2018 - Page 15 of 24 - STAGING Maverick

Country singing sensations The Shires arrested en route to HMV 363 Oxford Street to celebrate their third album’s chart success with exclusive acoustic performance

Hot off the heels from their success in this week’s official midweek album charts, The Shires performed a series of acoustic tracks and signed copies of their new album ‘Accidentally on Purpose’, out now. The band showed up in style arriving in an American police car paying homage to their music video for new single ‘Guilty’. After being released from their handcuffs both Ben and Crissie were met by hordes of adoring fans all of which caused carnage on Oxford Street. Last time the duo released a record they became the fastest-selling British country act of all time with both albums going gold within a year. Despite only recently releasing their third album, Ben Earle and Crissie Roads have exceeded momentum and are close to securing a top spot position in this weeks official UK midweek album chart. Amidst recording and performing their music globally, The Shires have successfully been at the forefront of pioneering a huge shift in mainstream British music. The bands stellar success has pushed British country music back into the charts and onto radio airwaves. Recorded in country music mecca Nashville and released through Universal Music Group, The Shires new material merges massive country-pop choruses and superbly written lyrics that document the duo’s rise to musical stardom. “Accidentally on Purpose is full of personal songs that really sums up the whirlwind journey we’ve been on together. From the first day we met, we’ve been crazy dreamers with big plans, who really believed that Country could break into the UK mainstream. For all those dreams, we never imagined it would all happen so quickly and we’re so proud and excited to be releasing our third album.” The Shires appeared at: hmv 363 Oxford St London W1C 2LA Tuesday 24th April at 6:00pm ‘Accidentally on Purpose’ is out now and available to buy at hmv stores nationwide.

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The Long Road festival UK: Welcoming a major new Country, Americana and Roots event

Live events, News / Editor

A major new greenfield music and lifestyle camping festival is set to bring the world-famous, inimitable sights and sounds of the country music scene to the UK in 2018. Taking place within the grounds of Stanford Hall in Leicestershire from September 7th – 9th 2018, The Long Road will present one of the UK’s largest, most authentic celebrations of country, Americana and roots music featuring five stages of live performances, bespoke food events and a wide range of themed outdoor activities. Curated by Tennessee-born country music specialist and radio presenter Baylen Leonard, The Long Road will present a broad array of artists, from iconic US stars to up-and-coming home-grown talent, and the first wave of acts to be announced for the inaugural event includes US country star Lee Ann Womack, acclaimed singer-songwriter Billy Bragg, multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter Angaleena Presley, British country duo The Shires, popstar turned country music singer Una Healy and Texan singer and winner of The Voice USA Danielle Bradbery. Reflecting the extraordinary surge in popularity that country music has enjoyed in the UK in recent years, The Long Road will also feature a strong contingent of rising star UK acts across the weekend including hotly-tipped London-based duo Ferris & Sylvester and country-soul singer songwriter Yola Carter. Much more than just a music festival, The Long Road will embrace all aspects of the country and Americana scene and, alongside its live music offerings, will incorporate an array of themed activities including Moonshine and bourbon tasting, instrument and songwriting workshops, wild swimming, a Southern-inspired food & shopping village and much more, providing festival goers with a unique, authentic country music lifestyle experience. Marking the first time the platform has teamed with a country music event, BBC Music Introducing will host their own stage at the festival, which will be fronted by presenter of BBC Radio 2’s weekly country show Bob Harris and will showcase some of the UK’s best unsigned talent. The festival has also partnered with a carefully selected pool of specialist country and Americana organisations including The Birthplace of Country Music, which showcases the role that Bristol, Tennessee and Bristol, Virginia played in the birth and development of country music, The Bluegrass Situation (BGS), an online music magazine and curator promoting the continued growth of bluegrass, roots, progressive folk rock, Americana music and culture, The Americana Music Association UK, and independent UK label Loose Records, who celebrate their 20th anniversary in 2018. These organisations will all be involved in bringing artists to the festival to showcase a broad array of talent from across the spectrum of country, Americana and roots music. Angaleena Presley has said, “I’m so excited to be a part of The Long Road Festival. I love the inclusive vibe. I’m not only looking forward to performing, but also hanging out and enjoying all the fixins’. Great Food, good old fashioned country music and salt of the earth people. It’s gonna be yeehawsome y’all.” The Long Road’s Creative Director Baylen Leonard also commented, “Being from Tennessee and having lived in the UK for close to 20years, I’m thrilled to bring the music and culture of both together in one festival. The dedication and passion of the UK country community is so amazing, we wanted to put together a festival that celebrated the music and lifestyle they love as a thank you to the fans for supporting country music. Whether you’re a country fan, an Americana fan, or a fan of great music in general, we wanted a welcoming place where everyone could come together to celebrate. This is a festival for the fans and we’re excited to share it with you.” The full line-up to date is as follows: Angaleena Presley The Shires Billy Bragg Striking Matches Danielle Bradbery Una Healy Ashley Campbell Brent Cobb Aaron Watson Lee Ann Womack Danny and The Champions of the World Catherine McGrath The Wandering Hearts The Wood Brothers Megan O’Neill Two Ways Home Holloway Road Kevin McGuire Twinnie Laura Oakes Ruby Boots Jess and The Bandits Gary Quinn Parker Millsap Yola Carter Treetop Flyers William The Conqueror The Arlenes Joanna Serrat Ferris & Sylvester Kasheena Sampson Danni Nicholls Midnight Skyracer Worry Dolls The Lone Bellow Frontier Ruckus Folk Soul Revival Amythyst Kiah Andrew Alli The Long Road will take place at Stanford Hall in Leicestershire from September 7th – 9th 2018. Day tickets start at £40*, Weekend No Camping tickets at £85* and Weekend Camping tickets start at £99* (*plus booking fees). Tickets go on sale at 9am on Thursday April 12th and are available from www.thelongroadfestival.com.

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Major New UK Outdoor Country, Americana And Roots Festival To Take Place In Leicestershire

Live events, News / Editor

**Lee Ann Womack, Angaleena Presley, Una Healy, Billy Bragg, The Shires, Aaron Watson, Brent Cobb, Danielle Bradbery and more confirmed for The Long Road at Stanford Hall in September** A major new greenfield music and lifestyle camping festival is set to bring the world-famous, inimitable sights and sounds of the country music scene to the UK in 2018. Taking place within the grounds of Stanford Hall in Leicestershire from September 7th – 9th 2018, The Long Road will present one of the UK’s largest, most authentic celebrations of country, Americana and roots music featuring five stages of live performances, bespoke food events and a wide range of themed outdoor activities. Curated by Tennessee-born country music specialist and radio presenter Baylen Leonard, The Long Road will present a broad array of artists, from iconic US stars to up-and-coming home-grown talent, and the first wave of acts to be announced for the inaugural event includes US country star Lee Ann Womack, acclaimed singer-songwriter Billy Bragg, multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter Angaleena Presley, British country duo The Shires, popstar turned country music singer Una Healy and Texan singer and winner of The Voice USA Danielle Bradbery. Reflecting the extraordinary surge in popularity that country music has enjoyed in the UK in recent years, The Long Road will also feature a strong contingent of rising star UK acts across the weekend including hotly-tipped London-based duo Ferris & Sylvester and country-soul singer songwriter Yola Carter. Much more than just a music festival, The Long Road will embrace all aspects of the country and Americana scene and, alongside its live music offerings, will incorporate an array of themed activities including Moonshine and bourbon tasting, instrument and songwriters’ rounds, lake swimming, a Southern-inspired food & shopping village and much more, providing festival goers with a unique, authentic country music lifestyle experience. Marking the first time the platform has teamed with a country music event, BBC Music Introducing will host their own stage at the festival, which will be fronted by presenter of BBC Radio 2’s weekly country show Bob Harris and will showcase some of the UK’s best unsigned talent. The festival has also partnered with a carefully selected pool of specialist country and Americana organisations including The Birthplace of Country Music, which showcases the role that Bristol, Tennessee and Bristol, Virginia played in the birth and development of country music, The Bluegrass Situation (BGS), an online music magazine and curator promoting the continued growth of bluegrass, roots, progressive folk rock, Americana music and culture, The Americana Music Association UK, and independent UK label Loose Records, who celebrate their 20th anniversary in 2018. These organisations will all be involved in bringing artists to the festival to showcase a broad array of talent from across the spectrum of country, Americana and roots music. The Shires: “We are very excited to be playing the first Long Road festival. Country music in the UK is starting to really gain momentum and an outdoor festival dedicated to it will be great fun to play.” Angaleena Presley: “I’m so excited to be a part of The Long Road Festival. I love the inclusive vibe. I’m not only looking forward to performing, but also hanging out and enjoying all the fixins’. Great Food, good old-fashioned country music and salt of the earth people. It’s gonna be yeehawsome y’all.” The Long Road’s Creative Director Baylen Leonard: “Being from Tennessee and having lived in the UK for close to 20 years, I’m thrilled to bring the music and culture of both together in one festival. The dedication and passion of the UK country community is so amazing, we wanted to put together a festival that celebrated the music and lifestyle they love as a thank you to the fans for supporting country music. Whether you’re a country fan, an Americana fan, or a fan of great music in general, we wanted a welcoming place where everyone could come together to celebrate. This is a festival for the fans and we’re excited to share it with you.” The full line-up to date is as follows: Angaleena Presley The Shires Billy Bragg Striking Matches Danielle Bradbery Una Healy Ashley Campbell Brent Cobb Aaron Watson Lee Ann Womack Danny and The Champions of the World Catherine McGrath The Wandering Hearts The Wood Brothers Megan O’Neill Two Ways Home Holloway Road Kevin McGuire Twinnie Laura Oakes Ruby Boots Jess and The Bandits Gary Quinn Parker Millsap Yola Carter Treetop Flyers William The Conqueror The Arlenes Joana Serrat Ferris & Sylvester Kasheena Sampson Danni Nicholls Cardboard Fox Worry Dolls The Lone Bellow Frontier Ruckus Folk Soul Revival Amythyst Kiah Andrew Alli The Long Road will take place at Stanford Hall in Leicestershire from September 7th – 9th 2018. Day tickets start at £40*, Weekend No Camping tickets at £85* and Weekend Camping tickets start at £99* (*plus booking fees). Tickets go on sale at 9am on Thursday April 12th and are available from www.thelongroadfestival.com.

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Sarah McQuaid has teamed up with award-winning filmmaker Brett Harvey

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Ahead of her April-May UK and Ireland tour, Sarah McQuaid (http://www.sarahmcquaid.com) has teamed up with award-winning filmmaker Brett Harvey (http://www.brettharvey.co.uk) for a music video/short film based on the poignant true story of Bill Conner, a father who lost his daughter and cycled 1,400 miles to hear her heart beating again in the body of its recipient. The video is underpinned by Sarah’s song “Slow Decay”, from her just-released fifth solo album, If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous, produced by guitar icon Michael Chapman and released in February on both CD and vinyl. “The body fails / These bones won’t last forever / So I ask myself what are the things we leave behind,” ruminates Sarah in the lyrics of “Slow Decay”. The question is answered, at least in part, elsewhere on the album: the bluesy, upbeat “Break Me Down” includes the line “If my organs are of use, I hope they find a happy home.” In his beautifully rendered film, Harvey takes up that theme subtly but effectively, as a mother (played by Mary Woodvine, whose credits include Eastenders, Doc Martin, Casualty and Poldark in addition to starring roles in Cornish-language short film Blight and award-winning 2007 thriller The Lark) undertakes a cycle journey intercut with flashbacks of her daughter’s short life. Links for the donatelife.net, organdonation.nhs.uk and organdonor.gov websites appear onscreen after the film’s closing frame. “I’m so, so glad that Brett came up with this beautiful concept for ‘Slow Decay’,” says Sarah. “It’s something I feel very strongly about, and I hope it’ll inspire anyone who’s not already registered as an organ donor to sign up.” See http://www.sarahmcquaid.com/tour for details of Sarah’s April-May UK and Ireland dates, and click here to view the video: https://youtu.be/4WjeCEoNHjY

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Ashley Campbell joins the Millport line up on Saturday 8th September!!

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Millport Country Music Festival are delighted to announce that Ashley Campbell, daughter of the legendary Glen Campbell and fast rising country star in her own right, will be playing the festival on Saturday 8thSeptember 2018. Along with Jesse Dayton and Robert Viincent, Ashley will play a full set on the Nashfield stage during the Saturday afternoon. An accomplished banjo player, Ashley released her excellent first solo album, The Lonely One, last month which went straight into the top 10 UK Country chart and this week dropped her new single, Better Boyfriend. Having played with her father during his farewell album and tour, Ashley is already well known to UK country fans and her addition to the line-up is another demonstration that Millport will be the place to be during 7-9thSeptember. Ashley is another exciting addition to the stellar line up at this year’s Millport Country Music Festival, which has already announced artists such as Shane Richie, The Wandering Hearts, American Young and Raintown as part of the huge line-up. Also announced earlier this week was one of Nashville’s top DJs, HISH, who will host the Nashfield stage over the weekend and play one of his blistering sets for the end of festival party on Sunday evening. Located within the Garrison House grounds at the heart of the beautiful seaside town of Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae, less than an hour from Glasgow, Millport Country Music Festival will offer access to all four music stages with one cracking value ticket. Daily and weekend tickets can be bought at millportcountrymusic.com and facebook/millportcountrymusic. More than 35 artists will appear over the weekend, representing some of the best country music talent from Scotland, across the UK, Ireland, Sweden and the USA. Please see the website, www.millportcountrymusic, /millportcountrymusic on Facebook and @millportcountry on Twitter or contact Gavin Chittick at gavin@cumbraeconsulting.comfor more information.

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Christine Rosander's 'Been a Long Time' is "Bursting full of emotion"

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Christine Rosander Been a Long Time Devcat Records *** A gentle and thoroughly emotive journey It’s been a staggering 11 years since Christine Rosander was coming through the airwaves with her debut album, ‘Smooth Ride’, so the irony in the name of her follow-up album, BEEN A LONG TIME isn’t lost on her fans. Very much from the heart, this album is bursting full of emotion and thought provoking instrumentals, and further demonstrates how strong Rosander’s vocal ability is, which is remarkable to put it mildly. While the pacing is very slow, which may put listeners off, you are very much rewarded for persevering if you get through the album, as the multi-instrumentalist really has put together something very impressive here. On the track ‘Honey For My Soul’, Rosander comments, “My mom’s spirit came through in the writing of this song and it’s truly a gift to me. It captures her elegance and beauty and is a celebration of all she taught me about music and the sweetness of life.” This is a song with a beautiful saunter of melody and instrumentals that compliment Christine’s golden vocals. She remembers her mother having that golden touch with this song. Christine’s album BEEN A LONG TIME is a collection of love, hope and faith and with a few cautionary tunes she provides listeners with impact. www.christinerosander.com Review by Christian Brown

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Country Rock Band Soles Of Passion Opens For Melissa Manchester at The Rose Theater Pasadena, CA

News / Editor

Soles Of Passion is pleased to announce their opening slot for Melissa Manchester at the Rose Theater in Pasadena on Friday, April 6. More information on the event here. A fan favorite, Soles Of Passion is a Country Rock duo with meaning that is relatable to current events and concerns in our Country today. Racking up over half a million views on their YouTube Channel, and with a combined following of over 85,000 fans across their social media channels – it’s evident they’ve tapped a solid fan base of citizens concerned with veteran’s affairs, high taxes, the housing crisis, homelessness and other politically charged topics that resonate in today’s culture. Their sound is appreciated by a universal audience – not just country music fans. Soles of Passion keep the deep creativity flowing, combining their multitude of talents to excite and stimulate audiences attending their live shows. For those who are tired of the formulated approach, where music all sounds the same, it’s inspiring to see something genuine. Balancing poignancy with bluntness and edginess via music and lyrics, that fuse sociopolitical portraits of America’s landscape with rich expressions of love, inspiration and personal growth, Soles Of Passion performs songs designed to make people think as they dance, and act while they enjoy. Soles Of Passion’s live band are musicians that have the right chemistry to bring their songs to life. Driven by their desire to share their colorful blend of politically charged commentary with heartfelt romantic expressions, this band has chops!

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The Once's Time Enough set for UK release on May 11

News / Editor

Newfoundland has a storied history of stunning songwriters, poets and players. Over the course of the last decade The Once have writ and knit themselves into that story. Within the nine songs on their new album Time Enough, The Once offer some of the most vulnerable and honest material of their career. The up-tempo album opener, “I Can’t Live Without You,” reflects on women battling with self-image issues and offers wisened words to be the positive change in their own lives. The gritty guitar driven “Before The Fall” succumbs to the notion that we must accept our past and use those memories to grow. Riff rocker “Any Other Way” reflects the fact that true love accepts us at our worst but insists we do the work to be our best selves to keep it together. On this, their fourth studio album, the band stays true to the root strength of their harmony driven sound, while extending the borders into fresh yet familiar territory. They craft a sonically understated, but emotionally fulsome sound that accomplishes what they’ve always done so well: stun listeners with what Amelia Curran calls “perfect vocal harmonies, thick enough to stand on.” “We approached Time Enough with an open heart and on open mind. We composed apart and came together to Once-up the new material,” says lead singer Geraldine Hollett of the band’s writing process. “We are pretty tough customers so it was scary bringing so much guts to the table, but over the years we have earned and accepted one another’s trust. This album is special because of it.” The story of The Once is one of growth, propelled by the rare chemistry that comes from a decade of writing and touring together. Their songs have been placed in international film and television, they have YouTube videos with millions of hits, and there’s a trail of trophy nominations and wins from the East Coast Music Awards, the Canadian Folk Awards, and the JUNO Awards in their wake. SInce first hitting the road in 2009, The Once has earned one of the most loyal followings in the country. Ask their fans why they love the band and watch their eyes widen as the words flow. It becomes clear that The Once ain’t regular folk. They’ve built something unique within their genre, and something rare within the fan base that keeps them growing and going strong and they do not take that fan base for granted. “We give all we got to them because we know we can’t do what we want to do if they’re not with us,” says Hollett of those who have shown endless support for the group. It was this resonance with fans that launched their career and it is this deep relationship that continues to inspire the band to travel new paths, explore new territory, and create new music. Geraldine Hollett’s voice is a large part of the band’s ethereal sound, and there is nowhere it would sit better than in between the rhythmic and supportive voices of Phil Churchill and Andrew Dale, and the lush soundscapes they build. The trio’s instrumentation and vocals meld together like gold, building something stronger together than any one songwriter could muster alone. Their harmonies grab you by the heart, and their music melts what’s left of it. Building on the wave of creative energy that defined their last album, Time Enough is a striking and subtle sea change for the band. Dive in, get lost, click repeat. UK Dates May 2018. May 15 – Brighton – Prince Albert May 16 – London – The Borderline May 18 – Bristol – Folk House May 20 – Birmingham – The Sunflower Lounge May 21 – Manchester – The Castle May 22 – Glasgow – The Attic May 24-27 – Orkney – Orkney Folk Festival

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Millport Country Music Festival adds Wandering Hearts to Sunday lineup

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Millport Country Music Festival have announced that The Wandering Hearts will be playing in the Nashfield stage on the afternoon of Sunday 9th September 2018. The Wandering Hearts are following in the footsteps of last year’s Millport CMF headliners, The Shires, and Ward Thomas in stepping to the forefront of the UK country scene. Signed to Decca, the band, which consists of Tim, Tara, AJ and Chess, released their superb debut album in February and are on a trajectory straight to the top. Their album features their amazing harmonies and what is even more amazing is that they reproduce those harmonies flawlessly live. They are a terrific live band and are not to be missed! Located within the Garrison House grounds at the heart of the beautiful seaside town of Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae, less than an hour from Glasgow, Millport Country Music Festival will offer access to all four music stages with one cracking value ticket. More than 35 artists will appear over the weekend, representing some of the best country music talent from Scotland, across the UK, Ireland, Sweden and the USA. See www.millportcountrymusic or visit ‘millportcountrymusic’ on Facebook to find out more… Check out @millportcountry on Twitter.

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In her words: Sadie Jemmett on the life of a musician

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If you don’t ask, you don’t get. We musicians live in strange times, the popularity of online streaming has changed everything, making it increasingly hard for artists to make a living. On the upside there are now far fewer middle-men, corporate suits, hangers-on or record labels, guarding the threshold and telling us what to listen to. I have been lucky to scratch out a living from playing music since my early teens. Along the way I have busked my way around Europe, released two studio albums and a live album, and had a separate career composing music for theatre. Crowdfunding is a great tool for independent musicians to earn extra revenue. For my last album I ran a successful Pledge campaign and for my next album I am running a Patreon campaign. I am lucky that I have some great people behind me, backing me, supporting me and believing in me, but most artists, me included, find it awkward to ask people directly for their money. But through asking I am also connecting with fans or people that have stumbled across my music, and do you know what? They want to help me. Patreon is a long-term campaign, the money comes in much slower, in dribs and drabs, but I value every dollar and more importantly I feel as though I am building up a solid relationship with my fans. I have always felt that I have a responsibility as an artist but now I have a responsibility to my patrons for their continued support. sadiejemmett.com

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