“Breath-taking, big-hearted music” – R2
“Up there with the best of them. Amazing musicians.” – BBC Radio 2
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 a series of shows that take them from intimate folk club settings into theatres, and onto international festival stages.
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.
As they zig-zag across the UK and into Europe over the (hopefully) warmer months, 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.”
For full details of The UFQ’s touring schedule see: www.theufq.com
LISTINGS
Spring / Summer 2018 Tour
Monday 19 March 2018
Chesham Folk Club, White Hill Centre, Chesham, Buckinghamshire HP5 1AG
T: 01494 785593
8.15pm
£13
cheshamfolkclub.org.uk
Thursday 22 March 2018
Huntingdon Hall, CrownGate, Worcester WR1 3LD
T: 01905 611 427
7.30pm
£17.50
www.worcesterlive.co.uk
Saturday 14 April 2018
Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall, Broad Street, Uffington, Oxfordshire SN7 7RA
7.30pm
£15
www.wegottickets.com
Plus support from White Horse Whispers
Sunday 15 April 2018
The Raven Folk Club, The Bear and Billet, 94 Lower Bridge St, Chester, Cheshire CH1 1RU
The Raven Folk Club 40th Anniversary with Joe Broughton and Friends (inc members of The UFQ and more).
8pm
SOLD OUT
www.ravenfolk.org.uk
Saturday 21 April 2018
The Bristol Folk House, 40a Park Street, Bristol BS1 5JG
T: 0117 926 2987
7.30pm
£10.50/ £12.50
www.bristolfolkhouse.co.uk
Wednesday 25 April 2018
Alexander’s, Rufus Court, Chester, Cheshire CH1 2JW
T: 01244 401 402
8.30pm
£6
alexanderslive.com
www.seetickets.com
Saturday 5 May 2018
The Place Theatre, Bradgate Road, Bedford MK40 3DE
T: 01234 354321
8pm
£12/ £14
www.theplacebedford.org.uk
Sunday 6 May 2018
Walton Folk Festival, Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre, Manor Road, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey KT12 2PF
T: 01932 253354
From 12pm
£18/ £30
thelittleboxoffice.com
* Headlining festival
Sunday 3 June 2018
The Acoustic Festival of Great Britain, Uttoxeter Racecourse, Wood Lane, Uttoxeter Staffordshire ST14 8BD
From £40
acousticfestival.co.uk
Thursday 21 June 2018
The Mill Arts Centre, Spiceball Park Banbury, Oxfordshire OX16 5QE
T: 01295 279002
www.themillartscentre.co.uk
Friday 22 June 2018
Gulbenkian Theatre, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NB
T: 01227 769075
7.30pm
£15.50/ £8
www.folkinthebarn.co.uk
Saturday 23 June 2018
Beardy Folk Festival, Hopton court, Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire DY14 0EF
£35/ £45
www.beardyfolkfestival.co.uk
Saturday 23 June 2018
The North Wall Arts Centre, South Parade, Summertown, Oxford OX2 7JN
T: 01865 319450
7.30pm
www.thenorthwall.com
Saturday 7 July 2018
Kimpton Folk Festival, Kimpton, Hertfordshire SG4
Memorial Hall, with Greg Russell & Ciaran Algar, Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage
8.30pm
£20
www.kimptonfolk.uk
Friday 17 August 2018
Purbeck Valley Folk festival, Purbeck Valley Farm, Corfe Castle, Dorset BH20 5HU
From £106
www.purbeckvalleyfolkfestival.co.uk
- For full list of live appearances (including European shows) see: www.theufq.com/gigs
- Twitter: @theUFQ
- Facebook: facebook.com/theurbanfolkquartet/
MEDIA CONTACT
The UFQ are available for interviews (phoners, email Q&As, ISDN, etc); we also ahve a limited number fo review tickets available for selected shows.
For more information and all requests, please contact us:
Four Four Eight 