Event Description

Former singer with C86 kingpins The Wolfhounds and 90s sample-crazed ‘post-rock’ innovators Moonshake, David Lance Callahan has also toured and collaborated with PJ Harvey, Stereolab and My Bloody Valentine, and played at Lollapalooza and All Tomorrow’s Parties.

Over the last few years, he has pursued a well-received solo career, writing and performing spooked social commentary as part of his sui generis vision, accompanied by his unique guitar style. His two solo LPs so far – English Primitive I and II – have seamlessly mixed folk, blues, West African, Arabic and post-punk influences to produce a distinctive blend that could only exist in the 21st Century. The lyrics, for which he is equally renowned, hold their own next to the Blake and Auden poems he has also set to music.

His recently released LP – Down to the Marshes – adds a horn section, string quartet and musical saw to the recipe and was voted one of the best albums of the year by LouderThanWar and Juno Daily, as well as receiving rave reviews in Mojo and Record Collector. It has been played many times on BBC 6Music, mostly on the Riley and Coe show. Most songs feature his regular drummer, Daren Garratt (formerly The Fall/nightingales/Pram, as well as Terry Edwards (PJ Harvey, Gallon Drunk) and Mel Draisey (The Clientele).

“The year’s stand-out album for me” – Stewart Lee

“A sort of modern-day pastoral” – Simon Armitage (Poet Laureate)

“Arguably his generation’s best lyricist … Callahan remains the great lost British frontman” – Martin Aston, Mojo

Image curtosy of Joel Goodman.