Scottish folksinger and guitarist Kris Drever heads over to Ireland next month for a solo tour taking in Clonakilty International Guitar Festival along the way and ending at the world-famous Whelan’s in Dublin. He then heads back to the UK in November for another extensive round of tour dates (see details below).
In 2020, Reveal Records, which has been Kris’s label since his 2006 debut (Black Water), celebrated its 15th Anniversary. I interviewed the label owner Tom Rose who happily recalled hearing Kris Drever for the first time and how this moment made him start the label.
“At this time [2005], my friend Ian took me to a few folk gigs, the first ones he took me to were by Kate Rusby, Chris Wood and Bellowhead. At the Kate Rusby gig, during her headline set, Kate introduced her young guitarist Kris Drever who stepped up to sing one song “Farewell To Fuinary” – WOW! I was just stunned by him, so understated, his delivery and the depth of emotion he conveyed was like nothing I had heard before. To my ears, Kris was the best thing I had heard in years. That was it, I went home to find out who he was and started to plan out starting a label so I could contact him and offer his music a home.”
It’s been one hell of a journey since then; he has won multiple awards, including an incredible seven BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards; two shortlist nominations for Scottish Album of The Year (with his trio Lau) and much acclaim for his solo recordings and concerts including winning Best Album of The Year (MG Alba Trad Awards) 2021 for “Where The World Is Thin” which we reviewed here.
Themes of memory, resilience, fragility, and longing filter through the album, ensuring a somewhat ephemeral and reflective recording. Drever’s voice and delivery is as idiosyncratic and rich as ever. His sincere Scottish brogue is never mannered, always effortlessly natural. Where The World Is Thin is a charming album. Confident and mature in its content, and beautifully performed.
Since releasing “Where The World Is Thin”, Kris has also collaborated on two singles, one with Aoife Donovan, titled Transatlantic…
…and one with Nashville-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rachel Baiman who he toured with in spring. They delivered a stunning remake of Eliza Gilkyson’s “Hard Times in Babylon”.
I’m sure most of our readers are familiar with Kris’s extensive back catalogue, but if you’re not, then check out “The Bandcamp Collection”, a two-hour primer of some of the greatest songs and tunes from the Kris Drever catalogue sequenced by Tom Rose and released exclusively on Bandcamp December 2020.
Kris Drever UK Tour Dates
if you’re thinking of buying tickets and you can buy them early, this really helps everyone in the chain.
Ireland
SEP 14 WED – Culturlann Sweeney, Kilkee
SEP 15 THU – Coughlan’s Bar, Cork
SEP 16 FRI – Clonakilty International Guitar Festival, Clonakilty
SEP 17 SAT – Clonakilty International Guitar Festival, Clonakilty
SEP 17 SAT – Cashel Arts Festival 2022, Cashel
SEP 18 SUN – Whelan’s, Dublin
UK
NOV 10 THU – CatStrand, New Galloway
NOV 11 FRI – Universal Hall Promotions, Forres
Nov 12 SAT – The Masonic Hall, Broughty Ferry
NOV 13 SUN – Lemon Tree, Aberdeen
NOV 17 THU – The Ropewalk, Barton Upon Humber
NOV 18 FRI – Norwich Puppet Theatre, Norwich
NOV 19 SAT – Cecil Sharp House, London
NOV 20 SUN – Komedia, Brighton
NOV 21 MON – Colchester Arts Centre, Colchester
NOV 22 TUE – Exeter Phoenix, Exeter
NOV 23 WED – Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham
NOV 24 THU – West End Centre, Aldershot
NOV 25 FRI – Rhosygilwen, Rhos-hill
NOV 26 SAT – Guildhall, Lichfield
Tickets and more info: https://www.krisdrever.com/