Forming the latest in their series of album projects, the Tyneside band The Unthanks will release Diversions Vol. 4: “How Wild The Wind Blows: Performing The Songs and Poems of Molly Drake” at the end of May, and are touring around the UK extensively to promote it. The album is based on poems by the mother of Nick Drake, and poet and songwriter in her own right, she made recordings at home during the 1950s with the help of her husband, and though never released at the time, share plenty of common ground with her celebrated son’s – charming and bittersweet, dark and pensive.
In the eyes of The Unthanks, and increasingly amongst others, Molly’s work is extraordinary enough to rank alongside and independently of Nick Drake’s. In addition to the live re-imaginings by The Unthanks the audio-visual tour will feature film footage of Molly Drake, and her poetry, recorded and spoken by daughter Gabrielle Drake. Here’s the dates along with a nice recording of them from the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2013.
The Unthanks Tour Dates 2017
18th April – NEWCASTLE UNDER LYME New Vic Theatre
19th April – MANCHESTER RNCM
20th April – WREXHAM William Aston Hall
21st April – KENDAL Brewery Arts Centre
22nd April – EDINBURGH The Queens Hall
23rd April – BERWICK UPON TWEED Maltings Theatre
26th April – BIRMINGHAM The Glee Club
27th April – CAMBRIDGE Corn Exchange
28th April – BASINGSTOKE The Anvil
29th April – CARDIFF Tramshed
30th April – BRADFORD ON AVON Wiltshire Music Centre
1st May – BRIGHTON The Old Market
2nd May – SOUTHAMPTON Turner Sims
3rd May – LONDON The Albany
6th May – CLITHEROE The Grand
7th May – BARROW IN FURNESS The Forum
10th May – RUNCORN Brindley
11th May – LEEDS City Varieties
12th May – LEEDS City Varieties
13th May – STOCKTON ON TEES ARC
14th May – NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Theatre Royal
25th May – DUBLIN Vicar St
28th May – LONDON 3PM The Barbican Milton Court
28th May – LONDON 7.30PM The Barbican Milton Court
