With support from Quarterman and Hannah Scott
The Lexington, Islington
Sunday 27th March
Doors 7:30pm, Live Music 8:00pm
Advance tickets £14
It has only been a short space of time since The Magpies burst onto the UK folk scene, but they have already made a huge impression with their fresh brand of transatlantic neo-folk and have been ‘making waves wherever they play’ (Phil Beer, Show of Hands).
Three accomplished musicians in their own right, The Magpies is a combination far greater than the sum of its parts. Celtic Connections Danny Kyle Award winning guitarist, banjo-player and singer Bella Gaffney, clawhammer banjo player and singer Kate Griffin and acclaimed fiddle-player and tunesmith Holly Brandon draw on their wide-ranging influences to create a unique blend of transatlantic folk.
In their live performances The Magpies have been exceptionally well-received. 2018 saw them perform at festivals such as Cambridge Folk Festival and on main stages at Wickham Festival, Towersey Festival and Deer Shed Festival. 2019 saw their first international shows, with performances at Folk Alliance International in Montreal, a successful tour in Ireland and performances at Costa del Folk in Portugal. And the summer saw many more festival performances including Glastonbury, Larmer Tree, Warwick and Shambala.
Their debut album – Tidings – was released in June 2020 to critical acclaim: ‘effervescent’ (The Sunday Times), ‘folk with finesse’ (The Daily Mail), ‘check that album out’ (BBC Radio 2). A rich and varied showcase of the live show, the album draws on a range of influences and delivers a sound that can only be described as contemporary. The album is full of songs which explore uniquely female experiences in unpredictable and surprising ways, bringing a fresh voice to the current milieu.
Quarterman, the name for the solo project of Man The Lifeboats’ lead singer and songwriter Richard James Quarterman. Tonight Quarterman presents his own acoustic songs and stories, expect influences ranging from, a bit of Neil Young here, Dylan there, Tom Waits, Guy Garvey, Simon & Garfunkel, Sufjan Stevens, Frank Turner.
Hannah Scott performs contemporary folk with a distinctive voice, strong melodies and thought-provoking lyrics. Her music has been heard in hit TV series, Grey’s Anatomy, and has been played regularly on the BBC with releases supported by Dermot O’Leary and Bob Harris on BBC Radio 2 and Tom Robinson on 6 Music.