Folie à Deux & Sarah Johns Music Party Present... CHRISTMAS!

What an AMAZING NIGHT it was at Dalston Boys Club on 7 December 2011 featuring Alt-Folk acts: Emma Gatrill and Sarah Johns, Spoken Word Act: Ben Target & Tap Dancers - Christmas themed performance!  Please see below for all the details.

Surface Tension, 10 - 26 November 2011 at Tokarska Gallery

Naomi Doran - Untitled

What a tremendous success 'Surface Tension' was!! Featuring Naomi Doran, Tom Hackney, Onya McCausland and Giulia Ricci. Full details about the exhibition and of the artists individual practices below. Here are some of the Guest Book comments we were delighted to receive:

"Very, very nice exhibition"
"The exhibition title is expressive of the works that excites and disturbs. Good stuff."
"Mesmerising"
"Very intriguing work, very intricate, I love the texture of the concrete and nails."

Introducing Giulia Ricci - Included in 'Surface Tension' Our Upcoming Group Exhibition

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Giulia Ricci, Untitled, 2010 kkGiulia Ricci, Untitled, 2010

Introducing Onya McCausland - Included in 'Surface Tension' Our Upcoming Group Exhibition

Onya McCausland, Wall Painting, 2011 jjjhOnya McCausland, White Earth, 2010

Introducing Tom Hackney - Included in 'Surface Tension' Our Upcoming Group Exhibition

Tom Hackney, New New York, 2008 Tom Hackney, Chess Painting No.7, 2011

Introducing Naomi Doran - Included in 'Surface Tension' Our Upcoming Group Exhibition

Naomi Doran, Blades, 2010 ggggggggNaomi Doran, Copper Series Form 1, 2010

'Surface Tension', 10 - 26 November 2011 at Tokarska Gallery, E17

Image © Naomi Doran. Photograph by Danillo Murru

We proud to announce our upcoming exhibition 'Surface Tension' - a group show featuring the work of four established and emerging London-based artists: Naomi Doran, Tom Hackney, Onya McCausland and Giulia Ricci. It will be on display at the Tokarska Gallery, 163 Forest Road, London E17 6HE from 10-26 November 2011.

The title reflects the fact that all of the artists engage with and explore the boundaries of the two-dimensional media which they use in one way or another; yet this is only one aspect of their works’ incredibly rich, multi-layered character – many of the pieces also reflecting how we as human beings relate to, perceive and interact with our environment. Abstract in nature, they are marked by an exciting and unconventional mix of media, ranging from oil paint to felt-tip pens and plaster, as well as industrial and natural elements such as concrete, iron and steel.

The Private View is 10 November 2011 6.00 - 9.00. Look forward to seeing you there!

Giulia Ricci: Order/Disruption Private View, 23 September 2011

What an incredible night! Ring Here Gallery was brimming with wonderful people. 'Giulia Ricci: Order/Disruption' is on until 28 October, open all week, just make an appointment by ringing 020 7735 1007!

Giulia Ricci's 'Order/Disruption' Featured in 'World Interiors' Magazine, October 2011

Giulia Ricci Solo Show - Order/Disruption - 23 September - 28 October 2011 - at the new Ring Here Gallery

Order/Disruption No. 24, Pen on Paper, 20x30cm. Image © the artist

We are very proud to announce a solo show of one of our favourite artists in the world - Giulia Ricci - at the new Ring Here Gallery in Kennington, London. The Private View is on Friday 23 September 6.30-9.30pm please RSVP here.

Following Giulia's recent inclusion in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and Dexter Dalwood’s Creekside Open Exhibition, Order/Disruption - the title of the show - will comprise drawings, installations and video work showcasing the full range of her practice and revealing her to be a true emerging talent in London’s contemporary art scene.

Giulia is fascinated by patterns and their systems, which she explores through various repetitive processes - primarily drawing on paper, using ink pens and grids. She is interested in many different principles and aspects of science and mathematics, such as chaos theory and the correspondence between macro and micro patterns existing in the universe, yet her work is also intimately bound up with her personal background, experiences and cultural reference points. These include not only the famous mosaics of her home town of Ravenna, but also the rural patchwork of fields in the countryside of Emilia-Romagna in Italy where she grew up – what she calls ‘the man-made geometry of the landscape’. This tension between natural ‘disorder’ and the eminently human need to impose structure is at the very heart of Ricci’s practice. Her main influences include the artists Alighiero Boetti, Annie Albers and Agnes Martin.

Order/Disruption comprises a body of work begun in 2009 with a specific interest in exploring disruptions occuring within ordered and symmetrical patterns. It started with her film Beads (order, disorder, symmetry) that shows Ricci's hands playing with two circular sets of tactile beads - one black and one white - in which slowly and rhythmically she creates patterns and disruptions with her finger tips. This subsequently led onto a series of drawings using ink pens and grids to experiment with the order and disorder of patterns using only triangular forms.

Having utilised different colours within her work, these pieces find her returning to black and white imagery, using the most fundamental and minimalist form of expression – negative and positive.

Whilst drawing continues to be Ricci’s primary medium she is also very interested in site-specific work and will be recreating her imagery on the gallery’s windows in a manner specifically designed to interact with the window’s grid and with the drawings on the wall. Ricci has deliberately chosen the layout of the show to be sympathetic to the space in which it is housed – a Victorian domestic house converted into a modern yet intimate ‘white cube’ gallery.

An eagerly-anticipated solo exhibition, Order / Disruption encapsulates a body of work in Ricci's practice that has been marked by great success and recognition over the past two years, with exhibitions, publications and awards both in the UK and internationally. As an exciting new development of her work begins, this show represents an opportunity to explore once more the distinctive clarity and harmony that is the signature of Ricci’s work.

An eagerly-anticipated solo exhibition, Order / Disruption encapsulates a body of work in Ricci's practice that has been marked by great success and recognition over the past two years, with exhibitions, publications and awards both in the UK and internationally. As an exciting new development of her work begins, this show represents an opportunity to explore once more the distinctive clarity and harmony that is the signature of Ricci’s work.

Giulia Ricci studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Bologna (Italy) and at the Slade School of Fine Art, UCL. Short-listed for the Jerwood Drawing Prize in 2010 and 2011 and for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition (2011), in 2011 she was also selected by Dexter Dalwood to appear in the exhibition Creekside Open. In 2010 she was artist in residence at the Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art, where she presented the exhibition Connecting Threads, and was also part of Folie à Deux’s first group show I have this strange kind of feeling and I just can’t place it during which she appeared on the front cover of AN Magazine. Ricci is currently a artist in residence at Middlesex University and upcoming group shows includeLondon-Berlin at Fruehsorge Contemporary Drawings in Berlin (Germany) and the project Ghost of Gone Birds (London).

Folk in the URBAN PHYSIC GARDEN

10 August 2011, 8.00-11pm
Urban Physic Garden, 100 Union Street, SE1 ONL

We are proud to present a collaboration between the Magpie's Nest (BBC Folk Club of the year 2010) and Folie à Deux. Together we bring to you folk music in the unique pop-up garden space - The Urban Physic Garden - located underneath a railway bridge in Waterloo on Wednesday 10 August 2011 8 - 11pm. Set up by the wonderful collective Wayward Plants – a group of designers, urban growers and would-be alchemists – they have transformed a neglected patch of land into a community garden, made entirely out of recycled materials and through the hard work of 100 volunteers. Playing at this special venue are folk acts Sam Lee, Dear Winesburg and Robin Grey, who will be performing here amongst exotic medicinal plants and seeds, art installations and games. There will also be sustainably sourced and seasonal food on offer by the Rambling Restaurant, served from the back of a converted ambulance.

The Magpie’s Nest and Folie à Deux share a common goal to showcase alternative and redefining folk music within magical, welcoming and intimate settings, so as to create an all encompassing and unique experience to match the music that we love. We hope you fall in love with, and enjoy, the garden and music as much as we do.h

SAM LEE

“The rising star of traditional English folksong” - The Daily Telegraph

“Ground of It’s Own’ is wonderful. The singing is sublime and exquisite! It’s gentle and despairing, trancelike and tender. Strokes of genius there I think!” - Shirley Collins

Sam Lee, folk singer, promoter and animateur is fast becoming accepted as one of the new pioneers defining the sound, sight and texture of contemporary folksong. This is most notable in his forthcoming debut album ‘Ground of It’s Own’ released later in 2011. Likewise his live band – The Gillies boys - carves homemade and mongrelised instrumentation with unconventional arrangements that challenge any preconceptions of what ‘tradition’ should sound like. Sam’s sound whilst embedded in British traditional music treads a thoroughly modern course and musical vision creating a radical yet melodic new passage for folk song for the contemporary audience.

DEAR WINESBURG

“Every fluttering violin note to every guitar string delicately plucked shows off musicianship that is heavily accomplished” - For Folks Sake

Dear Winesburg write atmospheric, joyous, dark, lyrical folk songs - picked early on by Mumford & Sons to headline their Communion night - the band's songs shimmer with beauty and intent, bound by a strength of writing that hearkens back to Greenwich Village Dylan and the roots of the folk tradition. Pairing songwriter Christopher Kreinczes with the violin of Emma Kraemer (Peggy Sue, Mariner's Children) backed on accordion, upright bass, trumpet and drums - live they are dramatic, brooding and jubilant, drawing comparisons to Johnny Flynn and Beirut, but with a voice unmistakably their own. Last year the band released their debut album ‘Dark Water’ produced by Mike Pela (Stephen Stills, Fairport Convention) and this August they release their new EP Light & Deft. You can see the beautiful EP teaser trailer, shot at the Utrophia Project Space at: www.dearwinesburg.com

ROBIN GREY

"bluesy and folky, really bloody good." - Song by Toad

"Robin Grey has a lovely fresh approach to the folk genre. A honeyed yet clear voice and his lyrics are arresting. A real treasure." - The Londonist

Inspired by the timeless work of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Ani Difranco amongst any others, he colours his songs above love and life with guitar, banjo, ukele, mandolin, piano, double bass, organ, percussion toys and any other instruments he can afford and fit into his little studio. His music hs been described as 'gently experimental nu-folk' and compared to Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits and Richard Thompson. He is a bit distressed by the misspelling of the word 'new' but doesn't let it distract him from the serious business of recording, performing and acquiring new and unusual instruments.

Tickets are £6.00 and be purchased here.

Alt-Folk Music + Mini Art Exhibit - 18 June 2011

Laura Hocking, cartoon

In Folie a Deux style - art + music together - this Saturday 18 June we are combining our final alt-folk night in Utrophia's barn - This is the Kit + Rozi Plain - with an art exhibition showcasing the work of musicians who have played - past and present - at this magical and unique venue. Laura Hocking, Kate Stables (This is the Kit), Rozi Plain, Tom Heather (Tristram) and Chris Kreinczes (Dear Winesburg) and many more. See below for more details! It's going to be wonderful!

Kate Staples,The Back of Things That Grow

woolen cloth and embroidery thread

Chris Kreinczes, Woody Allen, drawing

Tom Heather, Door, photograph

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Folie à Deux presents This is the Kit, Rozi Plain + Mouth 4 Rusty - FINAL NIGHT at Utrophia

We are proud to announce that This is the Kit, Rozi Plain and Mouth 4 Rusty will be performing at the FINAL Alt-Folk night in the barn venue at Utrophia Project Space - The Ice-Cream Factory - the 1950s ice-cream factory turned art gallery, vegetable patch and events space in New Cross - on Saturday 18 June 2011 19.00 - 23.00 Held in a cosy, rustic and intimate barn space, this is the last chance to experience and enjoy music at this uniquely personal, magical and inspiring venue. We are going all out this time - laced with confectionary and adorned with tea lights, there will be also be art work on show in the barn available to buy (some work by the musicians themselves) as well as an art exhibition - a Norwegian group art show 'Show Me Your Chakra' for audiences to view next door.

Born in 2002, Utrophia is an arts charity bringing art exhibitions, affordable artist studios, urban gardening projects and music nights to the general public and local community (Eg. Deptford Pound, Deptford DIY and Deptford High St Treasure Trail) Whilst they are now leaving the ice-cream factory premises, they will hopefully be moving to a new venue to carry on their magic. For more details on Utrophia and how to assist them with their transition visit their website http://www.utrophia.net/.

This is the Kit

'Absolutely gorgeous, like an aural bath with the warm water lapping over you' - Cerys Matthews, BBC 6music

'Just one of the best things I've heard all year... wonderful, wonderful stuff.' - Gideon Coe, BBC 6music

'This is the Kit is comfort food for the soul' - Subba-Cultcha

This is the Kit is the musical project of Kate Stables (from Winchester) based in Paris, who sings and plays banjo and guitar, sometimes solo and other times accompanied by a band or Jesse D Vernon on violin and percussion. This is the Kit have released two albums and a handful of singles, their latest album 'Wriggle Out the Restless' features members of Francois and the Atlas Mountains and The Liftmen. Kate's mesmerising sound has been described as 'soulful', 'psychedlic' and 'minimal' folk (Amelia's Magazine), her voice 'as reminiscent of Joni Mitchell, but more woodsey than flutey, like a clarinet', her lyrucs as 'hypnotic mantras...build around repeated phases and images, interspersed by brooding ooohing', her aura as 'conjuring a leaf wrapped world full of moon and sea' (For Folk's Sake). In 2011 the band is releasing the single 'Earthquake' along with some remizes by Buddy Peace, Plaisir de France and Fear of Theydon, as well as releasing a special edition of the 'Wriggle' album, packaged with an extra disc of remixes by such artists as John Parish, Rachael Dadd, Shorebilly and Bfax. Touring extensively in Europe and Japan, this year they are heading to the USA.

New Single 'Earthquake' can be heard here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4gG8mOpoCY

Rozi Plain

'Put this to your ear: you can hear the sea. The creels and gulls and taverns and harbours and coasts and aloneness that define the maritime: it's all here, quietly, made musical' - Plan B

'beautifully intimate music that captures life slowly floating by' - Communion

Rozi Plain is a singer and songwriter based in Brstiol. She plays either solo with her guitar or joined by musicians such as Francois and the Atlas Mountains, This is the Kit or Sleeping States. Rozi toured across Europe, the UK and USA supporting the likes of Devandra Banhard (who named her album - 'Inside Over Here' - as one of the best albums of the year), James Yorkston and Viking Moses. Rozi's songs are described as possessing an enchanting fragility yet also a plucky charisma, with a song craft that is 'wonderfully human'. Her sound is frequently described as understated: 'Less is more. Every note on the record is there because it should be there, everything is allowed to breathe and be natural' (Plenty Side), in other words 'unhurried, understated and ace' (Plan B). Rozi's bew single 'Humans' is now on sale on Need No Water Records and her second album is soon to follow.

New Single 'Humans' - www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAMKhomQFtu

Mouth 4 Rusty

'Elegantly crafted hummable songs that you won't want to miss out on' - Rough Trade

'That has got to be the most beautiful song I have ever heard about qutting smoking' - Patrick Lyons, Resonance 104.4FM

'Mouth 4 Rusty had the audience clicking and clapping along to stripped back simple songs of love forlorn' - Amelia's Magazine

Mouth 4 Rusty began writing and recording simple songs in a small hand-made wooden room in late winter 2009, writing them in about an hour and recording them in around three, so as to preserve the moment they were written. Joined by a second pair of lungs, they began playing live in August, first as a duo, then a trio, with percussion played with their feet. Since self-releasing their first EP, 'Time Over Money' in March 2010 as a quartet, the group has spent their time since finding their favourite venues in London and Oslo, and gradually blossoming into a six-piece of violin, cello, double bass, percussion, guitar, melodica and two voices. Mouth 4 Rusty's intention is to make simple, traditionally-inspired songs that people can relate to, hummable music based on life as it unfolds, as early folk music was. Audience participation is encouraged. They find their happiest times together in a small dark intimate settings - practicing, recording and playing live.

'Good Men Now' - http://www.blogger.com/www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaTswHX1bA

BUY TICKETS HERE: www.wegottickets.com/event/118655

In other news! Our next art exhibition - Surface Tension - is coming along very nicely more info coming very soon....

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Folie à Deux Presents Mary Hampton, Laura Hocking & Nick Mulvey

We are proud to announce our third Alternative-Folk evening on 30 April 2011 19.00 - 23.00 with performances by Mary Hampton Cotillion, Laura Hocking and the Long Goodbye and Nick Mulvey (of Portico Quartet) at Utrophia Project Space - a 1950's ice-cream factory turned art gallery and events venue in New Cross. Held in a cosy and intimate barn space, it is the perfect environment to experience emerging and established contemporary folk musicians in a uniquely private and rustic setting. It will be a unique, joyous and inspiring evening, laced with mulled wine, cider and beer! There will also be an art exhibition for audiences to view next door. In November 2010 we launched our first visual arts exhibition I have this strange kind of feeling and I just can't place it... (listed in Time Out's Best Galleries in London) at Utrophia Project Space as well as our first Alt-Folk night featuring Dear Winesburg, Mariner's Children front-man Benedict Rubinstein and Amber States. Since then performances have included Tristram, Laish and Kristin McClement (Willkommen Collective). Folie a Deux's next art exhibition will be in a new location this summer 2011, details soon to be announced. BUY TICKETS HERE. Find out more about the bands below.

MARY HAMPTON COTILLION

'mesmerising' - The Guardian
'songs which recline with shimmering sensuality in various cloaks of weirdness... fragility, desolation and humour' - The Telegraph
'spectral and spartan, an exotic gothic drama' - Q Magazine

Mary Hampton is a folk singer and song-writer from Brighton. Her first album 'My Mother's Children' (2008) was named in MOJO'S annual round-up of Top 5 Folk albums and featured in HMV'S Top 20 albums of the year. Over the past couple of years she has toured solo worldwide as well as supported the likes of James Yorkston, Adem and Diane Cluck. Her songs combine the traditions of centuries-old folk with dark contemporary subject matter, simultaneously taking you into timeless, edgy, fantasy worlds. The Fly describes her songs 'as the dreams of children, far more unsettling for an adult... evoking Eliot's Wasteland in it's beautiful bleakness.' On April 30 she will be performing with her band Mary Hampton Cotillion, who adorn her 'unnerving, delicacy, elemental and acoustic simplicity' with cello, double bass, fiddle, horns and percussion and more vocals 'all of which makes the lyrical perversity of 'Ballad of the Talking Dog' and the buffeting intensity of 'Honey' the more potent and enchanting' (uncut ****). This year she is writing her second album and touring with her cotillion.

www.doublesixclub.tv/session/14/mary-hampton

LAURA HOCKING AND THE LONG GOODBYE

'gorgeous' - Johanna Hari
'A singer/ songwriter of piquant gifts' - New Statesman
'Truly addictive and utterlyconsuming' - Drunken Werewolf
' '...Destined for world domination' - God is in the TV

Laura Hocking and the Long Goodbye are a 'vaudeville folk' band formed in early 2010 after Hocking decided to develop her solo material by adding a viola player, violinist and drummer. Together they juxtapose cut-glass vocals and dark story telling against a shifting backdrop of strings, guitar and bass. Her songs tell stories, some true (as in her song 'Strongmen and Acrobats' about taking her autistic brother to the fireworks), some far-fetched ('Talented Tailor') is an immorality tale about the perils of sleeping with a tattooist) but all full of a dry wit which picks at the stitches of anxiety and the female body - 'Like biting into a cream cake, and finding a razor blade' (The Windmill). After three years of refining her craft, Hocking is realising her first double A-side on 7 inch vinyl including a bonus CD with four tracks 'Brilliantly hummable melodies and masterly storytelling with sweet harmonies belying often brutal lyrics. We can't recommend it enough' (For Folks Sake). The EP launch is being held on the 30th March 2011 at the Slaughtered Lamb and is available to order on http://www.laurahocking.bandcamp.com/

www.soundcloud.com/laurahocking


NICK MULVEY

Nick Mulvey is a afro-beat and flamenco-influenced guitarist and song-writer based in East London, also known as the 'hang' player in the Mercury Music Award nominated Portico Quartet (Real World Records). After two acclaimed albums (including Time Out's 'Best Jazz Album' 2007) and worldwide tours, Nick left the band at the end of 2010 to tell his own stories and pursue new musical adventures. Those who know the music of Portico Quartet will hear from similar traits in Nick's solo work - hypnotic, grooved based patterns and richly melodic tunes - but blended this time with a love of song- writing and intricate, driving guitar playing.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1F_KMbdVXM

http://www.utrophia.net/

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'Folie a Deux is shaping up to becoming an alt:folk barometer of bands that you need to know about in 2011' - Amelia's Magazine

Thank you Tristram, Laish, Kristin McClement & Utrophia!!!

"Folie a Deux is shaping up to becoming a alt:folk barometer of bands that you need to know about in 2011" - Amelia's Magazine

Saturday night was our second Alt-Folk night at Utrophia's barn and beginning with an awesome sunset it became yet another special, unique and unforgettable evening!! Tristram, Laish and Kristin McClement sounded the best I think I've ever heard them. The intimate and cosy barn space was genuinely the perfect place to experience their sound!

Kristin's voice was beautifully haunting, hushing the audience into a spell bound trance. Laish were outstanding playing songs from their latest album to perfection, as well as brand new songs showing off Daniel Green's warbling vocals and the girls harmonies to the fullest. And last but not least Tristram... wow... they have developed a new sound that has taken on an epic intensity combining imaginative, sensitive lyrics, Tristram's whispy voice and an incredible layering of guitar, cello, drums and base with songs ending in intense abstract sound loops that take you off to a place not dissimilar to the way you feel when listening to Pink Floyd trippiness. Perhaps not the best comparison, but their new style certainly can not be restricted to the definition of 'folk' anymore, it is without doubt of another exciting making. A particular mention I think also has to made is to Tom Heathers (the drummer for every single act last night!) who is possibly the best and most exciting drummer to watch around!!

With a genuinely eager, friendly and enthusiastic audience, the mulled wine, beer and ginger-beer and rum flowed all night, with the art gallery next door open for all to see Philippa Johnsons beautiful art installation in Utrophia's gallery. The aural and aesthetic joy of the night, the happy buzz and community spirit was exhilerating and pure bliss - and this is exactly what we are all about.

Our next Alt-Folk night will be the 30 April - the line up tbc. In order to keep informed about our next event and news you can follow us on Facebook, Twitter as well as keep an eye on this blog. In addition we are always looking for new artists and poets to promote in advance of our next art exhibition so please send us examples of your work, a blurb about your practice, website and contact details to folieadeuxgallery@gmail.com

And finally, I would also like to make a few special thank yous to certain individuals who made this night particularly special: Matt Rigsby Smith from Utrophia (who not only turned the barn space into how it looks today but who was the best sound man ever), Chris Lucraft from Broken Sounds and Anna Brennan-Craddock and Salome Gamble. Thank you also to the following beautiful music blogs for all their support to this project: Amelia's Magazine, VOLUME, For Folk's Sake, The 401 and Run Riot! And of course, thank you for everyone who came, couldn't do it without you! What a wonderful audience!! THANK YOU!!

Speak soon!!

Calling all artists and poets!!!

After a well-deserved break Folie a Deux returns with an online project that we hope you will all want to be apart of.

With preparations underway for another fabulous art exhibition this summer we would like to keep up the momentum in the meantime with an ongoing virtual exhibition of work that excites us supplied by you!

To this end, we are inviting submissions for an online gallery in the form of JPEG images (max. 6 per submission) that can be sent to folieadeuxgallery@gmail.com Selected works will be posted on our Facebook page and blog at regular intervals, as and when we receive them, along with any other details that we think may be of interest to our visitors - so please provide an artist's statement, your website address, the titles and prices of your works, and contact details (if you choose). Please note, we will always try to reply to e-mails sent to us but it may not be possible to post every submission we receive (and, of course, while art that challenges is fine, it goes without saying that anything offensive or hateful will be ignored).

We would also like to extend the same invitation to all you talented poets out there!! Selected poems will be posted on our blog and links made to your website.

This is a great opportunity to show our audience how wonderful and talented you are. We really look forward to seeing your work!

Until next time...

Chris & Clara

Folie à Deux present Tristram, Laish & Kristin McClement - 26 February 2011

After the wonderful success of our last collaboration with Utrophia, we are proud to announce a series of Alternative-Folk music evenings to be held in Utrophia's cosy and intimate barn space. The first gig of 2011 begins 26 February from 19.00 - 23.00 with performances by some of the most exciting and experimental folk bands around: Laish (Willkommen Collective), Tristram (Broken Sounds) and Kristin McClement (Willkommen Collective). Once again the night will be a joyous evening with mulled wine, cider and beer! To read more about these exciting bands please see below.

Tristram are a four-piece London-based band comprising members from Peggy Sue and the Mariner's Children led by Tristram Bawtree. Whilst rooted in folk their sound incorporates more powerful and complex instrumentation inspired by their love of post rock and post punk bands such as Silver Mt Zion/Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Joy Division. Think the vocal tone of Nick Drake, with lyrics that take a side ways appoach to universal themes, underpinned by dramatic bursts of experimental arrangement incorporating guitar, cello, base, drums and harmonium. In Autumn 2010 Tristram released their EP 'Accidents and Artifices' on Broken Sound (Forest Fire, Peggy Sue and Rachael Dadd) receiving love from Pitchfork and a rave review in the Guardian's Band of the Day 'as good as anything we've heard this year'. Tristram are a rare kind in that possess a sense of old world drama and romance yet can speak to the contemporary world - a hypnotic mixture of the familiar and the unexpected 'buoyed by a rare grace' (Clash) - not to be missed. Watch them perform 'Rhyme and Reason' here.

http://www.myspace.com/tristramsongs

Laish (Willkommen Collective) are the Brighton-based five piece folk band, led by Daniel Green who - a multi-talented man - also plays drums for Sons of Noel & Adrian and occasionally lends to his talents to the likes of Laura Marling, Alessi's Ark and The Leisure Society. Laish play genuine, home-baked, DIY yet modern folk, instrumentally layering finger-

picking guitar with violin, melodica, rumbling bass, rattling drums with female vocals and harmonies (and occasional whistling). Green's lyrics - letters to friends and lovers or stories about imagined characters - are reflections of moments in time, refreshingly 'honest and soulful' (NME), melancholic,

inspiring, humorous and reassuring ('Some how it will all be okay' - Speak the Mantra) Laish have recently released their
self-titled debut album demonstrating 'pure musicianship most could only hope to accomplish' (Blue Walrus). 2010 saw them tour the UK and Europe, as well as support Grizzly Bear and Beach House at the Round House. This February they hit the road again for a joint-headline tour of the UK with Tristram. Utrophia is their only London stop. Watch them perform 'Happy Accident' here.

http://www.myspace.com/laishmusic

Kristin McClement (Willkommen Collective) are the Brighton-based three-piece led Kristin and with band members from Peggy Sue, Mariner's Children and Tristram (Becca Mears on cello and Tom Heathers on drums). Kristin in an enchanting wanderer with a nylon guitar at the heart of her songs, who sings of folklore and the curiosities of a wild and yearning world, accompanied by soaring cello and eclectic percussion. Her soft and spellbinding voice has been perfectly described as the 'aural equivalent of one of these remarkable slow motion films of a bird in flight.' Inspired by poetry (Dylan Thomas and Ted Hughes) as well as visual artists (Edvard Munch and Dan Eldon's journals) can perhaps explain why her lyrics are so emotionally and visually sensitive, beautiful, dramatic and mysterious, transporting the listeners minds and imaginations to new heights. Kristin has supported the likes of Alessi's Ark ('Her music is something so special') and various bands from the Willkommen Collective including Sons of Noel and Adrian, The Leisure Society and Pete Roe. Watch her perform 'Kestrel Kite' here.
http://www.myspace.com/kristinmcclement

Next door there will also be the opportunity to view the art exhibition Floorwork until 9pm displaying the work of Philippa Johnson who - focusing on surface and texture and highlighting the beauty of every day objects - will be transforming Utrophia's gallery space by weaving an intricately patterned rug out of adhesive tape.



Entry is £4. Tickets can be purchased in advance here.
Utrophia Project Space
136 Tanner's Hill, SE8 4QD
020 8691 8409