The Grey Lady Music Lounge, Sunday 9th October 2011

Grounded in the folk storytelling tradition and in the spirit of singer- songwriters such as Richard Thompson and John Martyn, Dan Sumner sings about love, politics, murder and all that lies in between. He originally cut his teeth on the London folk scene and has since gone on to hone a unique style fusing his folk roots with elements of jazz, blues and rock.

Since the release of his first single, Sing me a lullaby, which featured on the Big Chill’s album, Busking for solaraid, Dan has released several EPs, the most recent being 2015’s Old Haunts, and has also performed live extensively around the UK and Europe supporting the likes of Dave Swarbrick (Fairport Convention) and playing at festivals such as the Big Chill. His most recent performance has been on the Ayala Show, broadcast on Irish TV in February/March 2016.

The Way we did and Old Haunts are available to buy on iTunes and Amazon mp3.

“Old Haunts is built on sparse, hand-picked acoustics that echo the more fragile retreats of Richard Thompson…reminiscent of the salty seaside sting delivered by British Sea Power” 
Wow Kent magazine

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Lindsey Oliver has spent the last several years playing bass for many different bands, including Kate Walsh and The Miserable Rich, and is still to be found playing with, amongst others, The Mummers and the internationally renowned PDO. But there’s not much fame and glory to be had in being a bass player, so fuelled by fantasies of world domination and a house in the Maldives, a solo project has been born.

Atmospheric acoustic guitar playing and haunting, heartfelt lyrics combine to make a gently hypnotic sound not to be missed, that will hopefully leaving you all the more peaceful for having heard it.

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Worry Dolls met at Paul McCartney’s school of music in Liverpool. Bonding initially due to having the same fiery red locks, what sets them apart is their tongue-in-cheek, honest lyrics and their refusal to sing “cliché love songs”.Described by Bob Harris as "a warm and infectious sound”, Worry Dolls’ music is packed full of sublime harmonies, atop a plethora of varied instruments. Many will have seen them performing at Glastonbury Festival, supporting Joan Armatrading on tour, or heard their music played on Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music. With a strong online following, Worry Dolls have clocked up over 100,000 views on YouTube, and over 85,000 spins on SoundCloud.

With two EPs already under their belt, Worry Dolls have just returned from Nashville where they have been writing with top writers and recording their debut album with producer Neilson Hubbard, to be released in 2016. Since their first EP, Worry Dolls’ sound has grown as their influences have shifted more towards the rootsier sounds of Nashville & the Appalachian mountains – still with a strong UK stamp. In their time together as a duo, they’ve forged something substantially stronger than a hair colour match. A beautiful and captivating result.

“Worry Dolls are phenomenally talented. The Nashville Songwriters Association believes in the group, their songs and their performance ability. Do yourself a favor and put them on your playlist!” - Bart Herbison (Executive Director - NSAI) 

“The brilliantly quirky duo Worry Dolls – a super-shiny beacon of joy in a dreamland far, far away from the persistently ‘regular’ sound of folk that’s flooding the charts right now” - The Huffington Post

“All four songs are absolute gems… stuffed full to bursting with fantastic harmonies” - Maverick Magazine

“Great harmonies and stirring folk-pop songs” - R2 Magazine

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Poppy Raine, previously knowns as Poppy Alice, is a local singer/songwriter from Kent with an exceptional voice and talent for writing a variety of songs that reflect her thoughts and ideas. With influences including Ed Sheeran, Hozier, Adele and Eva Cassidy to name a few, her range of emerging songs are an eclectic mix of styles centred around an acoustic/soul genre. Performing since she was 16, Poppy Raine has been delivering her emotionally powerful performances at numerous festivals, pubs and private functions accompanying her vocals with her beloved guitar.

Following her travels around Australia and New Zealand, Poppy is currently studying songwriting at the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance in London where she is finding a new love for an extensive range of musical styles. She is currently writing her debut album following the success of her sell out EP ‘Just As I Am’ which was released in the Summer of 2012. So sit back an enjoy a mix of songs about Poppy’s two favourite things: love and cake.

Find her on Facebook, Twitter or Soundcloud.

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