Local Acts Announced for Thursday
- Gate to Southwell
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
GTSF will again be promoting some of the best musical talent from the Midlands.
The headliners on Thursday July 3rd will be acclaimed Americana and Alt-country band Lawrence County. Hailing from the Bagthorpe Delta of Nottinghamshire, and inspired by the same landscape as local literary hero DH Lawrence, they create an earthy infectious foot-stomping vibe as showcased on their 2020 album ‘The Frailty of Humans’. Lawrence County promise “folklore laced tales full of fire and brimstone, death, demon drink, preacher men and troubled souls”. Just check out their fine version of ‘Nottamun Town’.
Supporting Lawrence County in Thursday’s Local Artists Showcase will be a diverse array of talented Midlands performers including Warren Ireland, Sticky Bones Jones and Swing Chickens. Warren Ireland combines live loops with powerful vocals, clever guitar work and thumping beatboxing to create a high-energy original mix of blues and folk. He’s entertained crowds across the UK with songs long loved and written himself, such as ‘Something So Right’
Meanwhile Sticky Bones Jones has, by his own admission, “fallen down a Bluegrass rabbit hole feet first.” Initially inspired by the great Billy Strings before embracing artists such as Doc Watson and Flatt & Scruggs, Sticky Bones plays old favourites and calso reates his own music. Expect “a range of foot stomping originals about personal life and haunting songs about legendary highwaymen and enchanting instrumentals.”
In musical contrast, Swing Chickens are a Nottingham-based acoustic trio whose upbeat, original compositions – flavoured with gypsy jazz, folk and even punk – have been inspired by everything from politics to cake. They don't fit into a box or a genre, but they always swing. Here’s ‘Pipistrelle’
The Local Artists Showcase kicks off on the Thursday afternoon with Scarlett Kirwan, a talented singer-songwriter influenced by artists including Joni Mitchell and Florence Welch. She released her folk pop debut EP ‘Glow’ last year and has just followed it up with her single ‘Julie’ following a sell-out show at Sheffield’s Leadmill.
Scarlett will be followed on the Frontier stage by Lincolnshire-based songwriter & performer Will Martin, who’s musically influenced by Americana, folk, classical and Dance. He’s a purveyor of bittersweet songs such as ‘Bed Sheets To Soften’ and ‘With The Ground’.
Next comes Nottingham’s own Jess Breame with her own brand of New Country and Americana. Jess has previously performed at Glastonbury and Splendour among other major festivals. Praised for her husky vocals and evocative storytelling, she’ll be heading off on a USA tour later this year. She released her debut album ‘Gypsy Soul’ back in 2021 and played a memorable set at Metronome in Nottingham in 2023.
Paul Carbuncle is no stranger to GTSF, having won the open mic competition back in the day. He returns armed with folk songs of Kent (via Nottingham), folk songs of Nottingham (via Kent) and “a formidable right hand”.
And finally Shanks Pony, a festival-style four piece of guitar, cahon, fiddle and double bass. They simply aim “to play with joy and abandon, with inherent charm and earnest storytelling”; they’re “four old friends playing music that will have everyone dancing, singing and smiling”, as illustrated here performing ‘God Save My Sanity’ at Valefest in Bolsover
It all starts at 3.30pm and with quick turnarounds goes until 10.30pm. And see the summary page here with timings.
