And to celebrate, AUK has been given a couple of exclusive unreleased tracks.
Later this week will be the first time in over 8 years that the acclaimed pianist and singer-songwriter Hans Chew has toured the UK, and the very first time the Michigan natives The Gasoline Gypsies have toured here. Both acts land on the 25th of October and perform at an afternoon shindig at The Half Moon Putney, presented by Brighthelmstone Promotions called ‘Americana on the Thames’, where they are also joined by Dylan Earl from Arkansas and Jack Browning.
Chew established himself as an acclaimed songwriter and musician with 2010’s debut “Tennessee & Other Stories…,” receiving Top 25 Albums of the Year from Uncut magazine and 4 stars from Rolling Stone. He has collaborated with artists such as Jack Rose, Steve Gunn, Hiss Golden Messenger, Chris Forsyth, D. Charles Speer, Endless Boogie, and Garcia Peoples. Other releases include 2014’s “Life & Love”, 2016’s “Unknown Sire”, and 2017’s “Open Sea”, with his fifth album “Land Of Dreams” out now.
The Gasoline Gypsies are 8-time Detroit Music Awards Winners, sporting four-part vocal harmonies, dual lead guitars, and a rhythm section built on drums, bass, and keys.
As for the two exclusive tracks, Chew’s is ‘Barrabas Blues‘ and he describes it thus: “It’s a song I wrote a long time ago for a band I was in called D. Charles Speer & The Helix. Me and my band will be doing this song on this tour. It’s never been released or recorded for any of my own albums. The song is about the biblical figure Jesus Barabbas, whose surname means “son of the father”, and he shares a lot in common with the more famous Jesus of Nazareth, who is also of course the “son of the father”. Both Jesuses were revolutionaries and found themselves imprisoned by the Romans. Pontius Pilate, the prefect of Judea at the time, called for one of the prisoners to be released, and the crowds roared and cried to “give them Barabbas”. Our song begins some time after the events of the bible, with Barabbas back in Golgotha at the place of the crucifixion, drunk, rueful, regretful, and envious of the more famous Jesus. The song leaves us wondering just exactly what was the relationship between the two Jesuses and Mary of Galilee, and if there was perhaps more to the story…”
And the Gypsies track “Robin Redbreast” is described by their manager, Jack Hunger who says, “Michigan’s State bird is The Robin. As the snows begin to melt, the red-breasted bird shows up as a sign of spring to us Michiganders. As the summer wanes into fall, the Robins begin to disappear for the long, dark cold months of winter. Caleb Malooley’s (chief songwriter) grandmother was a very significant part of his youth. He often says that she was the most influential person in his life. Much of Caleb’s poetry is infused with her wisdom. At the news of his grandmother’s terminal diagnosis, Caleb penned the song ‘Robin Redbreast’.
Hans Chew/The Gasoline Gypsies UK Tour 2025:
25th October 2025 – Midday Until 5pm – The Half Moon Putney (London) – £18.00 “Americana On The Thames” (Hans Chew, The Gasoline Gypsies, Dylan Earl & Jack Browning) – Tickets Here
27th October 2025 – 8.00pm – The Bodega (Nottingham) – Tickets Here
28th October 2025 – 8.00pm – The Crofts (Bristol) – Tickets Here
29th October 2025 – 8.00pm – Mid Sussex Music Hall (Hassocks) Tickets Here
2nd November 2025 – 8.00pm – Gullivers (Manchester) – Tickets Here
Here’s ‘Barrabas Blues’
Here’s ‘Robin Redbreast’
