Award winning folk duo Spiers and Boden have announced that their Spring tour next year (2014) will be their last together for the foreseeable future. They’ve played together for over a decade, were a key part of Eliza Carthy’s Mercury Prize nominated ‘Ratcatchers’ band and notably, were the movers behind the foundation of Bellowhead. It’s been the ever greater creative and time commitments with that band that has led to their decision to split.
‘Bellowhead has surpassed our wildest expectations’ said John Spiers, and at this time we feel it’s better to focus our energies with them. I’m very proud of what we’ve done as a duo and equally excited about what the future may bring’.
Spiers and Boden first played together in 1999 with their first album ‘Through & Through’, released on the Fellside label in 2001. In 2002 they played on Eliza Carthy’s Mercury nominated ‘Anglicana’ album and subsequently toured with her. 2003 saw the duo win the Horizon Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, followed up scooping up accolades for Best Duo in 2004 and 2006. In 2004 whilst on tour together, they came up with the concept of Bellowhead. In 2011, Spiers and Boden released their last album ‘The Works’ (Navigator) – an acclaimed compilation of re-recorded tracks from their previous five albums. In Spring 2013 the duo undertook the innovative Backyard Songs tour, playing material relevant to each show’s environment and inviting local audiences to contribute local songs, dances and folklore.
‘It has been a great experience – I’ve loved every minute – from playing the grass-roots folk clubs to putting on our own 10th anniversary show at the Shepherds Bush Empire’ said Jon Boden, ‘it’s been a tough decision to make but the opportunities that Bellowhead now offer are rare and juggling both has become increasingly difficult. We’d like to thank everyone who has supported us along the way’.
SPIERS & BODEN – Spring 2014 – FAREWELL TOUR
MARCH:
Fri 7th Hungry Horse Folk Club, Ellesmere Port
Sat 8th Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan
Sun 9th Topsham Folk Club, Devon
Mon 10th The Tolmen Centre, Constantine, Cornwall
Tue 11th Swindon Arts Centre
Wed 12th The Lights, Andover
Thu 13th The Scala, London
Fri 14th Open, Norwich
Sat 15th The Engine Shed, Lincoln
Sun 16th Library Theatre, Sheffield
Tue 18th Wulfren Hall, Wolverhampton
Wed 19th The Arts Centre, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk
Thu 20th Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester
Fri 21st Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal
Sat 22nd Sage Gateshead, Gateshead
Sun 23rd Pocklington Arts Centre 01759 301 547 / pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk
MAY:
Sat 3rd Bristol Folk Festival
Thu 8th Mayfield Festival, East Sussex
Fri 9th The Stables, Milton Keynes
Sat 10th Harrogate Theatre, North Yorkshire
Sun 11th Key Theatre, Peterborough
Mon 12th Colchester Arts Centre
Thu 15th Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex BN43 5EG
Fri 16th Oxford Town Hall
Sat 17th The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
Sun 18th The Courtyard, Hereford
Mon 19th The Octagon Theatre, Yeovil
Tue 20th Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
Wed 21st Red Lion Folk Club, Birmingham
Thu 22nd Y Theatre, Leicester
Sat 24th Cheltenham Town Hall