THEKLA 30 ⚓ Celebrating 30 years in Bristol Harbour
GRAVENHURST
www.facebook.com/gravenhurst
Gravenhurst is the work of singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Nick Talbot who lives in Bristol, England. The Ghost In Daylight, his fourth full-length album for Warp Records, has been met with overwhelming praise, resulting in the biggest UK shows so far, with two London dates selling out months in advance and a headline slot at End Of The Road Festival. Strong support from BBC 6 Music led to a live session for Lauren Laverne, and Nick’s engaging and eloquent interview style has seen him conducting countless interviews with international press and a Guardian Music Weekly podcast discussion with Michael Hann.
Critics have picked up on the album’s sophisticated themes of English mythology, political history and hidden geography, with Mojo describing “a memory-haunted journey through the dead voices and deep narratives of England’s lost – broadside ballads culled from earth and air”. Q magazine went further, stating “Warp’s unsung genius delivers a mellow masterpiece… Nick Talbot has made an album as good as anything his revered record label has released in the last decade…evocative of Nick Drake’s understated English melancholia and the lush, moody atmospherics of late-70’s Brian Eno. An exquisite, unexpected gem”. The Guardian hailed “terrific understated songs with a church-like serenity… Talbot is one of music’s best kept secrets”.
A dark and atmospheric place, ever-changing and conjured from disparate ingredients, Gravenhurst’s roots lie in the melodic noise of My Bloody Valentine, the lush vocal harmonies of Simon and Garfunkel, the alchemical guitars of Richard Thompson and Johnny Marr, and the widescreen ambient visions of Brian Eno. Over the course of six startling releases, Talbot has developed and retained a unique identity across multiple genres. Talbot’s haunting and powerful voice, virtuoso guitar work, ethereal production and mysterious lyrical themes ensure that Gravenhurst is a consistent yet ever evolving sound-world, and one with a particularly fanatical cult following.
While Nick began performing solo, singing and fingerpicking a guitar, the addition of other Bristol musicians propelled Gravenhurst into a powerful live band, touring extensively across Europe, and the USA, both as a headline act and as support to bands including Broadcast, Belle and Sebastian, Explosions In The Sky, Animal Collective, and Paul Smith (Maximo Park). The release of The Ghost In Daylight saw the formation of a new three-piece Gravenhurst Ensemble, featuring Rachel Lancaster on vocals, bass guitar and keyboards, and Claire Adams on vocals and percussion. The ensemble expands on the eerie intimacy and cinematic ambience of the recordings to encompass haunting three part vocal harmonies in a set that builds slowly from choral melancholy to a sustained wall of noise and drone.
ROZI PLAIN
www.facebook.com/roziplain
When you first hear the sonorous, atmospheric swell of singer-songwriter Rozi Plain‘s home-built electric guitar coupled with her swooning vocal charm, you may as well put your hands up and surrender. You’re going to be won over.
Originally hailing from southern England’s secret garden of Winchester, Rozi moved base up to Bristol to form the Cleaner Collective with her brother Romanhead, and best pal Rachael Dadd. Exchanging demo tapes with Fence Records’ King Creosote and The Pictish Trail at the Green Man Festival, Rozi and her friends soon found themselves entwined in the world of DIY lo-fi folk merchants, the Fence Collective – regularly performing at the label’s legendary Home Game and Away Game events in Scotland, and playing genial host to any Fence performers travelling south.
Debut album Inside Over Here introduced the listener to Rozi’s unique, ethereal songwriting style – fractured dreams about shark attacks, near-miss romances and slow motion conversations. It’s lighthearted modesty was championed by Devendra Banhart, and the album saw Rozi tour across the UK, mainland Europe, America and Japan – winning new fans supporting Devendra, Beach House, James Yorkston, KT Tunstall and François & The Atlas Mountains among others. As word of the album spread out, BBC’s Lauren Laverne, Marc Riley, Huw Stephens, Gideon Coe, Vic Galloway, Steve Lamacq and Rob Da Bank all became immediate fans – playing Rozi’s music, and inviting her up for sessions.
New album Joined Sometimes Unjoined is Rozi’s second LP with Fence Records, following a move to Brixton, and the release of two interim EP’s with Need No Water Records – Humans and See My Boat. Accompanied by a full band this time, her sparse vocal and finger-picked guitar arrangements are fleshed out across ten tracks with a revolving cast of layered voices, soft-tumbling percussion, steel-pan drums, violin, piano and lilting brass. It’s a warm, summer-sun blend of melody centred around Rozi’s voice. The album is being pre-released in limited edition formats from July, with an official general release scheduled for late September.
& SPECIAL GUESTS TO BE ANNOUNCED
FRIDAY 2ND MAY
THEKLA BRISTOL
Thekla, The Grove, East Mud Dock, Bristol BS1 4RB
Early show — Doors 6.30pm / Ages 14+
*** TICKETS ON SALE MONDAY 17TH MARCH AT 9AM ***
Weekend tickets only £20 plus booking fee, including limited edition Thekla 30 t-shirt — only available via www.alt-tickets.co.uk
Individual event tickets from £8 plus booking fee through the usual outlets:
www.alt-tickets.co.uk
www.gigantic.com
Bristol Ticket Shop
0844 871 8819
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