ “Move it on Over.” Then the 7-time CMA Female Vocalist scalded the crowd with a potent “Gunpowder and Lead.” American Music Awards Favorite New Country Artist Sam Hunt took momentum and rode the energy of his set for a performance that included diving off the stage and working his way through the crowd to the other end zone. ACM Best New Group Old Dominion opened the day with a set that included their two-week No. 1 “Break Up With Him.” “Some years you just know from night one, it’s going to be special. When we named it Spread The Love, we got it right. To be able to hear the kind of music and the crowd I did all afternoon, it really gets me fired up to get on that stage and make some music. We started back in February with everything pointed at tonight. From the first second we heard that crowd, all the work was beyond worth it! Miranda, Sam, Old Dominion and every single person totally rocked our world. This is what memories are made of.” As “Noise” blazes into the Top 10, the 2016 Spread the Love Tourstarts on a high note. With dates at Albuquerque, New Mexico’s Isleta Amphitheater on May 5 and Phoenix, Arizona’s Chase Field on May 7, summer is now officially underway.

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Radio 2 Folk Awards take place April 27 at the Royal Albert Hall

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Tonight Maverick will attend the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. The Awards are one one of the biggest dates in the UK folk music’s calendar. Now in their 17th year, the Folk Awards will take place at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The awards will once again be hosted by Radio 2’s Mark Radcliffe and singer and musician Julie Fowlis. Attendees will be invited to celebrate the very best of the UK’s ever-thriving folk scene, many of whom have been supported by Maverick Magazine. The Awards celebrate the best new music of the last 12 months, whilst also honouring the important figures who have helped to shape folk music in the UK. This year’s Lifetime achievement awards go to Joan Armatrading, one of the most impressive voices on British music since the 70s and Norma Waterson, a leading figure in the British folk revival of the early 60s with North Yorkshire vocal group The Watersons. The Young Folk Award has been a great help for exciting new artists over the years, this year’s winner will likely see an exciting step-up in their careers. The Folk Awards will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 2 from 7.30pm and Simon Mayo will also be presenting a specially extended Drivetime show live from the venue at 5pm. Viewers can also watch online via the Radio 2 website, on iPlayer from Thursday morning and the Red Button from Saturday. This year’s inductee into the Radio 2 Folk Awards Hall of Fame will be the legendary Sandy Denny. The Hall of Fame exists to recognise the special contribution of an individual to the world of folk music; someone whose impact and influence has had a lasting impression. The full nominees are as follows Folk Singer of the Year: Eliza Carthy Rhiannon Giddens Sam Lee Emily Portman Best Duo: Gilmore & Roberts Phillip Henry & Hannah Martin Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman Marry Waterson & David A. Jaycock Best Group: Leveret Lynched Stick In The Wheel The Young’uns Best Album: Damien O’Kane – Areas of High Traffic Lynched – Cold Old Fire The Unthanks – Mount The Air False Lights – Salvor Show of Hands – The Long Way Home Horizon Award: Rosie Hood Sam Kelly Lynched The Rheingans Sisters Musician of the Year: Ross Ainslie Andy Cutting Richard Thompson Dan Walsh Best Original Track: The Rheingans Sisters – Mackerel Marry Waterson & David A. Jaycock – Sing Me Into Your Tune Rufus & Martha Wainwright – Sweet Thames, Flow Softly Spiro – The Vapourer Best Traditional Track: Sam Lee – Lovely Molly Ghazalaw – Moliannwn Stick In The Wheel – Seven Gypsies The Furrow Collective – The Unquiet Grave BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award Causeway Trio Brighde Chaimbeul Jack Cookson Benammi Swift

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The Vicar’s Picnic announces the line up for their 4th Kent music festival

Live events, News / Editor

The Vicar’s Picnic announces the line up for their 4th annual music festival, taking place on Friday 15th to Saturday 16th July 2016 by the banks of the River Medway in Yalding, Kent The Vicar’s Picnic, one of Kent’s fastest growing festivals for music fans and families, will be headlined by Reef. Supporting headliners include an exclusive acoustic set from John Power (Cast) and Jaw Lewis (The La’s) featuring songs from both band’s back catalogues, the fast-rising incendiary punk-folk singalongs of Skinny Lister and the ever-popular Coco And The Butterfields. Spread across two stages and culminating in late-night DJ-sets, the Vicar’s Picnic is committed to providing exciting creative acts, blending established popular music with new and alternative artists from every possible genre. The Vicar’s Picnic has quickly become a must-visit destination for music-lovers. Additional vibes are supplied by an amazing range of entertainments, gourmet foods, cocktails and cask ales. The organisers have belief in the idea that if kids can be fully entertained in a safe, fun environment (especially where the majority of entertainment is free), it offers the best possible way for the adults to relax and be able to enjoy an amazing festival – safe in the knowledge that the kids are happy. Festival Organiser Dave King said “The heart and philosophy of our gathering, is to bring a great time to all, including the whole family with a unique edge of cool and creative fun. We also hope to support local young talent, helping to get them noticed while giving an experience of the great festival vibe. What’s important to you is important to us which includes keeping prices as low as we can.” Tickets for The Vicar’s Picnic, Yalding, Kent, Fri 15th – Sat 16th July, 2016 (on general sale now) can be purchased at vicarspicnic.co.uk

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Dierks Bentley to release eighth studio album BLACK on May 27

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Grammy nominated, Multi-PLATINUM selling singer-songwriter Dierks Bentley will release his eighth studio album BLACK on May 27. BLACK follows the amazing success of Bentley’s RISER which earned him critical acclaim, commercial success and an armful of Grammy, CMA and ACM nominations. BLACK is incredibly personal, it’s named after Dierks’ wife Cassidy’s maiden name, but it looks at the highs and lows that we all experience in relationships. “It’s a relationship album that covers the ups and downs of the journey and ends with some self-realisation and evolvement,” shared Bentley. “The song Black helps set all of that in motion at the top of the album by guiding you into the darkness and the shadows of the night. The same guy who sings Somewhere On A Beach winds up growing and having enough perspective to sing something introspective like Different For Girls. By the last song, he’s taking a look back on love and life.” The album was produced by Ross Copperman and executive producer Arturo Buenahora Jr. Bentley also shared the vocals with vocalists Maren Morris, Elle King, Natalie Hemby, Hillary Lindsey and Jessi Alexander. Never before has a Bentley album contained so much input from the opposite sex. “Having a female perspective on this record really made the album more than just music,” added Bentley. “It makes it a conversation between a guy and a girl. Sometimes it’s harmonious and sometimes it’s two people clashing, but it’s always there.” Tracklist: Black Pick Up I’ll Be The Moon (feat. Maren Morris) What The Hell Did I Say Somewhere On A Beach Freedom Why Do I Feel Roses And A Time Machine All The Way to Me Different for Girls (feat. Elle King) Mardi Gras (feat. Trombone Shorty) Light It Up Can’t Be Replaced

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Live events, News / Editor

Jimmy Hendrix playing the American national anthem at Woodstock. Freddie Mercury belting his heart out at Live Aid. The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. Music is one of those great things that can bring people together. Often attributed to fans and music lovers alike but, on this occasion, it also means the artists. This is the ethos of Free Reign. The brainchild of several bands that have crossed paths on the UK music scene these past few years, this tour aims to bring some of the UK’s hottest emerging groups and performers to a stage near you – on the same night! Each of these bands have been paving their own way, garnering interest with extensive radio play, record sales and media coverage. Free Reign has its roots in a one-off show at Cheltenham’s Frog & Fiddle venue in July last year. Local bands Harpers Ferry, Two Ways Home, The Black Feathers and Gypsyfingers, combined forces to showcase the area’s burgeoning roots music contingent. The evening was a great success so we thought we’d reconvene – along with many others – to take this idea on the road. Encapsulating the spirit of your favourite music festivals, you won’t have to wait until mid-summer to witness a succession of fine musicians taking to the stage in that rarefied atmosphere of camaraderie and shared ambition. Seven nights, seven major UK music hubs, the Free Reign tour will bring you a revolving line-up of four bands per night, each delivering their fine songs and musicianship in their own inimitable style. Harpers Ferry Fresh from three years on the UK gig circuit, including appearances at the Pheonix Festival and the Moseley Folk Festival, Harpers Ferry – the only band that will be appearing on every night on this tour – have a new sound and augmented lineup in 2016. The familiar trio of Ben Harvey, Pia Varma and Christopher Rayner, now come complete with rhythm section as Anthony Collins (drums) and Simon Frankton (Bass) join the band in an effort to fully realise the carefully constructed arrangements which has been a signature of their recent and forthcoming studio releases. Two Ways Home Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Lewis Fowler from the tiny Cotswold village of Draycott, Oxfordshire and vocalist, ukulele and autoharp specialist Isabella Mariee, who was born in Vienna, Austria, founded Two Ways Home. Growing up on a diet of Simon and Garfunkel, Prince, Led Zeppelin, Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder to name just a few, the music future of Two Ways Home was never a sure thing. However as the vocal harmonies of Lewis and Isabella combined for the first time destiny took a hand. Gypsyfingers Gypsyfingers is cinematic folk/pop/ rock duo, Luke Oldfield and Victoria Coghlan. The duo toured last year in Poland and have supported James Blunt. They are currently working on heir second album at Luke’s studio, Tilehouse studios. For the free reign tour they will be playing an acoustic set featuring new songs, a stripped back version of their first and second album without the full band. Hattie Briggs Gloucestershire based singer-songwriter Hattie Briggs played over 100 gigs in 2015, including 3 tours – a UK support tour, a headline tour and a tour of the Netherlands. Her debut album RED & GOLD, released early 2015, is soon to be followed by her second, and this gig at Ten Feet Tall will be part of her 40 date UK wide 2016 YOUNG RUNAWAY showcase tour. Quigley Since forming in 2014, Cheltenham based Quigley has featured on Radio One Extra and the single Follow You topped the iTunes independent artists’ chart for a few weeks during 2014. Quigley has since performed at several major festivals including Barn on the Farm, Underground and SportBeat, alongside other artists such as Jack Garrett, James Bay, Raleigh Ritchie, Hozier and Razorlight. Lya Stewart Lya has been performing original music since the age of 15, first as a solo artist and in acoustic combos. In early 2013 she started looking for a more complete sound and after going through a number of line ups her band (then called ‘Not Taken’ was formed with Christopher Rayner – Lead Guitar, Nick Cafearo -Bass and Ben Thould -Drums). Edd Donovan and The Wandering Moles Edd Donovan is a highly distinctive, indie folk songwriter. “A natural storyteller and reflective lyricist” (Maverick Magazine); he has a rare, original talent. Originally from the North of England, he has made his home in Cheltenham. He has a collective of remarkable musicians around him called The Wandering Moles. Emily Faye Singer-songwriter, Emily Faye grew up in the english countryside of Northamptonshire. Her music combines her angelic vocals with strong catchy melodies and influences of the country, pop, rock and folk genres. Now based in London with her band members, Patrick Weeks, Jake Jason Read, George Willetts and Jonny Postlethwaite, together they have played prestigious London venues such as The Bedford, The Underbelly and the Shepherds Bush O2 Empire. Red Raye Red Ray is a Bristol-based Indie Country band of four. All self-taught and musically adept, this quartet consists of Newcastle-born Ray Lannon (Lead Vocals & Guitar), Berwick-born Cameron Cheek (Harmonies & Lead Guitar), multi-national Stewie Passmore (Bass), and Italian-sensation Giuseppe La Reza (Drums). Katie Collins Katie is an acoustic singer-songwriter who is originally from London & Essex but for now calls Cheltenham, Gloucestershire her home. After a few local gigs and a one off performance in Barcelona, she is starting to find her feet as a gigging musician. With a few gigs lined up, including supporting Beans On Toast, and Wychwood Festival, she can’t wait to get more involved with the Cheltenham music scene. Mon May 2: Bristol, Mr. Wolf’s Thu 5: Oxford, The Cellar Fri 6: Cardiff, Ten Feet Tall Thu 12: Birmingham, The Roadhouse Fri 13: Bath, St. James Wine Vaults Fri 20: Cheltenham, Frog & Fiddle Thu 26: London, Zigfrid Von Underbelly www.facebook.com/freereigntour www.twitter.com/freereighntour freereigntour@gmail.com

The Pretty Things

Top Picks / Editor

Pretty Things REPUK SILK TORPEDO **** SAVAGE EYE **** BALBOA ISLAND **** LIVE AT THE BBC **** Pretty damn good Now the Pretty Things are far from a country band, yet the wild, pained sounds the band made – and make still – put them in a category of heartfelt acts, unfettered by style or current fancy, that draw a direct line from historic blues and the early days of Nashville. They’re not unlike the Stones in the way their music has evolved and metamorphosed in cavalier fashion over the years, led always by singer Phil May, almost always teamed with guitarist Dick Taylor They were treading the boards of London in the mid-Sixties at the same time as the Downliners Sect, who took a ground-breaking country rock path, but the Pretty Things went their own crashing way. As 1960s hits that inspired David Bowie, and not in a folk way (Rosalyn), gave way to glorious low-fi 70s rocking, the Pretty Things established themselves as a classic bar band, never standing still nor slipping into complacency. Here there are three cracking re-releases (with a dozen bonus tracks) plus the new 4CD, 60-track BBC set. In 1974, hit-making years behind them, the band were signed to Zed Zeppelin’s SwanSong label and produced SILK TORPEDO, a record destined to break them in America with its blend of AOR-tinged rock (in the best possible way), name-checking places (the southern rocking Atlanta), making like the Stones on EXILE ON MAIN STREET (Singapore Silk Torpedo) and even a bit of Brit country (Belfast Cowboys). SAVAGE EYE (1976), also on SwanSong, is the band’s most open and US-accessible record, and the one that would have cemented them as transatlantic stars if there hadn’t been the kind’ve drink, drug and personality meltdown to crown them all. From the opening rocker, Under The Volcano, through the gentle, acoustic Sad Eye and the radio-friendly It Isn’t Rock ‘n’ Roll it’s all there. Both come with half a dozen extra tracks. The band disappeared and reappeared several times. BALBOA ISLAND, from 2007, is the album where the band and roots rocking truly come together, a dark and guttural record, Johnny Cash’s AMERICAN RECORDINGS meets Led Zep’s PHYSICAL GRAFFITI. Self-penned numbers such as the mighty, eight-minute railroad romp (Blues For) Robert Johnson and the wild rocking The Beat Goes On (with Mexican borderlands trumpet blasts) sit alongside the angst-filled traditional Freedom Song and Dylan’s, The Ballad Of Hollis Brown, bleaker than he ever have imagined. It was eight years before the band would record again, 2015’s THE SWEET PRETTY THINGS (ARE IN BED NOW OF COURSE), another glorious, rip-roaring affair. The sessions set features well over four hours of music which takes the band from their earliest r ‘n’ b days through psychedelia and into Stones-like rocking over a decade, from Saturday Club to John Peel and the Whistle Test They might not be country, but if you listen to Zac Brown or a lot of other modern country acts, you’ll find a lot of similarities. But wilder. Nick Dalton www. repertoirerecords.com

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Dave Arcari’s HELLBOUND TRAIN EP set for release on Friday 10 June, 2016

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HELLBOUND TRAIN, the brand new EP from Scottish alt.blues troubadour Dave Arcari, is released on Buzz Records on Friday 10 June 2016. The four song EP – five including the radio edit of the title track – features three new tracks (Hellbound Train, Good Moonshine & Travellin’ Man) from Arcari plus a version of Son House’s classic Pearline. Other than the release of McPherson’s Lament as a digital single to mark Burns’ Day earlier in the year, this is Arcari’s first release in three years – and pre-empts a full-length album Givers & Takers which is scheduled for an Autumn release. “I’ve been working on a whole bunch of new songs for a while,” says Arcari. “But despite plans to record and release them long before now, things have been so busy on the road there just hasn’t been time – not that I can complain about that!” Hellbound Train will be launched at a series of three Scottish shows – The Tunnels, Aberdeen (Thursday 9 June), Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh (Friday 10 June) and The Hug & Pint, Glasgow (Saturday 11 June). Then in July Arcari will play Fat Sam’s, Dundee (Friday 1 July), Clark’s, Dundee (Saturday 2 July), The Blues Kitchen, Camden, London (Tuesday 12 July), The Cluny, Newcastle (Wednesday 13 July) and Fibbers, York (Thursday 14 July). RIght after the York show he heads to Estonia for a short tour including Parnu Blues Festival before another run of UK shows in September and a US tour (October/November) to be announced soon.

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Dan & Shay announce forthcoming album OBSESSED

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Multiple ACM Award, CMT Music Award and CMA Award nominated chart-topping duo Dan + Shay (Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney) announced today that they are set to release their brand new album Obsessed, the follow up to their No. 1-peaking album Where It All Began, June 3 on Warner Bros. / Warner Music Nashville. “The idea for the album title, Obsessed, came directly from our fans,” shares Smyers. “Our fans know we live on social media both when we’re in and out of the studio, and we started noticing that hashtag ‘#obsessed’ being tagged in all our fans’ posts when we first revealed our single, ‘From The Ground Up,’” Mooney adds. “So when it came time to pick a title for this album, it seemed pretty appropriate that we’re even more obsessed with making music for our fans than they are to hear it.” “From The Ground Up,” the first single off of Obsessed, is currently Top 30 on Country radio and climbing. Dan + Shay premiered the heartfelt song last month on ABC’s Good Morning America. Written by the pair along with Chris DeStefano and co-produced by Smyers and the award-winning Scott Hendricks, the track has already accumulated more than 8 million streams. The duo recently earned American Country Countdown Award nominations for Group/Duo of the Year and Breakthrough Group/Duo of the Year, as well as a nod from the Radio Disney Music Awards for their No. 1 hit single, “Nothin’ Like You.” With their debut album, Where It All Began, producing three Top 40 singles, Dan + Shay have sold an excess of 1.6 million tracks, over 400,000 album equivalents and racked up more 140 million streams in addition to their 30 million YouTube views. They also earned Platinum certification from the RIAA for their debut single, “19 You + Me.” MusicRow magazine, which named the pair one of their Next Big Thing artists of 2016, declared, “Dan + Shay are equipped to be superstars, possessing the unbeatable combination of musical talent, good looks and outgoing charm.” Dan + Shay are currently on the road and will join Darius Rucker on his Good for a Good Time Tour this summer, kicking off on June 3 in Tampa, FL. For tour dates and more information, visit www.DanandShay.com and follow @danandshay on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

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