Steve Knightley – Live In Somerset album

KNIGHTLEY TO RECORD DEBUT LIVE SOLO ALBUM… Show of Hands’ inspired frontman Steve Knightley, hailed as one of England’s finest songwriters, recorded his debut live solo album on Thursday, December 9 2010. Live in Somerset was recorded at The David Hall in the village of South Petherton – a former 19th century Congregational church where the Exeter-based singer songwriter performed a sell-out solo show in May. Says Knightley: “The David Hall is the perfect acoustic space in which to capture the live sound needed for an album with audience participation. It should be a great evening.” A mix of stand-out Knightley originals and his unique take on some traditional folk songs will form the mix of material to be recorded in front of a capacity audience, all tickets having been sold some months ago. Says Pete Wheeler of Petherton Arts Trust:  “What a tremendous coup for the Hall! We always look forward to Steve’s performances and for him to choose to record his debut live album in our company is a great compliment.” Knightley won the Best Original Song accolade at the 2010 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards for the topical title track of Show of Hands’ last studio album, Arrogance Ignorance and Greed, a heartfelt tirade against bankers and bonuses, MPs and expenses, which not surprisingly resonated with a lot of the population!  Together with his long-term musical partner and dazzling multi instrumentalist Phil Beer, Knightley also won the Best Duo title. Knightley writes most of the material for the increasingly popular Show of Hands including classics like Country Life and Roots, both also nominated for Best Original Song at previous BBC Folk Awards. A skilled musician, he also plays numerous instruments from guitar to mandocello and South American cuatro. Live in Somerset, due to be released in February, follows on from his stunningly sparse solo album Cruel River (2007) and Track of Words Retraced (2009) which revisited  his first solo album of a decade earlier. Steve, whose “Songbook 4” was recently published, will take to the road on a 26-date solo tour early in 2011, starting in Rugby on January 27 and ending in his home town of Exeter on February 27.

Artist Links: http://www.showofhands.co.uk/

“One of England’s greatest singer songwriters” – Mike Harding, BBC Radio 2

“Knightley dares to tackle subjects other songwriters leave well alone – his best songs are bleak, witty and finely observed” –The Guardian

“A folk legend” – BBC Music

“Touching emotional literacy” – Daily Telegraph

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