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Beyond the Festival and Beach Sessions present Boo Hewerdine and We Were Strangers in the beautiful setting of Waterbeach Baptist Chapel, just outside Cambridge. This special evening brings together Boo, an Ivor Novello Award nominated singer/songwriter who has penned many critically acclaimed songs since starting out with his band The Bible 30 years ago, and a hotly tipped band from Manchester featuring the talents of Stefan Melbourne and Chloe Leavers. Both acts are releasing new albums in 2017.
Cambridge Folk Festival regular Boo Hewerdine is well known as one of the greatest songwriter performers in the business, but incredibly, it’s been 8 years since the release of his last studio album of original material. The new album ‘Swimming in Mercury’ and single ‘Satellite Town’ will be released by Reveal Records in April. Boo will showcase songs from the album at the concert.
The artist with whom Boo is most regularly associated (as a songwriter, musician and producer) is Brit Award-winning, former Fairground Attraction singer, and Scottish national treasure, Eddi Reader MBE. Together they enjoyed international success with the hit single “Patience of Angels”, written by Boo, and Boo also produced Reader’s classic folk album “Sings The Songs Of Robert Burns”. During 2017 Boo will continue to enjoy playing live and writing new material with Reader, with tours scheduled in Australia and the UK. Boo has boundless energy and is constantly working with other artists including Findlay Napier, Brooks Williams (dueting in State of the Union), Chris Difford and Tanya Brittain (the Changing Room), and Kris Drever of Lau and Duke Special.
“One of the country’s most consistently admired songwriters’ Folk Radio UK
“Simple, poetic reflections on life and love” The Guardian
We Were Strangers blends the beautiful voices of Stefan Melbourne and Chloe Leavers with acoustic and electric guitars to create an ethereal and mesmerising sound. Their first EP "Before" was welcomed and applauded by bloggers and listeners alike, paving the way for the album " Beneath a Broken Sky ", released on 10th March. 2017 promises to be an exciting year for the band as they head off on a European tour and a summer appearance at Bluedot Festival at Jodrell Bank.
A moving and fluent anthology of heartbreak and nostalgia, We Were Strangers’ new album conveys a gritty sense of sorrow but with a prevalent and fierce feeling of hope running throughout. Steeped in the rich heritage of the North and somehow possessed by the insistent, rain soaked Manchester streets, We Were Strangers won't disappoint. Stefan and Chloe will be well known to the Beach Sessions fans as they have previously shared a stage with The Slow Show and Jess Morgan.
“WWS are far from retro, their enjoyable modern landscapes sonically picturing both the city and the hills surrounding it - such a refreshing and original perspective in a sea of bland indie bands. We give them 4/5”. - Manchester Music.
“‘Unforgiving War’ was fragile and beautiful, ‘Giving It All Away’ is a powerful, driving slice of Americana which betrays the influence of The War On Drugs.” - For Folk’s Sake
The intimate surroundings of Waterbeach Baptist Chapel combine excellent acoustics with a chance to get close to the musicians. It even has its own pop up café which can be enjoyed before the show and during the interval. There is also a pub next door where interval drinks can be pre-ordered. Just a short walk from Waterbeach railway station, the venue is easily accessible from Ely, Cambridge and London.
This is the first excursion out of Cambridge for ‘Beyond the Festival’, which was established to ensure that the magic of Cambridge Folk Festival extends well beyond the four days spent at its spiritual home in Cherry Hinton each year. Beach Sessions has been programming original music from electronica and indie to contemporary folk for 5 years and has played host to many national and local musicians including Blue Rose Code, The Slow Show, Straw Bear, Tom Adams, Shield Patterns, Vienna Ditto to name but a few.
Seats are unreserved. Please be aware tickets normally sell out in advance.
3 Hrs