Judith Schrut continues our new miniseries with a preview of London’s fantastic musical year ahead.
For many music lovers, London is Music Heaven, with dozens of venues, concerts and gigs to match every taste of genre. Whether your fave is rock, country, jazz or classical; dub, doo-wop or death metal– or a sound so new is doesn’t have a name yet– London’s music scene is unequalled anywhere on the planet.
2020 looks to be another fantastic musical year. If you’re a country and roots fan, grab your cowboy‘n girl boots, denims and Stetsons and mosey on down to East London in late January for the annual AmericanaFest UK. Joan Armatrading is this year’s keynote speaker; the legendary Judy Collins and “Whispering Bob” Harris will be making special in-conversation appearances at the Fest. One brilliant value ticket will get you into six uber-hip Hackney spaces for the two Showcase nights, where 75 UK and international Americana artists and bands will be gigging their hearts out.
The fabulous C2C (Country to Country) festival follows at the O2 in March, three days packed with the best in country music from the world’s top country stars including Darius Rucker, Eric Church and Old Crow Medicine Show, as well as emerging talent from Nashville, UK and Europe. Also in March, comedian and Grammy-winning musician Steve Martin and his Steep Canyon Rangers will be pluckin’ the heck out of banjos and mandolins at the Royal Albert Hall, along with Martin “Three Amigos” Short, in their “Funniest Show in Town at the Moment” tour. Spring 2020 brings the gorgeous, gracious and gritty Gretchen Peters to Kings Place with her tight band and latest album, with plenty more country and roots big hitters to follow over the summer, including the Drive by Truckers, Hayseed Dixie, Keith Urban and bluegrass duo Larkin Poe.
AmericanaFest UK took place on 28-30 January 2020, hosted by AmericanaUK, a nonprofit trade association for American Roots professionals in the UK. More musical treats to come in our next 2020 Vision post.
