Friday 5th April
Katherine Priddy
https://www.katherinepriddy.co.uk
Since emerging with her debut EP ‘Wolf’ in 2018, UK artist Katherine Priddy has quickly become one of the most exciting names on the British scene. Declared ‘The Best Thing I’ve Heard All Year’ by Richard Thompson, who later invited her to join him on his Irish tour in 2019 and UK tour in 2021, Priddy’s haunting vocals and distinctive finger-picking guitar style have seen her sell out a headline tour and support world class artists including The Chieftains, Loudon Wainwright III, Vashti Bunyan and Guy Garvey.
Over the past two years, she has performed at the BBC Proms and played well-earned spots at prestigious festivals in the UK and abroad such as the Glastonbury Acoustic Stage, where she also performed live on BBC 2, Green Man, Cambridge Folk, where she was awarded the Christian Raphael Prize, End of the Road and Beautiful Days.
Brown Horse
Brown Horse are a Norwich-based country rock band. Rooted in a collaborative approach to songwriting, the six-piece mix guitar-driven 90s alternative rock with the folk and country sounds of the 70s. Reservoir is the debut album from Brown Horse. Although recorded over just four days in a quiet corner of Norfolk, the album is a collaborative effort years in the making. Starting life in 2018 as a folk quartet, Emma Tovell, Nyle Holihan, Patrick Turner and Rowan Braham spent their early days playing old time standards. Coming back together in 2022 post-pandemic, the group moved towards a heavier, guitar-driven sound. Introducing Ben Auld to the band on drums and addition of Phoebe Troup, Brown Horse began to make a name for themselves in the resurgent scene of their adopted hometown, Norwich.
Luke Tuchscherer and the Penny Dreadfuls
https://www.luketuchscherer.co.uk
Luke Tuchscherer is an acclaimed singer/songwriter from Bedford, England, now living in New York City.
​His introduction to the UK Americana scene came via the highly regarded alt.country band The Whybirds, with whom Luke sang and played drums.
Ags Connolly
A traditional country artist from Oxfordshire, England, Ags Connolly is widely considered to be one of the best singer-songwriters in the genre ever to emerge from the UK – but that doesn’t tell the whole story…
Ags’ songs have been recognised and lauded by artists and country music fans in the US, Canada and beyond since his debut album How About Now emerged in 2014. The influential US review site Saving Country Music heralded his arrival on the scene, saying “Ags Connolly deserves to be considered right beside his Stateside counterparts as one of the carriers of the country music holy ghost”.
The Niche Family
https://linktr.ee/thenichefamily
The Niche Family, a Glasgow-based folk ensemble, invites you on a harmonious journey through the rich tapestry of Americana and folk music. United by blood harmonies and a shared passion for storytelling, this remarkable trio effortlessly blends tradition with modernity, creating a sound that resonates deep within the soul.
Formation and Unique Sound:
Lead vocalists Lauren Thompson and the Neil brothers, Stuart and Andrew, discovered their enchanting blood harmonies almost serendipitously during a jam session post Lauren and Stuart's wedding. Rooted in Glasgow, the Neil Brothers' musical camaraderie, honed over years of collaboration, seamlessly intertwines with the Canadian influence brought in by Lauren. The addition of Aberdonian folk-singer and banjo player, Adam Thom, results in a sound that offers a fresh take on traditional folk music.
Saturday 6th April
Ed Harcourt
Known for his literate, Baroque rock sound, Britain's Ed Harcourt is a distinctively enigmatic presence known for his solo work and contributions to other artists' work. Arriving in the early 2000s, Harcourt gained praise for his dark-toned anthems that touched upon post-punk guitar rock, orchestral pop, and minimalist balladry. Often compared to his idol Tom Waits, the pianist/vocalist gained early respect, picking up a Mercury Prize nomination for his 2001 debut Here Be Monsters. Other albums, like 2004's Strangers and 2010's Lustre, showcased his atmospheric sound, and helped to solidify his reputation as a cult favourite. Along with his own albums, he has found himself an in-demand studio player and producer, having collaborated on projects with such varied artists as Paloma Faith, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and Marianne Faithfull.
Kirsten Adamson
https://www.kirstenadamson.com
Award-winning singer/songwriter Kirsten Adamson (daughter of rock legend Stuart Adamson (Big Country, Skids)) summons the same heart-stopping purity as Sandy Denny, by way of Emmylou Harris and Kate Bush. Since spending summers soaking up the atmosphere in Nashville with her dad, and singing on Big Country’s Driving To Damascus album, Kirsten has been steadily developing her own voice and songwriting, with indie folkers Aberfeldy, country rockers The Gillyflowers and Americana duo The Marriage.
Her second solo album Landing Place (2023) is a glorious powerhouse of emotionally charged, beautifully delivered songs that bustles and glistens with echoes of folk rock and country gems. It was launched at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections, an official showcase at London’s UK Americana Music Festival and a sold out UK tour in April.
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Starry Eyed & Laughing
https://www.starryeyedandlaughing.com
Starry Eyed And Laughing were either 15 years ahead
of their time or 10 years too late. Either way, in 1974 they were voted the Rickenbacker twangers most likely to succeed. Even before they signed to CBS, one paper observed: ‘By the end of '74 the group will be set fair. They'll emerge fully in '75 - how's that for crystal-gazing?’ The critic concerned echoed the hopes of most pop pundits. Starry Eyed were well-respected, loved even. They wrote their own songs - the sort you felt you'd known all your life - and played as if they'd just emerged from the grooves of The Byrds' Fifth Dimension. Named after the first line of the last verse of Dylan's Chimes Of Freedom, the quartet released a few singles and two exceptional albums
Sara Petite
An outlaw country headliner whose music reaches far beyond the genre's borders, Sara Petite has built an award-winning career with songs that owe as much to the rock & roll roadhouse as they do the honky-tonk.
Hers is a raw, rough-edged version of American roots music, delivered by a five-time International Songwriting Competition finalist who's spent nearly two decades calling her own shots. Sara has no interest in chasing trends. She's too busy chasing the muse instead, earning a wide range of accolades — including Top 40 success on the Americana charts, international airplay, and more than a half-dozen trophies from the San Diego Music Awards — along the way.
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Demi Marriner
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Jambalayapromo
Demi Marriner is a songwriter well worth keeping track of. Her passion and emotion are so contagious, it is almost impossible to not be captivated from the offset. Whether she’s pouring out her heart in an intimate solo shows, or kicking down the doors with her incredible backing band, Demi knows how to impress.​ Winner of the Whispering Bob Harris' Emerging Artist Award at the 2021 UK Americana Awards,
Demi released her highly anticipated debut record 'The Things We Didn't Say' in July 2023 which has received much acclaim. With endorsements from Whispering Bob Harris, Under The Apple Tree, Chris Difford, The House Of Songs and AMA UK, Demi is no doubt an artist to look out for.
The Vagaband
Over the past decade, The Vagaband have taken their brand of roots rock across the UK & Europe; playing bars, street corners and house concerts. Honing their craft, they’ve become favourites at Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party, Wilderness, Bestival, Red Rooster & Maverick.
Their soulful approach makes their blend of Americana and roots rock a unique proposition in an age where music is often presented in a way that is too studied, too knowing and somewhat safe. A band designed to be lapped up in huge gulps by an audience that likes to have all their musical needs satisfied and their dancing shoes cajoled into action.
Steady Habits
https://www.steadyhabitsmusic.com
A flair for alt-country sounds and melodic pop-hooks, Steady Habits is centred around the lyrical narrative of Connecticut-Native, Sean C. Duggan. Cutting his teeth on tours across Europe and the US, Sean was part of the Folk/Americana duo Loud Mountains, a Clubhouse Records favourite.
Although the band's stellar line-up of musician have proven they have a sound can blast it to the back of the room (Joe Coombs, Jamie Dawson, Cathy Ife), there's heart and poignancy in Sean's songwriting. But Steady Habits always seem to find beauty in retrospect. Even in their their most intimate settings, the band's live shows culminate in feelings of joy.
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Bau Cat
Emerging from a sleepy Welsh town is Bau Cat, Abby and Jim (formerly of The Goat Roper Rodeo Band) began writing songs together in the winter of 2022 honing and crafting a sound that’s their own, it’s fresh with a vein of retro roots running through it. Having had BBC airplay for their first home demo released in January, the duo are embarking on a UK-wide tour this summer to coincide with the release of their debut EP in June.
Bobbie
There are rare, powerful, and timeless voices that grip you from the first listen. Bobbie's voice falls into the lineage of the greats she has admired since childhood, with Joni Mitchell and Dolly Parton at the forefront. Growing up just outside the French capital, Bobbie draws her musical inspirations from the United States, swayed by the blues and soul vinul records inherited from her father. Her debut album, consisting of 11 meticulously crafted songs that aim straight for the heart, resonates like a classic of folk americana music. In it, Bobbie traces the intimate and
melancholic journey toward her dream, akin to a road
movie: the childhood mourning of her father, replaying and coloring her love life, the courage to leave troubled waters and emancipate herself to follow her own star. The organ, pedal steel, and gospel choirs arrange the album in the tradition of the genre, dressing it in nostalgia, a central theme that inspires the album's title track: "The Sacred in the Ordinary"
Mt.Caburn
Mt. Caburn are three members from Lewes band Caburn, offering a guitar-based sound drawing from alt.country, post rock and americana.
The Ripples
The Ripples" come on to the scene with "Restless," their first album. After touring venues and festivals in Mallorca (their native island) with their electrifying and wild performances, the band releases "Restless," their first EP, consisting of 5 original songs recorded in Tomi Solbas' studio (The Wheels). Inspired by beatnik imagery and 1960s rock n' roll, The Ripples take us back to the timelessness of music through their dynamic riffs, intricate melodies, and a fresh but yet contemporary style loaded with rock n' roll, glam, and country touches.
Currently, the band is immersed in the recording studio, working on what will be their first LP, set to be released lin autumn..
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James Hodder
https://jameshodder.bandcamp.com
London based troubadour James Hodder fuses Folk and Americana influences with bittersweet lyrics and storytelling
Aayushi
Aayushi is a contemporary folk singer-songwriter from Birmingham, UK, with Indian heritage. She writes strikingly tender songs, delivering them with an intimacy that has often been described as the sonic equivalent of a warm hug.
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While she draws comparisons to contemporaries like Julia Jacklin and Rachel Sermanni, her earliest musical influences come from the lo-fi, fuzz-folk world of Neutral Milk Hotel, Bright Eyes, and The Microphones.
The Clubhouse All-Stars
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Clubhouse Records, including friends and performers from the weekends acts, gather for the annual late night tribute.
to...
The Band
Sunday 7th April
Michele Stodart
https://www.michelestodart.com
Michele Stodart is a multi-award-winning solo artist, singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist based in London. Best known as bassist, vocalist and co-songwriter of Mercury-nominated, double-platinum selling band, The Magic Numbers, who have released five critically acclaimed studio albums with top ten singles, and supported the likes of Neil Young, Radiohead, Brian Wilson, U2, Flaming Lips and Bright Eyes. She continues to play with the band and tour world-wide with them.
Alongside this, Michele has always pursued her own writing, nurturing a love for Folk, Country and Americana music, and has released three solo albums of her own songs. Her most recent release, ‘Invitation’(September 2023) - a confessional, melodic album with an orchestral, cinematic feel - received outstanding critical acclaim. The album went on to win ‘UK Album of the Year’ at the UK Americana Awards 2024, where Michele also scooped the coveted award for ‘UK Artist of the Year’.
Elliott Brood
“Doing it the hard way for 20 years,” is a badge Elliott BROOD wear with honour. Two decades on, work, life and love have taken the trio in many directions, away from their hometowns and headfirst into an ongoing musical journey through distance and time. Now, after being members of this band for nearly half of their lives, Elliott BROOD is never more at home than in the wash of distorted, evocative strings and stomps that make their signature alt country sound.
Elliott BROOD appeared on the cover of Exclaim Magazine in 2008 as the new ambassadors of a roots, folk rock and alt country wave that flourished in Toronto’s early aughts. Elliott BROOD’s arrival came with a level of buzz that launched them directly into the heart of a vibrant Toronto scene that centered at label Six Shooter Records, where they have returned to release their newest music. Their live show, a maelstrom of frenetic energy and fuzz, has brought them back and forth across continents countless times on bills The Sadies, Wilco, The Black Crowes, and many more. Their albums, meticulously crafted, detail-packed collections have brought some of Canada’s highest musical honours and awards, including an early Polaris Music Prize Short List and a JUNO Award.
Dallas Burrow
A Texas-born Americana artist rooted in the tradition of his home state’s songwriting heroes, Dallas Burrow built a career on both sides of the Atlantic with his 2019 debut, Southern Wind. Recorded in Nashville, the album reached Number 25 on the UK Americana Chart and Number 4 on the US Alt-Country chart, paving the way for a string of cross-country shows alongside fellow road warriors like Charley Crockett.
For Burrow — a lifelong explorer who’d spent his 20s on the move, chasing his muse across most of America and Europe while rubbing shoulders with luminaries like Bob Dylan and Dr. John — being so far away from home felt natural. Even so, he began missing the stability of his new life back in Texas, where he’d built a family and gotten sober. His second album, 2021’s Dallas Burrow, marks both a symbolic and literal
homecoming for the songwriter, who recorded the new material with modern-day legend Bruce Robison in the rural Texas countryside. It’s a record about embracing maturity and the responsibilities of family life, sung by Burrow in a voice that bears both the road-worn weariness of a lifelong highwayman and the fierce fire of a man reborn.
Kevin Montgomery
https://linktr.ee/kevinmontgomery
Nashville singer-songwriter Kevin Montgomery’s mom sang with Elvis and Dad wrote songs like “Heartbeat” for Buddy Holly, and was his first musical partner. Montgomery has written songs for Juice Newton, Martina McBride, Beth Neilsen Chapman, and Graham Gouldman of 10cc, and sung on Lee Ann Womack records. He is a hardcore troubodour and has completed four 50 States in 50 Days tours.
Robbie Cavanagh
https://www.robbiecavanagh.co.uk
This year sees Award Winning Singer and Songwriter Robbie Cavanagh present his newest body of work ‘Tough Love’ to the world. A brand new studio album recorded live with his incredible band.
A self-confessed devotee of 'real music', Robbie Cavanagh is not defined by genres. His only rules are good musicians, real instruments, great microphones and performance with emotion; capturing sound, not producing it. Believing we live in a world where music is produced and consumed like fast food, to fill a hole where speed and value for money is prioritised over quality, Robbie is in the game for what he coins “fine dining music”.
Dom Glynn and his Sunday best
Dom Glynn is a 27-year-old singer-songwriter from Birmingham, UK, who moved to London in 2016. Through persistent gigging as a solo act, he has developed a reputation as a powerful and impressive live performer. He combines a style of songwriting influenced by Bob Dylan and Hank Williams Sr., with a fingerpicking guitar style inspired by Mississippi John Hurt and Doc Watson.
Dom Glynn & His Sunday Best are an Americana group formed in London in 2023. Dom Glynn is a captivating singer-songwriter and fingerpicker extraordinaire. He is joined by the thrilling fiddle virtuoso Dr. Duncan Menzies (Copper Viper), the infectiously joyful drumming of Carmen Ruiz Vicente and the airtight bass-playing and delightful harmonies of Jack Trouble. Together they make a sound that excites and inspires; music that makes the people drink and dance.
David Banks
https://www.davidbanksmusic.co.uk
"Songs that remind me why I liked rock music when I first heard it. In Banks’s hands rock still sounds passionate and fresh"
"A stunning collection of songs deeply rooted in Americana"
"Big, honest Americana in the mould of Petty and Springsteen"
"Americana at its finest. An amazing piece of work"
"We can’t find a weak song on the album"
East of Reno
Should you find yourself in the last bar at the end of the world, East Of Reno will undoubtedly be soundtracking your propping up of the bar, with their odes to everyday folk trying to get a handle on their lives as they spin out of control due to factors in and outside of their charge. Taking inspiration from Little Feat, Dr John & The Band and putting their own anglo-spin on things, this eclectic four-piece have been bringing down the house since forming at the start of the year from the ashes of numerous bands, weathering tantrums and tears to earn their time in your ear canals.
With players who’ve worked with Pharrell, Beyonce & The Pretenders this is a band who know a thing or two about coming close, and about holding on. Much like the lonesome protagonist.
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My Girl the River
http://www.supertinyrecords.com
My Girl The River is a family band with Louisiana native and songwriter, Kris Wilkinson Hughes, on vocals and guitar, husband Joe on bass, and daughter Ruby on ukulele and vocals. Their newest album, Cardinal in the Snow, released on May 1 has gained a great deal of praise within the Americana/folk/country/roots genres. Recorded in Nashville in 2019 with Neilson Hubbard producing (Mary Gauthier) and featuring Will Kimbrough (Emmylou Harris) on guitar, Juan Solorzano on steel, Kristin Wilkinson (Brandi Carlile, The Avett Brothers, John Prine) on strings, it showcases honest songwriting and beautiful vocals. They have been played on Ralph McClean and Ricky Ross’ radio shows. Once compared to the writing of Jason Isbell and Lucinda Williams, Kris has the ability to paint a memorable canvas with her melodies and words.
My Crooked Teeth
https://mycrookedteeth.bandcamp.com
Equal measures country, indie and pure pop, My Crooked Teeth's is a sound that is familiar as it is uncertain, with captivating lyrics and melodies you won't be able to shift.
Focussing on a concise americana sound, My Crooked Teeth specialise in the bittersweet, as songwriter Jack Olchawski attempts to tap into the melancholy beauty of the every day.
My Crooked Teeth has received praise from BBC Introducing, Nightshift Magazine and the wider music blogosphere. He has shared a stage with artists such as Evan Dando (of The Lemonheads ), Lanterns on the Lake, Message To Bears, Ags Connolly, Lucy Spraggan, Judy Blank, Ciaran Lavery, Angaleena Presley (of Pistol Annies), The Hummingbirds, Cattle & Cane, Richard Walters and My Darling Clementine.
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