Two members of the new re-vitalised Albion Band have been nominated in the 2013 BBC Folk Awards. The nominations were announced on Mike Harding’s BBC Radio 2 folk programme. Blair Dunlop has been nominated for the Horizon Award and Katriona Gilmore has been nominated with Jamie Roberts for the Best Duo Award. The nominations – four in each category – will go forward to the next round of voting and the results will be announced at the Folk Award ceremony in Glasgow on Wednesday 30 January 2013.
The announcements come as the Albion Band complete the last week of their current successful autumn tour and we caught up with a few when they dropped in on the AFO Conference (Association of Festival Organisers) last weekend in time for a great evening session with musicians from Canada and the British folk scene including James Findlay, Jess Morgan, Winter Wilson and more. A great time was had by all!
“We are absolutely thrilled to have received the nominations” Blair announced from the stage at this evening’s show “and we are very grateful to everyone who has helped and supported us so far”
Their manager added that “interest in the Albion Band as a whole has been steadily growing and these nominations will help to continue that trend and for people to recognise the talents within the band”.
As well as Blair and Katriona, the new Albion Band features other rising stars of the folk world – Gavin Davenport, (vocals, concertina and guitar), Tom Wright (drums), Tim Yates (bass), and Benjamin Trott (lead guitarist).Together they capture the spirit of the original band of the 1970s, they live up to its reputation and draw inspiration from it. With a repertoire that spans material from the original band and compositions from the newest of members the Albion show will appeal to audiences of all ages.
Special Guest for Exter Gig: Phil Beer
In other Albion Band news they have a special guest joining them for their Exeter gig
The Albion Band is delighted to announce that Phil Beer will be their special guest at their debut gig at the Corn Exchange on Sunday 25 November. Phil will join the new incarnation of the legendary folk rock band for several songs from the extensive Albion Band repertoire as well as working with the current members on some new tunes.
Phil was a member of the Albion Band from 1984 until 1991 and contributed to nearly a dozen albums. Like many other members Phil worked on other projects at the same time eventually becoming one half of the highly successful west country duo Show of Hands in 1991 as well as establishing his own solo career.
The band he will guest with on Sunday was formed in 2011 and is the latest in a long history of different line-ups since the band’s first creation in the early 70s. This young line-up leads directly back to the Guv’nor himself, Albion Band founder Ashley Hutchings. He handed the baton to his son Blair Dunlop to recruit other rising stars Katriona Gilmore (fiddle and vocals); Gavin Davenport, (vocals, concertina and guitar), Tim Yates (bass), Benjamin Trott (lead guitarist) and local drummer Tom Wright. This new Albion Band captures the spirit of the original band of the 1970s and draws inspiration from it. But the six piece line-up is no tribute act as it firmly stamps its own trademark on arrangements of traditional material, covers of songs from stalwarts of the folk scene (including Richard Thompson and Phil Beer) and adds diversity with compositions from individual band members and covers of mainstream artists.
“We are thrilled that Phil has agreed to be our guest at the show” says Blair “we hope he will agree that we are living up to the reputation of the original band – we will certainly enjoy having him on stage playing with us”
Sessions
Blair Dunlop: ‘Less The Pawn’ w/Larkin Poe
Performing at Songs from the Shed
Here is Jamie and Katriona performing ‘Seven Left for Dead’ from a recent Folk Radio UK Session:
Full session here
Gilmore & Roberts – ‘Scarecrow’ LIVE
Tour Dates
24 November, Pavilion, Hailsham, 01323 841414
25 November, Corn Exchange, Exeter, 01392 665938
27 November, Thunderbolt, Bristol,
29 November, The Greystones, Sheffield, 0114 266 5599
30 November, Trinity Arts Centre, Gainsborough, 01427 676655
2 December, Great British Folk Festival, Skegness,