TWENTY years ago - in 1999 - Lance Armstrong won his first Tour de France, Bob The Builder debuted on TV, the average UK house price was £79,384 ... and Kevin Dempsey and Joe Broughton started to make sweet music together.
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| Joe (left) and Kevin |
Today, Armstrong is disgraced, Bob is no longer building, and houses cost almost three times as much ... but Kevin and Joe are still making sweet music together!Â
The guitar/fiddle duo will celebrate their 20th anniversary with a series of gigs in February and March.
Since teaming up in 1999, Kevin Dempsey (Whippersnapper, Dando Shaft, Dave Swarbrick) and fiddle and mandolin player Joe Broughton (then in The Albion Band) have performed in 20 countries, and releasing three albums - Every Other Word (1999), Freehand (2004), and Off By Heart (2017).
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| Off By Heart album |
Combining emotive songs, unrivalled musicianship, impromptu banter, and a spectacular high energy show, Kevin and Joe never fail to create a spellbinding atmosphere with songs and instrumentals that are rooted in folk music, but also call on sounds and styles from the four corners of the world.
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| Joe Broughton |
Although both artists continue to pursue their own career paths — Joe as leader of The Urban Folk Quartet and the giant Conservatoire Folk Ensemble; Kevin increasingly as a solo artist, but also with various other musicians including, most recently, Pentangle's Jacqui McShee — the duo continue to reunite for their annual summer fiddle/ guitar workshops and, when their schedules allow, live shows.
Celebrating two decades of collaboration, the duo's spring 2019 appearances promise a broad mix of material from across their career, along with new songs (set to feature on their fourth album), and a few last minute surprises.
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| Kevin Dempsey |
Says Joe: "It really doesn't seem 20 years since myself and Kevin first began playing together! Time really flies when we're on stage … and off stage too it seems. I always look forward to our annual reunions — Kevin is one of the UK’s best acoustic guitarists and the shows are a joy to play."
Adds Kevin: "I can still remember the day I was first introduced to Joe, then a young musician whose reputation was growing. We really hit it off. His reputation has grown further since those early days, and playing together is always great fun — for us and the audience.â€
GIG DATES
Saturday 2 February 2019
Carperby Village Institute, Carperby, Leyburn, North Yorkshire DL8 4DE
£13/ £15
Box Office: 01969 663808
Sunday 3 February 2019
Raven Folk Club, The Bear and Billet, 94 Lower Bridge Street, Chester CH1 1RU
8.30pm
Saturday 9 February 2019
Plaitford Village Hall, Salisbury Road, Near Romsey, Hampshire SO5 1EE
£13
7.30pm
Sunday 10 February 2019
Halsway Manor, Halsway Lane, Near Crowcombe, Somerset TA4 4BD
£10/ £4
7pm
Thursday 28 February 2019
The Kitchen Garden Cafe, 17 York Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham B14 7SA
£12
8pm
Tel: 0121 443 4725
Saturday 2 March 2019
Alstonefield Village Hall, Beresford Lane, Alstonefield, Derbyshire DE6 2FR
£12
8pm
Tel: 01335 310322
Tel: 01335 310322
Sunday 3 March 2019
The Sunny Sailor, 1 Fulbridge, Maldon, Essex CM9 4LE
£15
Tickets available at Maldon TIC: 01621 856503.
Info:Â www.mactheatre.org.uk
Online tickets:Â www.wegottickets.com/event/456700
Sunday 10 March 2019
The Albany Theatre, Albany Road, Coventry, Warwickshire CV5 6JQ
4pm
Thursday 14 March 2019
Stanley Halls, 12 South Norwood Hill, London, SE25 6AB
£16.50
8pm
www.stanleyhalls.org.uk
www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/london/stanley-halls/kevin-dempsey-joe-broughtonÂ
www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/london/stanley-halls/kevin-dempsey-joe-broughtonÂ
LINKS
