Three Chords and the Truth UK

  Friday Maverick fizzed into life on the stroke of five o'clock. A brace of options lay in front of early Easton Farm Park arrivals, both resident festival favourites. Violin-playing Chris Murphy got the nod over hard rocking Jon Langford on the basis of a couple of interesting releases this year. Murphy was once again appointed Artist-at-Large, meaning he could literally pop up playing on anyone’s set, and his own ignited an evening of fine music on The Peacock Stage with an improvised solo performance. Loops, vocals, audience ventures and virtuoso violin playing gave substance to this LA-based musician’s set. From a fresh off the press record produced by fellow fiddle player Seth Lakeman, an engaged crowd enjoyed ‘ Clean Break ’ and heartily joined in on ‘ Never Learned to Drive ’ dedicated to that marginalised LA community- non drivers. A great start to the weekend. The Peacock Stage, with its barn location and iconic backdrop, proved the major chosen space for the evening w...

  Momentous art comes from the pause as much as the piece. The moment when creativity breathes. An act of frozen time letting words, beats and notes settle. A gift curated in private, polished in the studio, then exhibited in a shared performance space. From the texture of glass to the emotive lure of love in all its guises, a joyous evening of collaborative care unfolded. Meticulous playing, meaningful lyrics and a strong yearn to spark off each other. An evening of navigated narration blending themes, stories and the odd anecdote. An album launch with a succulent centre and an outer layer of past recognition and motives. A beacon of modesty embedded into a strong drive to seek answers through art.   Dan Whitehouse was at his collaborative best when returning to one of his old city centre haunts in The Glee Club. The occasion was to launch the latest album ONLY LOVE. While there will be a little wait before its wider release in October, there promises to be a lot of activity ...

  Duo music never stands still, and while we often celebrate iconic names from the past where two voices melt into one, there is nothing more refreshing than hailing a new act to carry the artform forward. The Glass Hours are more newish than new but the latest album CHAPEL GLASS is getting a lift to find fresh ears.   Within a few bars and an opening verse, you sense a winning ticket is in your possession. Fast forward 35 minutes (or more likely slowly savour the playing time), a sensuous charm with front porch solace holds together a patchwork of tender songs. American songwriters Megan Barbera and Brad Armstrong, originally from Colorado and Alabama, conjure something special to mould into a keeper. The ten tracks capture facets of love through a multitude of lens - past, passing, passion and place. Acoustic grace is threaded by a country lilt and you are invited into an intimate space where integrity is intact. The songs seamlessly drift from the enticing impact of opener ...

The curtain of cloud opened on solstice morning and the walled garden was bathed in beautiful sunshine. Intermittent rays and prevalent gloom gave way to how every summer festival should be. The weather is always in the back of your mind when winding through the Shropshire lanes in mid-June. A south-west facing hill location has played tricks in the past. No drama in 2026 as Beardy Folk danced, sang and lazed to a successful staging of edition no. 9. With a milestone on the horizon, the formula is locked and polished over a tenure at Hopton Court that has surfed a few challenges. Tinkering has been the recent past and likely the immediate future. Why radically alter what works? As the dust settles, let’s reflect on how a musical landscape was sculpted across a weekend when fortune favours an inquisitive mind. The first disclaimer is the music runs across four days, albeit only three acts greet early arrivals on Thursday evening. This limited offering was extended to all ticket holders ...