The beautiful setting of Christ Church Downend will be perfect for what promises to be a very special show. Wrap up warm, bring the family along, and prepare for a wonderful evening in the company of the multi-award winning duo JOSIENNE CLARKE & BEN WALKER.
Seamlessly blending traditional songs with their own self-written work, singer Josienne and guitarist Ben’s rise to fame has been as quick as it has been deserved. Off the back of four albums and multiple other releases, the duo are capping off a great year with a short seasonal tour.
If you’re not sure, maybe the fact that they won the Best Duo category at the 2015 BBC Folk Awards will convince you. We can't wait to see them at Downend, where they’ll bring their warmth, vitality and amazing musicianship to another crowd of dedicated music lovers.
“A truly polished and elegant album ensuring that a hush falls over an attentive and absorbed audience... A triumph of an album” - Bright Young Folk
Blending “classically instilled traditional songs with self-penned lovelorn ballads”, Josienne and Ben’s sound is as diverse as their influences, which range from Sandy Denny and June Tabor to Nic Jones and Pierre Bensusan. Their recordings are often set to string-filled, orchestral backdrops, but what’ll catch the ear is Josienne’s emotional vocals and Ben’s amazingly expressive guitar. Mix this with their wickedly self-deprecating humour, needed to counterbalance the sad and poetic lyrics as well as the death and despair of their traditional repertoire, and you’re in for quite a night.
“The green shoots growing from the very top of the English folk family tree” - M-Magazine
Their career has grown from Josienne’s solo roots, through their first two albums ‘One Light Is Gone’ and ‘The Seas Are Deep’. Their profile was raised through much hard work, resulting in the critically acclaimed ‘Fire & Fortune’ of 2013. This year’s ‘Nothing Can Bring Back The Hour’ looks set to catapult them further into the musical stratosphere.
Opening the evening will be Gloucester-based folk-pop singer-songwriter and friend of the club EMI McDADE.
Back in June 2014, Emi was our first ever support act when she opened for Gren Bartley at Frenchay Village Hall, and it’s a pleasure to welcome her back 18 months on.
Since beginning her musical career in 2013, 18 year old Emi McDade's music has taken her travelling throughout the UK. After being voted Gloucestershire Solo Artist of the Year 2014, the young folk/pop singer-songwriter has performed on stages such as BBC Introducing, Guildhall, The Bedford and many others, headlining the Acoustic Stage of Dot to Dot Festival, as well as supporting artists such as JP Cooper, Fiona Bevan, Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Kal Lavelle, and most recently, Toyah Willcox.
With her recent single 'Faith', Emi has received extensive radio play throughout the UK, Australia and America (as well as regular play on BBC and BBC Introducing), and became a finalist in 2015 Song Academy Young Songwriter of the Year. Her new single, 'Illusions', has just been released and you can buy it on iTunes here.
The event will be held at Christ Church Downend on Friday 18th December 2015. Doors open at 7.30pm and there will be a full bar serving GWB real ale, cider, wine and a range of soft drinks, for which we encourage you to bring your own glass.
Tickets are priced at £10 in advance and £12 on the door, and are available from Melanie’s Kitchen, Bristol Ticket Shop or online here. They’re already selling fast, so we recommend that you don’t hang about!