‘Space Oddity’. ‘Suspicious Minds’. ‘Pinball Wizard’. ‘Whole Lotta Love’. ‘Come Together’ – 1969 could easily be said to be a vintage year for music, the end of a decade that changed the world and the introduction to one that would prove equally inspirational. It would also see the birth of a band that would start as an idea to electrify traditional music and would go on to become one of the most enduring stories in the folk-rock world and beyond. Over the past fifty years, Steeleye Span have come to define the concept of English folk rock – taking it from the world of small clubs into the charts, concert halls and festivals around the globe.
The story of their career has included incredible moment after incredible moment – taking Latin carol ‘Gaudete’ onto Top Of The Pops, recording with David Bowie and Peter Sellers, showering their audiences with pound notes, scoring a top five hit with ‘All Around My Hat’, touring UK arenas with Status Quo, reuniting virtually all their members for a famous 25th anniversary show and entering their fifth decade as creatively inspired and active as ever – including the acclaimed Wintersmith album with Sir Terry Pratchett.
Featuring some of the most famous names in folk music from down the years.. (Martin Carthy, Tim Hart, Bob Johnson, John Kirkpatrick, Peter Knight, Ken Nicol, Liam Genockey), the band has perhaps been most identified with Maddy Prior – one of the most distinctive voices in British music. Helping found the band with her musical partner Tim Hart, she has steered Steeleye through their various incarnations, as well as a successful solo career and a number of regular collaborations with the likes of June Tabor and The Carnival Band. Steeped in the mythology and history of the British Isles – and beyond – her lyrics have retold some of the most notable stories in the tradition. Tales of love, tragedy, injustice, murder, revenge and redemption – all have come to personify the band’s musical sound, a marrying of folk tunes with the finest in rock instrumentation.
As they celebrate their milestone anniversary, Steeleye Span show no signs of slowing down. Releasing seven studio and four live albums since the turn of the century, their current seven-piece line-up ranks as one of the strongest of their long history and features John Kirkpatrick’s son Benji from Bellowhead amongst others. Starting the year with a return to Ireland for three shows, including St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, they will tour the UK in March and April – once more revisiting famous moments and hidden gems from their career. This will lead to the release of their 24th studio album Est 1969, later in the year and another chapter in one of the most famous stories in modern music.
Steeleye Span: The 50th Anniversary Tour 2019
Thurs 21st March – Burnley Mechanics Theatre Burnley
Box Office: 01282 664400
https://burnleymechanics.ticketsolve.com/shows/873595099
Fri 22nd March – Lowther Pavilion Lytham St Annes
Box Office: 01253 794221
http://lowtherpavilion.co.uk/event.php?E=34203
Sat 23rd March – The Winding Wheel Chesterfield
Box Office: 01246 345222
https://www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk/shows/steeleye-span.aspx#.XAaiHOKYQdU
Sun 24th March – Grand Opera House York
Box Office: 08448 717615
https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/steeleye-span/grand-opera-house-york/
Mon 25th March – Hippodrome Darlington
Box Office: 01325 405405
https://www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk/whats-on/steeleye-span-50th-anniversary-tour/
Wed 27th March – Playhouse Whitley Bay
Box Office: 08442 481588
https://www.playhousewhitleybay.co.uk/events/steeleye-span-s-50th-anniversary-tour/
Thurs 28th March – Theatre Royal & Opera House Wakefield
Box Office: 01294 211311
https://www.theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk/whats-on/steeleye-span/
Fri 29th March – Palace Theatre Newark
Box Office: 01636 655755
https://www.palacenewarktickets.com/en-GB/shows/steeleye%20span/info
Sat 30th March – Hertford Theatre Hertford
Box Office: 01992 531500
https://www.hertfordtheatre.com/events/detail/2059/steeleye-spans-50th-anniversary-tour
Sun 31st March – Prince of Wales Cannock
Box Office: 01942 828508
https://boxoffice.wlct.org/event_description.aspx?eventid=801
Tue 2nd April – The King’s Hall & Winter Garden Ilkley
Box Office: 01274 432000
https://www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/whats-on/steeleye-span-in-concert-2
Wed 3rd April – De Montford Hall Leicester
Box Office: 01162 333111
http://www.demontforthall.co.uk/events/events.php/2019/2071/steeleye-span
Fri 5th April – Tivoli Theatre Wimbourne
Box Office: 01202 885566
https://www.tivoliwimborne.co.uk/event/steeleye-span-in-concert/
Sat 6th April – Brewhouse Theatre Taunton
Box Office: 01823 283244
https://www.thebrewhouse.net/event/steeleye-spans-50th-anniversary-tour/
Sun 7th April – St David’s Hall Cardiff
Box Office: 02920 878444
https://www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk/whats-on/rock-pop/steeleye-span/
Mon 8th April – Theatre Severn Shrewsbury
Box Office: 01743 281281
https://www.theatresevern.co.uk/shows/whatson/steeleye-span
Wed 10th April – New Vic Theatre Newcastle Under Lyme
Box Office: 01782 717962
http://www.newvictheatre.org.uk/productions/steeleye-span-2/
Thurs 11th April – Regent Theatre Ipswich
Box Office: 01473 433100
https://apps.ipswich.gov.uk/en-GB/events/steeleye%20span%2050th%20anniversary%20tour/2019-4-11_19.30/grand%20hall%2c%20corn%20exchange
Fri 12th April – Marina Theatre Lowestoft
Box Office: 01502 533200
http://www.marinatheatre.co.uk/production/steeleye-span/
Sat 13th April – Revelation Ashford
Box Office: 01233 663201
https://revelationashford.co.uk/whats-on/steeleye-span/
Sun 14th April – Theatre Royal Winchester
Box Office: 01962 840440
https://www.theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk/steeleye-span/
Tue 16th April – Playhouse Epsom
Box Office: 01372 742555
http://www.epsomplayhouse.co.uk/shows/steeleye-span
Wed 17th April – Stag Theatre Sevenoaks
Box Office: 01732 450175
https://stagsevenoaks.co.uk/film/steeleye-span/
Thurs 18th April – The Capitol Horsham
Box Office: 01403 750220
https://www.thecapitolhorsham.com/whats-on/all-shows/steeleye-span-50th-anniversary-tour/14009
More here – http://steeleyespan.org.uk/tour/