The Fiddle Tree's 2008 concert programme continues at the Baronial Hall, Birnam House Hotel on Thursday March 20th with a concert by London's highly rated six-piece bluegrass band, The Southern Tenant Folk Union.
Formed by Belfast born five-string banjo player Pat McGarvey and taking their name from the ground breaking multi-racial union of sharecroppers and non-landowning tenant farmers founded in Arkansas in the 1930´s, the Southern Tenant Folk Union are an explosive new London based bluegrass outfit.
Writing and performing their own unique brand of Old-Time, Bluegrass, Gospel and Celtic Folk, Southern Tenant Folk Union appropriate the themes, ideas and metaphors from traditional folk songs and 20th century Americana music to document and reflect modern life through styles popularised by musicians such as The Carter Family, The Stanley Brothers and even Dillard + Clark. Pat McGarvey, band member and songwriter for (ex Long Ryder) Sid Griffin´s bluegrass project The Coal Porters since 1993, has served his musical apprenticeship touring the world and recording a number of albums, as well as countless collaborations with other key Americana acts including Tandy, Amy Rigby, Ian Dunlop (of Gram Parsons´ International Submarine Band), Rosie Flores, Jason McNiff, Bob Neuwirth & The Arlenes. Keen to find a more personal outlet for his writing, in early 2006, McGarvey gathered a collective of like minded musicians that share his love of traditional music, but each with their own individual take on such tradition: Oliver Talkes (guitar), whose unique, soulful voice is at the heart of the STFU sound, Pete Gow (guitar), from the Alt. Country band Case Hardin who has performed with the likes of Chris Mills, Stacey Earle and Caitlin Cary. Frances Vaux (Fiddle) with her background in jazz and Irish Folk and anchored by stalwarts of the London folk scene Eamon Flynn (mandolin) and Matt Lloyd (upright bass). Their influences are impeccable - the Louvin Brothers (beloved by Hank Wangford and Reg Meuross) included. If you loved the soundtrack for "Oh Brother Where Art Thou?" you'll love this. Should be an interesting night.
For more informatio, visit
www.southerntenantfolkunion.com.
The concert starts at 8.00 p.m. and there is no support.
Tickets are priced £8, bought in advance or £10 on the door. Under-18s' tickets are £3 or 2 for a fiver. They are on sale now at Birnam House Hotel (01350 727462), Zigzags, Dunkeld (01350 728666) and Birnam CD (01350 727158).
Advance tickets for Fiddle Tree events can also now be purchased online at
www.thefiddletree.com and
www.thebooth.co.uk.
