Jon Boden has become a stand out performer of his generation of English folk artists, and one whose repertoire extends far beyond the boundaries of the genre.
Perhaps best known as the lead singer, and one of the principal arrangers, of the multi-award winning Bellowhead, Jon has also performed with Spiers & Boden and formed his own band Jon Boden & The Remnant Kings in 2009. Both were set aside while the folk juggernaut that was Bellowhead went on to play to huge audiences across the UK, Europe and beyond. In 2016 Bellowhead split and Jon launched his solo career.
For Manchester Folk Festival Jon will bring a freshly launched and extended big band version of The Remnant Kings back to the stage. Featuring the great talents of Bellowhead’s Sam Sweeney and Paul Sartin, plus Leveret’s Rob Harbron and more, the appearance will be supported by the release of a new Jon Boden album in early autumn.
Support By:
Alistair Anderson & Northlands
From the heart of Northumberland, this exciting new line-up conjures the spirit of the people and the landscape of the North. Alistair Anderson is a master of the English Concertina and a fine exponent on the Northumbrian Pipes. Northlands are guitarist Ian Stephenson, fiddler Sophy Ball and the singer and flautist Sarah Hayes. Together they make dynamic, energetic music that is rooted in tradition and underpinned by arrangements that make the music soar.
Ninebarrow
Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere are exceptional singers and musicians, taking a wide range of folk songs and reworking them in their own distinctive way. Their engaging original songs are inspired and rooted in the landscape and history of the British Isles, and their show combines their music with history, folklore and storytelling. Engaging, charismatic and humorous, the duo were recently nominated in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award ‘Horizon’ category for Best Emerging Artist.
This event is part of Manchester Folk Festival – a celebration of English folk in all its forms, from indie to traditional, familiar names alongside exciting new voices. From 19-22 October in and around HOME, the whole festival takes place in one area of Manchester over one weekend. The Festival presents an incredible music line-up, as well as craft workshops, film, a proper pub singaround, artists in conversation and a relaxed Festival Hub where you can watch the world go by. Friendly, inclusive and full of opportunities for discovery, it will have the spirit of a festival in a field, in the heart of the city.
