The Urban Folk Quartet, one of the most exciting and vibrant bands on the UK acoustic/ roots scene, are heading back out on the road for their annual autumn tour.
“They a shamanistic grasp of musical shapeshifting….with almost limitless reserves of musicality to call upon.” Simon Holland reviewing The UFQ’s The Escape.
Founded in 2009, The UFQ are a ‘folk group’ like no other. Across six albums (three studio; three live), they’ve developed a unique global sound that – though still rooted in both traditional songs and Celtic dance forms – has grown to embrace Eastern European flourishes, Middle Eastern melodies, and rhythms associated with Afrobeat, north India and Cuba. American bluegrass, funk and the occasional stray EDM reference are also audible as tunes, jigs, reels and songs spiral outwards into tightly rehearsed and improvised directions.
Highly accomplished musicians, Joe Broughton (fiddle, mandolin, guitar), Paloma Trigás (fiddle), Tom Chapman (percussion) and Dan Walsh (banjo, guitar) have – collectively and as individuals – played with such established names as Joss Stone, The Albion Band, Sharon Shannon, Altan, Carlos Nuñez, Bellowhead, Fairport Convention, The Levellers, Seth Lakeman, The Conservatoire Folk Ensemble, Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar, and more.
Heading out after a summer of festivals and European dates, expect to hear a mix of revitalised and subtly changing old favourites alongside rapidly evolving new tracks. Entering a bold new phase epitomised by trust, confidence and experimentation, it’s fair to say that – even if set-lists seem identical – they never play the same show twice!
“It’s always enjoyable seeing how the new stuff goes down, how it interacts with the pieces around it and just generally taking it beyond the rehearsal room,” says Tom, one of the UK’s most accomplished and best-known cajón players. “We’re not afraid to swap things around night-by-night and give it a go. It’s a great feeling when you have a solid set list down and you feel like you know everything inside out, but this phase of experimentation [we’re currently in] is equally as exciting, and I hope audiences get a sense of that.”
The Urban Folk Quartet Autumn 2018 Tour
Fri 19 Oct – Fat Lils, 64 Corn Street, Witney, Oxfordshire
Sun 28 Oct – Hitchin Folk Club, The Sun Inn, Hitchin, Herts (support from Kelly Oliver)
Fri 02 Nov – Eastside Jazz Club, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, 200 Jennens Road, Birmingham
Sun 04 Nove – Town Hall Maldon, Market Hill, Maldon, Essex
Sat 10 Nov – Herman Chapel Arts Centre, Oswestry, Shropshire
Sat 17 Nov – Old Bakery Studios, Blewetts Wharf, Malpas Road, Truro, Cornwall
Sun 18 Nov – Kingskerswell Parish Church, Church End Road, Kingskerswell, Newton Abbot, Devon
Thu 22 Nov – Foxlowe Arts Centre, Market Place, Leek, Staffordshire
Fri 23 Nov – Memorial Hall, Arkengarthdale Road, Reeth, Richmond, North Yorkshire
Sat 01 Dec – Hailsham Pavilion, George St, Hailsham, East Sussex
Sat 15 Dec – Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Eastgate Street, Stafford
For full details of The UFQ’s touring schedule see: www.theufq.com