2018 gigs

The Jellyman’s Daughter

Friday 7th December

The Carlile Institute, Meltham

Thanks to all who came out on a cold December night and to The Jellyman’s Daughter for rounding off our 2018 programme in fine style!

The Jellyman’s Daughter blend Americana, folk/roots, a touch of bluegrass and even a hint of pop. Mixing gorgeous vocal harmonies with visceral cello, driving guitar and sweet mandolin, Edinburgh’s Emily Kelly and Graham Coe are exceptional performers and songwriters, and are joined in concert by regular band member and outstanding banjoist Jamie Francis. The Jellyman’s Daughter have gigged extensively in the UK, Europe and Canada, and recently completed their first extensive tour of the USA. Their second album was released in May 2018 to an avalanche of glowing reviews. They have recently been featured on Mark Radcliffe’s flagship BBC Radio Two Folk Show, and are regularly championed by Ricky Ross on BBC Radio Scotland.

 

Jaywalkers

Saturday 10th November

The Carlile Institute

Meltham, Huddersfield

Thanks to yet another large enthusiastic audience at the Carlile who enjoyed a marvellous performance by Jaywalkers!

One of the classiest live acts on the UK’s acoustic roots scene, Jaywalkers create music that’s innovative and exhilarating but still deeply rooted in tradition, influenced by folk, bluegrass, Western swing, jazz, blues and more. In the last few years they have cemented their place as one of the most exciting, talented and entertaining young bands around, since reaching the finals of the BBC Young Folk Awards back in 2008. Chief songwriter (and gifted mandolin maestro) Mike Giverin draws on stories and poetry from his home county of Lancashire for many of his compositions. In Jay Bradberry, the band has a truly great singer, and superb fiddle player. Lucille Williams specialises in impressive slap bass in addition to all-round rock solid tone and timing. Despite their youth, Jaywalkers have been working and gigging constantly for many years, honing their craft and simply getting better and better.

 

The Slocan Ramblers

Sunday 28th October

Sheffield Greystones

Thanks to everyone who filled the room at the Greystones on a cold Sunday night, and to the band for a stonking performance!

Hailing from Toronto, this dynamic quartet combines impressive bluegrass and old-time musicianship with a fresh contemporary appeal. The Slocan Ramblers have become a leading light of Canada’s roots music scene in the last few years, building on their reputation for energetic live shows, impeccable musicianship and an uncanny ability to convert anyone within earshot into a lifelong fan. The quartet has steadily added to their list of awards and plaudits on home ground and on the USA scene – delighting festival audiences from Merlefest to Rockygrass. The band’s third album Queen City Jubilee was released in June 2018 and showcases The Slocan Ramblers at the top of their game, blending lightning fast, devilishly intricate instrumentals with evocative vocals on songs ranging from fine originals to rowdy old-time numbers. True North Music is delighted to be bringing The Slocan Ramblers back to the UK for an extensive autumn tour, including this gig which we’ll be hosting in Sheffield.

 

Corn Potato String Band

Saturday 25th August

The Carlile Institute, Meltham

Thanks to everyone who packed the hall for yet another sold-out event at The Carlile, and to the Corn Potato guys for an ace gig!

This fabulous and fun trio has delighted audiences across North America, Europe and beyond with their driving fiddle tunes and harmonious singing. They are all multi-instrumentalists dedicated to continuing the music and dance traditions of the Central and Southern USA. In addition to being champion fiddlers, they also play banjo and guitar, and there may be a bit of step dancing too. This will be a lively night of foot-stomping, old-time Appalachian style merriment!

 

The Small Glories

Thursday 24th May

Sheffield Greystones

Thanks to everyone who came out on a sunny Thursday evening, we were rewarded with an outstanding gig from Cara and JD!

Powerhouse duo The Small Glories (Cara Luft & JD Edwards) hail from the Canadian Prairies and specialise in a dynamic mix of folk and old time Americana. I was thoroughly impressed when The Small Glories almost blew the roof off the big marquee at Didmarton Bluegrass Festival with a storming set last year, and immediately decided to book them. Originally thrown together for an anniversary show at Winnipeg’s venerable West End Cultural Centre, these two veteran musicians and singer/songwriters have built a reputation around their tight harmonies, authenticity, visceral live performances and instrumental prowess (on guitars, clawhammer banjo and harmonica). They are also extremely warm, funny and entertaining on stage.

 

Molly Tuttle & Rachel Baiman

Saturday 28th April

The Carlile Institute

Meltham, Huddersfield

Thanks to everyone who came out to this exceptional concert on Saturday night, another sold out concert at the Carlile!

Molly Tuttle is a phenomenal guitarist and banjo player, songwriter and singer, originally from California and now based in Nashville. In the last couple of years she has gained growing recognition as a creative artist as well as an outstanding instrumentalist, touring with her own band and also with all-female quartet The Goodbye Girls. Molly’s star has been rising and earlier this year she won the IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Guitar Player of the Year Award, the first woman ever to do so. Rachel Baiman is another impressive young talent, a fiddle player, multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter best known for being one half of the duo 10 String Symphony. Her recent solo release Shame has garnered critical acclaim and comparisons with the work of John Hartford and Gillian Welch.

 

Newberry and Verch

Friday 13th April

Sheffield Greystones

Thanks to everyone who came out to this outstanding gig – especially to Fat Pigeon Live who filmed and live streamed the concert – please do subscribe to their YouTube channel and like their Facebook page – you can watch the whole concert again here thanks to them!

Joe Newberry and April Verch are both master musicians, busy recording and touring with a variety of projects on both sides of the Atlantic. Their duo collaboration is fuelled by a shared passion for traditional music, and blends folk, bluegrass and old time Americana, with ballads, joyful fiddle tunes and poignant original and traditional songs. Joe Newberry is a top notch banjoist, guitarist, singer and songwriter. A charismatic performer, Joe was a guest star on 2016’s popular Transatlantic Sessions live tour and his award-winning songs have been recorded by artists including Ricky Skaggs and the Gibson Brothers. April Verch is a world class fiddle player, step dancer and singer from Canada’s Ottawa Valley. She started step dancing at age three and playing the fiddle at age six! April has countless awards, ten albums and many years of worldwide touring under her belt with the April Verch Band. These two hugely talented musicians have now come together for this very special duo project. Their voices blend in harmony, their instrumental playing is unsurpassed, and the addition of April’s spectacular step dancing takes their performance to another level!

 

Cardboard Fox

Saturday 10th March

The Carlile Institute

Meltham, Huddersfield

Our run of sold-out True North Music events at the Carlile Institute continued last night – thanks so much to all who came and enjoyed an outstanding performance by this excellent British band!

Winners of the 2015 Spiral Earth Award for Best Debut, Cardboard Fox is an exciting young British band that’s been making a name for themselves on the acoustic scene over the past couple of years. In early 2016 the quartet followed up on the success of their debut EP by releasing their first full album, Out of Mind. Formed in late 2013 in Bath, the band features the sibling harmonies of Charlotte and Laura Carrivick (the Carrivick Sisters) on guitar/vocals and fiddle/vocals respectively, the extraordinary talents of young mandolin player Joe Tozer and the driving and technically demanding double bass playing and harmony vocals of John Breese. With a focus on original songs with a strong pop sensibility and energetic live shows, this is a highly accomplished group of musicians who will entertain you with their first-class musicianship, immaculate harmony vocals and quirky creative approach to their material.

 

The Railsplitters

Saturday 3rd February

Sheffield Greystones

Thanks to everyone who packed (and I mean PACKED!) out The Greystones for another sold-out Railsplitters concert. Simply jaw-droppingly good music!
This absolutely top notch five piece band plays a unique blend of Americana, bluegrass and folk/roots. Performing mostly original material, The Railsplitters initially found recognition as winners of the prestigious band competition at Rockygrass Festival in Colorado. Since then their star has risen steadily and they have toured extensively across the world, including two well received UK tours. The Railsplitters have released two acclaimed albums to date, with their third due to be released in late 2017. With outstanding musicianship on banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar and upright bass, their quirky, creative and modern version of bluegrass and acoustic roots is underpinned by superb songwriting and beautiful harmony singing.