Rescheduling a postponed Canadian tour from last year, UK folk stars The Magpies team up with locals The Bombadils for a fantastic double-bill at The Carleton on Thursday, November 2nd. Show time is 7:30 PM. Tickets are an affordable $25 + HST. This is going to be a dynamite show, we’re excited about it!
Transatlantic folk band The Magpies are quickly becoming one of the most exciting and innovative acts on the contemporary roots scene. Combining sublime harmonies with exquisite musicianship and impressive songwriting, The Magpies traverse Anglo and American roots, drawing inspiration from traditional Celtic folk, bluegrass and Appalachian trails, to create an effortless melting pot of music.
Accomplished musicians in their own right, founding members Bella Gaffney (award winning singer-songwriter, guitarist and banjoist) and Holly Brandon (acclaimed fiddle player and tunesmith) perform alongside some of the UK’s finest roots musicians. These gifted young musicians work collaboratively to create their fresh brand of transatlantic folk and champion gender equality in the music industry, with a fervent thread of feminism running through their music.
In their live performances, The Magpies have been exceptionally well-received, touring extensively throughout the UK, with festival highlights including Glastonbury, Cambridge, Larmer Tree, Shambala, Towersey and Deer Shed and international performances in USA, Canada, Ireland, Portugal and Luxembourg. Their live shows are known for their high energy and wry delivery, transporting audiences to distant lands with ethereal voices and glistening instrumentals.
The trio have a packed summer of UK and European festivals ahead and will now be touring Canada and the UK, alongside the release of an exciting new musical project.
‘One of those effervescent albums you’d be happy to recommend to people who might not consider themselves folk fans’ – The Sunday Times
‘Folk with finesse’ – The Daily Mail
‘Check that album out! Really good mix of songs and instrumentals – they’re great players!’ – Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 2
Canadian Folk Music Award nominees The Bombadils offer emotionally stirring and intimate lyrics with intertwining string-band arrangements, and tinges of bluegrass. Canadian arts journalist Bob Mersereau calls it “folk tunes done with musical adventure and sophistication” and Elmore Magazine, “an enchanting folk romp.”
Making their home in the foggy port city of Halifax, Canada, the band features folk darlings Sarah Frank and Luke Fraser plus guests from their extended musical family. Tour highlights include Koerner Hall in Toronto, Tivoli Gardens in Denmark, and Wintergrass festival outside Seattle. Their recent release, Dear Friend comes after having moved to Atlantic Canada and launching straight into the rush of new parenthood, a new city, and a global pandemic. The 11-song album was recorded between lockdowns and daycare pick-ups, and it is a series of love letters of a certain kind—to family and friends, strangers and neighbours, cities and landscapes, and to each other.