We are pleased to confirm that our Spring/Summer 2014 Programme is now complete with the news that the fabulous Gren Bartley will be the guest at Downend Folk Club in July.

Gren will be performing a solo gig on Friday 18th July as he continues to tour is critically acclaimed "Winter Fires" album.

“As an acoustic finger-picking guitar and banjo player he has few if any equals in his age group; as an acoustic rooted-in-folk writer he's developing an alarmingly good canon of work" - R2 Magazine

Gren Bartley is a prolific and exceptional songwriter. He is constantly touring and forever writing. The critically acclaimed new album “Winter Fires” (out Spring 2013) is yet another giant leap forward and is building further upon the success of 2012’s critically acclaimed “Songs To Scythe Back The Overgrown”. 

“A quiet triumph, no less” - fRoots

Showcasing his “phenomenal” guitar playing and poetry driven lyrics, the new album also marks the first time Gren will be performing selected dates with his band. Stunning four part harmonies and intricate string arrangements offer an even deeper intrigue to the new material already described as “spine tinglingly beautiful”. The drive of the percussion and the orchestral flourishes sweep the audience into the narratives and subtly embellish the songs. This new direction for Bartley “deserves your attention”.

“If awe inspiring albums really are delivered through vivid dreams whilst slipping in and out of illness induced delirium, then I want what Gren Bartley had. "Songs To Scythe Back The Overgrown" is an album that will enhance his reputation, not only as a top guitar and banjo picker, but also as a wordsmith and fully fledged troubadour. He wields his serrated edge sound with surgical precision, cutting deep into your psyche and then seeing which nerves reach the heart strings, which ones operate the tear ducts and which ones just get the feet tapping. A game changing album.” - FATEA Magazine

Gren is touring relentlessly either solo, as a duo or with the full band. The workshops he hosts in guitar playing and songwriting have been described as “brilliantly fresh”. Gren is truly the future of folk songwriting, using his influences from folk and blues traditions to bring something unique to this modern day troubadour. He is an artist not to be missed.

“One to really look out for...” - BBC Radio 2