Debs at FolkintheBarn

Hi I'm Debs.... One of the things I do is run a music promotion 'thing' called Folk in the Barn, down here in the South East, near the beautiful and historic City of Canterbury. Originally I put on gigs in a beautiful, atmospheric, old (but modernized) Tithe Barn in the village of Kingston, near to Canterbury, but soon expanded to using other fantastic local venues such as the stunningly beautiful Canterbury Cathedral International Study Centre. Last year saw the list of events grow and venues included the quaint Whitstable Playhouse and my favourite Canterbury Theatre ....The Gulbenkian. Folk in the Barn has a website www.folkinthebarn.co.uk check it out and come along. The choice of artistes reflects my current personal taste in acoustic/rootsy/folky/rocky/pop-skiffly music!
I am also very fortunate to represent one of the most entertaining Bands around, the truly wonderful ColvinQuarmby, an unmitigated force for good and without whom the world would be a poorer place. Check them out www.colvinquarmby.com and they've got a myspace (see below) as well!
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Friday 15th & Saturday 16th May 2009
Folk in the Barn & Atkin Guitars present...
TURIN BRAKES
supported by KATE WALSH
Canterbury Cathedral International Study Centre doors 7.15pm for 8pm, Tickets £17 or £15 concesssions
Both nights - SOLD OUT!!
"Turin Brakes are a modern folk pop duo, comprising guitarist/vocalist Ollie Knights and multi-instrumentalist Gale Paridjanian, who grew up as friends in Balham, south London. Both were members of their local church choir, and in 1989 they sang in front of the Queen at the memorial service for the Marchioness riverboat tragedy. Ten years later they were making music together as Turin Brakes. The four-track EP "The Door' was released in August 1999 on the tiny Brighton independent, Anvil, and led to a recording contract with the UK branch of hip French label, Source Records. The duo's semi-acoustic sensibility drew comparisons to bands associated with the US alt country scene and the UK's new acoustic movement. Paridjanian's dexterous guitar work and Knights" soulful vocals added a unique spin to their intricately textured, folk-inflected songs. The album was nominated for a Mercury Award and proved to be a slow-burning commercial winner, selling in excess of 200,000 copies over a period of two years.
Buoyed by the success of their first album The Optimist , Paridjanian and Knights broke into the UK Top 5 in February 2003 with the sublime "Pain Killer (Summer Rain)". The single was taken from their second album, Ether Song, which saw the duo embracing a more pop-orientated sound to notable commercial effect.
5 critically aclaimed albums, 8 top 40 singles and numerous tours (including supporting David Gray) and festival appearances later - last Autumn saw the band back in the studio recording new material. They have also been working with and writing for Take That, resulting in the track "Here" on 2008's The Circus, and Lisa Mitchell for her upcoming album The Attic Space. Their music has featured in numerous film and tv programmes, including Hollyoaks, The OC, Smallville and the recent Zach Braff (Scrubs) movie 'The Last Kiss' AND not forgetting the Special K advert!
Kate Walsh
"A graduate of the Brighton Institute of Modern Music, her first album was Clocktower Park, released in 2003 by Kitchenware Records. The album was named for a meeting place in her home town. In 2007, she released her second album, Tim's House. It quickly became the No. 1 album on the UK iTunes Store knocking Take That off the Number 1 spot. The album also features her most popular song, Your Song. Her big break came when she gained iTunes customers' attention when her song Talk of the Town became the iTunes Free Single of the Week from the week beginning 20th March 2007. With her No.1 here and Top 10 iTunes across Europe then a No.1 on the US iTunes Folk Chart, Kate quickly became the talk of the global music industry, leapfrogging over established artists such as Kaiser Chiefs, Arcade Fire and Amy Winehouse through the massive word-of-mouth digital buzz.
A classically trained pianist and accomplished guitarist, her 'Your Song' recently featured in the soundtrack to the hit movie 'Angus Thongs and perfect Snogging'. Now signed to Mercury records - Kate is probably the most high profile 'support' artist we are ever likely to have. I'm sure after this we'll see her back here headlining her own show.
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Saturday 13th June 2009
Peter Knight's Gigspanner

At the Kingston Barn, Nr Canterbury, Kent CT4 6JB Doors 7.15 for 8pm, Tickets £11
Many will be familiar with Peter Knight’s exemplary work with Steeleye Span for (with a small sabbatical) some 30 odd years. Others will know of his sterling work with Feast Of Fiddles for some years too. But when Peter steps away from these institutions into his own world, put away your preconceptions and be prepared for a virtuoso rollercoaster ride of musical styles, colour and intensity.Gigspanner is just that.What Peter can do with a violin is breathtaking - from the soaring fiddle work that we all know and love, through pizzicato work to being gently strummed the colour and tonality he can bring from the instrument are remarkable. His partners in crime are no less exciting. Vincent Salzfaas deftly underpins everything with wonderful tuned percussion – sometimes subtle and at other times full blown in your face but always beautifully complimenting the playing of the other two. Roger Flack’s guitar work is …. perfect. There is just no other word for it. Sometimes percussive, sometimes harmonic, sometimes lyrical …. but never intrusive. He’s almost minimalist in his approach, but if he wasn’t there, his absence would be immediately noticed and leave a gaping hole.There were times when the players ceased to be a band and became a single entity, totally caught up in the music. It was interesting, exciting and challenging. Often there was a feeling of ‘here we go – see you at the other end’ and the intrigue of what was going to happen in between. All in all it was a magical evening, and I can’t recommend this band highly enough.Gigspanner is touring next year. Go Barry Howard: TalkawhileSeldom have the walls of Rye Community Centre, ever witnessed such extraordinary talent as echoed through their bricks and mortar on Saturday evening. Not least for the empathy and musical harmony engendered by this truly amazing trio who go by the name of Gigspanner.Local man Peter Knight a brilliant violin virtuoso (from Steeleye Span) accompanied by the no lesser talents of Roger Flack on guitar and Vincent Salzfaas on congas – combined to play their unique sound. For those in the audience who were there to witness – for a mere pittance of an entry fee – an evening of musical excellence that is rarely experienced, the music was not only memorable but left one feeling uplifted and blown away by their combined brilliance.Percussion genius Vincent Salzfaas on the congas and Roger Flack on guitar bounced off one another and danced musically together to create a musical evening with Celtic undercurrents and rhythms of superb professional perfection.My favourite piece, Sharpe Goes Walkabout, carries you through a building crescendo which uplifts and sweeps you away with its twists and turns. Hearing something as profound as this I realised I was witnessing a rare musical moment. It brought a tear to my eye.Gigspanner may have just produced their debut CD but judging on this performance – there are great things to come.As individuals these guys have reached a musical maturity finding their ultimate expression together and with special guest saxophonist Trevor Watts whose lyrical renditions to the group only enhanced the performance, making the entire evening shine with a brilliance rarely seen in this picturesque Sussex town.Review of Gigspanner - at Rye Community Centre on December 13th 2008 Colin Miller-Hoare
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[email protected]
Details of how to book on the website...www.folkinthebarn.co.uk