“The playing style he adopts may cause your jaw to hit the floor…he has all the flair for the gathering storm that made Jeff Buckley so attractive…one hesitates to mention Nick Drake but well, one already has done.” Word Magazine
John Smith is a guitar man from Devon. He is also quietly becoming recognized as one of the most exciting new voices on the British folk scene. He is a dazzling and inventive guitarist with a wondefully unconventional percussive playing style, and possesses an unforgettable honeyed gravel growl of a voice that belies his 30 years. Smith spent several years working on the road – touring with late great folk legend John Martyn and accompanying Davy Graham on his final tour. He has also supported John Renbourn, David Gray, Martin Carthy, Jools Holland, Tunng, and has shared the stage with Cara Dillon, James Yorkston, Martin Simpson and Ben Ottewell. John Smith spent much of 2012 touring with Lisa Hannigan and her band, and doing some supports across Europe, US, UK, Ireland and more recently Japan with Joe Henry. It was on a recent round of UK supports that John and Richard Hawley formed a bond and Hawley extended the invite to John to join him on the Irish dates in December. Support tonight from special guest Stefan Melbourne.
A magical night in the company of a great musical presence.
“Brilliant” MOJO
“Spellbinding” Time Out
“A guitar genius…He sounds as though he arrived 60 years ago but looks startlingly young, perched on a chair, quietly confident, charming and instantly engaging.” The Sun
“One man, a guitar and an incredible voice…mesmerising” BBC
“His performance was an object lesson in how taste and imagination always outweigh mere musical virtuosity…unexpected and daring” The Sunday Times
“John Smith continually swoons audiences with his own strain of nu-folk. It is only a matter of time before he is enormous.” NME
This unreserved seating and limited standing concert will begin at 8pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open from 5.30pm for delicious food and drinks.
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