Author: Mark Underwood

The Dead South bring ‘Sugar & Joy’ to the UK

Sometimes you’re forced to ponder on the number of brilliant acts slogging away on the live circuit year after year for scant reward and then there are those odd occasions when, seemingly out of nowhere, a band or artist is elevated to giddy heights without you even appearing to notice. Such is the case with The Dead South, who are about to commence a tour of the UK, including venues of the size of Brixton Academy, with two of their UK tour dates already sold out.
Continue reading “The Dead South bring ‘Sugar & Joy’ to the UK”

GospelbeacH keep the flame burning with UK tour next month

AUK favourites, GospelbeacH, have announced five UK dates following the release of their latest album, ‘Let It Burn’ which came out last October through Alive Naturalsound Records. The record has the same sunny California disposition for which the band are renowned, infused with a late ’60s/early ’70s cosmic country vibe and the mellifluous melodies of the Burritos, The Byrds and GP. Continue reading “GospelbeacH keep the flame burning with UK tour next month”

Static Roots Festival announces first acts for 2020

Fast becoming pretty much an essential date in any Americana fan’s festival diary these days, the Static Roots Festival in Oberhausen, Germany this coming July announced its first performers just before Christmas. Dietmar Leibecke, festival organiser and promoter, appears to have got his line up pretty spot on so far, with two of the acts announced both in the running for UK Album of the Year at the AMA-UK awards later this month – Pete Gow for ‘Here There’s No Sirens’ and William the Conqueror for ‘Bleeding On The Soundtrack’. Continue reading “Static Roots Festival announces first acts for 2020”

Ian Noe brings his debut ‘Between the Country’ to the UK

One of the albums of 2019 for many people was Ian Noe’s ‘Between the Country’. Folk rocker, Ian Noe, is a former oil rig worker from East Kentucky, but he’s also something of a storytelling genius – each of his 10, self-penned songs on the record having something special to impart – many of them vignettes of small-town life and character studies, its subject matter ranging from a train crash (‘Barbara’s Song’), a bank robber on the LAM (‘Letter to Madeline’), a serial killer (‘Dead on the River’), alcoholism (‘Irene {Raving Bomb}’) and drug abuse (‘Meth Head’ and ‘Junk Town’). Continue reading “Ian Noe brings his debut ‘Between the Country’ to the UK”

Shovels & Rope gear up for busiest year yet with five UK dates

Shovels & Rope have gained a reputation as one of the hardest-working bands on the road today. A husband and wife duo from Charleston, South Carolina, Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst blend traditional folk, new wave, rock and roll and country rock. Continue reading “Shovels & Rope gear up for busiest year yet with five UK dates”

Michaela Anne flies in for brief UK tour later this month

One of the standout performers at AmericanaFest in Nashville last September was Michaela Anne and AUK were fortunate enough to catch her on two separate occasions – once at the North Carolina Day Party and then again at the JP Harris sponsored event ‘Sunday Morning Coming Down’. Michaela Anne was showcasing songs from her third and latest album for Yep Roc, ‘Desert Dove’, which would comfortably make its way into Americana fans’ top 50 albums of 2019.
Continue reading “Michaela Anne flies in for brief UK tour later this month”

The Hanging Stars launch new album next month with UK tour

London-based folk-psych-country band The Hanging Stars return with their third studio album, ‘A New Kind Of Sky’, due out on 21 February 2020. They celebrate the launch of the new record with a great double bill featuring Americana-UK faves, GospelbeacH, at London’s Moth Club on 26th February. Continue reading “The Hanging Stars launch new album next month with UK tour”

Gill Landry announces UK tour dates

Two-time Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Gill Landry, has ten UK dates in the new year in support of his new album out on the Loose record label, ‘Skeleton At The Banquet’. Landry is one of the 75 acts due to appear at the Americana Music Association UK’s showcases at the end of January before he plays a more extensive tour in February. Continue reading “Gill Landry announces UK tour dates”

Damien Jurado arrives in UK next month for dates

Damien Jurado is set to return to Europe next month. The tour, which kicks off in London on 21st February, sees Jurado showcasing his critically acclaimed 14th studio album, ‘In the Shape of a Storm’, which came out last April. Continue reading “Damien Jurado arrives in UK next month for dates”