Lots of you'll be glad to see the great John Smith on the bill for 2023 after he had to drop out of the 2022 festival after a positive Covid test.
Steeped in the lineage of British folk, taking his cue from Richard Thompson and John Martyn, Smith has evolved a transatlantic blend of fingerstyle and slide guitar techniques. His intimate takes on love, loss and the journey we make, combined with his innovative guitar work, have won him a loyal following. His honey-on-gravel voice and mesmerizing fingerstyle guitar are undeniable. Sometimes using a slide, sometimes with guitar on his lap, sometimes detuning mid-song, Smith’s obsession with the instrument has made a master of him. Whether by way of album or concert, he leads the listener, enthralled in his presence, on a viscerally emotional journey.
“There’s something wonderfully unforced about both his playing and his vocals...in the weight of experience that he brings to his songs...it’s rare these days to find an audience so wrapped up in a performance”
Simon O'Hagan, The Independent
He'll be playing Sunday - as the trio on the Lake Stage and solo on the Folk Stage.
There are still loads of announcements to come and tier 1 tickets are still available, so grab yours before we switch to tier 2 tickets at slightly higher prices when tier 1 sells out. Tickets here.
Watch this space tomorrow when we announce a couple of great folk acts, one from Birmingham and another from Ireland.
Yours
The GTSF Team