Chagstock Festival - First Headliner Announced

CHAGSTOCK FESTIVAL 2012 "The Best Little Festival in The South West" FRIDAY 20th - SATURDAY 21st JULY 2012 KT TUNSTALLJUAN ZELADA | RUARRI JOSEPH | THE TRAVELLING BAND NEW CRISIS | BIG BOY BLOATER | EMILY AND THE WOODS MAD DOG McREA | KATE McGILL | MARTIN HARLEY BAND THE MONKEYGLAND BLUES BAND Many more acts, including Saturday headliners, still to be announced

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Chagstock Festival, Whiddon Down, Devon

CHAGSTOCK FESTIVAL is one of the Westcountry's best-loved festivals. Set in 45 acres of farmland on the northern edge of Devon's beautiful Dartmoor, Chagstock is renowned for its stunning location, diverse line-up of artists and family-friendly atmosphere. 

Acts recently confirmed for the eclectic family-friendly festival include a Friday night acoustic stage headline performance from KT Tunstall, plus performances from the critically acclaimed Juan Zelada, Cornwall-based singer-songwriter Ruarri Joseph, Jools Holland favourite Big Boy Bloater and alt-folk troubadours The Travelling Band. Many more acts, including the main and acoustic stage Saturday night headliners are yet to be announced.

Chagstock returns to its traditional 2-day format in 2012 and has confirmed details of a number of exciting changes for what will be its sixth year. These include a major new zone called "The Village Green", a revamped and enlarged children's area, the announcement that all children under 12 can attend for free, and a renewed emphasis on ensuring that wherever possible its performing artists, food, traders and brewery all have strong Westcountry links. 

Chagstock's capacity is once again capped at just 5,000 tickets to ensure that its intimate, family-friendly atmosphere is maintained, and as in previous years these are expected to sell out well in advance. Discounted early bird tickets are availabile until the end of February, priced at just £50 for an adult weekend ticket including camping and parking.

Simon Ford from Chagstock Festival says, "After the success of our fifth anniversary in 2011, everyone involved in Chagstock Festival is working hard to ensure this year's event is even better. With the tough economic times that people are currently facing, it is essential to offer not only a wonderful event, but at prices that people can afford. With this in mind we have brought down our ticket prices to 2010 levels, and are now offering free tickets to all accompanied children aged under 12"

This year's fancy dress theme will be Kings, Queens & Knights Of The Round Table

Early Bird weekend tickets are £50 (Adults), £35 (Under 18's) and Under 12's are free (ticket is still required). A Family Ticket for 2 Adults & 2 Under 18s is £150. All weekend tickets include 2 nights of camping, access to all music and on-site events and car parking. Day tickets are also available. Booking fees apply.

Tickets are available from http://www.chagstock.info/buy-tickets

http://www.chagstock.info

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Ruarri Joseph live this weekend

Ruarri’s rather peculiar music career began, in part, when his mother - a practicing witch – relocated her young family from Cornwall to New Zealand, away from his alcoholic father. A childhood was spent living on a farm in the middle of nowhere, where it was common practice to make explosives, drive at fourteen, swim in the ocean and shoot possums. When Ruarri’s family wanted to move to a bigger field, they simply sawed the house in half and took both bits with them.
 
With a growing love of music, Ruarri headed back to England. He met his wife--‐to--‐be at seventeen, and soon found himself a Teenage Dad, working as a nurse for the elderly and mentally ill. Joseph found musical solace gigging in a Jazz Cabaret band, and in 2007 – after buying ten Tom Waits albums to locate the one song he’d heard of – Ruarri stumbled into a solo career, and a Major Label deal. He was, he now concedes, completely unprepared for the music industry, having never really experienced one in his homes of New Zealand and Cornwall. One album and a good deal of critical acclaim later, following support slots with the likes of David Gray, Seth Lakeman and Paolo Nutini (with whom he remains close), Joseph quit his recording contract.
 
Ruarri returned to his roots, writing songs for the fun of it. His wife helped him found a record label and release a follow--‐up album, effectively acting as his A&R. Just as the record, ‘Both Sides of The Coin’, started to get going, the campaign was dealt a hammer blow: Ruarri’s son, Alfie, had to undergo emergency brain surgery, while his wife gave birth to their third--‐born, Harper. ‘Shoulder To The Wheel’, then, was written following the eventual (and full) recovery of Alfie. It is a hopeful record, somewhat unusually shaped by Gospel (or Joseph’s idea of gospel music: like Cobain’s introduction to Punk, Ruarri notes, he is more influenced by the attitudes than the aesthetics). Ruarri’s 4th album will be released in early 2012 and has released an EP ‘Til the luck runs dry’ with 2 new songs taken from the record, which is released through his web site.

http://ruarrijoseph.ning.com/

 

www.facebook.com/RuarriJoseph

Saturday 1st Oct @ Mello Mello Liverpool

Sunday 2nd Oct @ Ruby Lounge Manchester

Monday 3rd Oct @ Milo Leeds

Tickets from www.glasswerk.co.uk / www.ticketwerk.co.uk

 

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Brand New Video from Ruarri Joseph

Following on from our rview and photos of the talented Ruarri Joseph we are posting the new music video from him. the video is for the single "Severed Dreams" which will be released on April 18. It has already been playlisted at Radio 2, as well as Rurri's previous single "An Orchard For An Apple".

The video was directed by Ian Bucknole. Have a look and Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3-Xq--lZR8

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Ruarri Joseph @ The Shipping Forcast

Ruarri Joseph brought a little bit of laid back Cornwall to Liverpool on Saturday night. With just him and a friend on stage we were treated to an accoustic set that took us through his fairly large repetoire of songs and which saw him bare his soul on stage as his lyrics mainly come from personal life experience.

With the crowd shouting there admiration to Ruarri throughout the gig, you can see that he is building up a firm group of dedicated followers after taking a break in 2009 and this tour marks his return, complete with new album, Shoulder To The Wheel.

You can see the influences of Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens and John Martyn in his music, yet still manages to bring his own originiality and modern twist to this genre of music, mainly through his personality which exudes on stage.

This gig was definitely one to bring out the "happy" in people with his bounce along, toe tapping music covering his three albums. For his finale, he actually asked the audience what they wanted to hear, (a first for me) which gave it more of a personal touch. After a few minutes and a lot of different songs being requested, it was mutally decided on a mellow little number followed by a rare performance of "Tales of Grime and Grit" a totally infectious track that gets not just the toes a tapping but the entire body.

All in all this was an excellent intimate gig and I for one am now hooked on his music

Review by Alison Goggin

http://www.ruarrijoseph.co.uk/

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Exclusive Interview with Ruarri Joseph

 

MusicmafiaUK has been in conversation with Ruarri Joseph ahead of his UK Tour and visit to the Shipping Forecast in Liverpool. Read what he had to say to us and his thoughts about the new album Shoulder to the wheel

Can you tell us where your influence and ideas came for the new album “Shoulder to the wheel” ?

 

The record kind of came from nowhere.  I  had no preconceptions about the end result, I was just writing, recording and mixing all at the same time, like a stream of consciousness, and then suddenly found I had another record under my belt.  When I think about it now there’s an underlying theme of hope and light at the end of the tunnel I guess, optimism in the face of adversity and what not, but it really wasn’t planned.   The previous year had been pretty insane and it was the first time I’d done any real music for quite some time, so I was doing it for myself.  I knew nothing about gospel music but loved the idea of music that gives you faith and truth, so it’s an interpretation of that if anything.  

      You play the Shipping Forecast in Liverpool on Saturday. Have you played Liverpool before and what are your impressions of it if you have?

Yeah I’ve played Liverpool a few times, always a pleasure.   The people are super friendly.  When I was a kid we lived next door to a guy from Liverpool who used to play a Hammond organ at full volume.  I’d stand in the garden and be loving it.  He gave me an LP of the Kop choir singing all their different football songs (the clean ones), which was my first record.  He said I could have it so long as I supported Liverpool!  It’s a cool place

.   

      What type of gig will the people coming to see you expect to see?

We’re playing a bunch of duo shows, so it’s me and my friend Al who plays electrics and anything else with strings.  We still mix it up a load.  Some old, some new, the odd request, whatever.  We take each show as it comes and try to make sure the audience is happy.  I hate any show where the singer tells the audience to be quiet.  We’re there for them.

      The Shipping forecast is a great venue for intimate gigs due to its outlay. Do you think your music will reflect well in these surroundings?

I hope so.  Like I say, each gig is totally different.  Sometimes they’re quiet and intimate, sometimes rowdy as hell but it’s good to be versatile.  I’d like to think we could make it work whatever our setting.

       You have 2 other albums (both sides of the coin/Live at the acorn) how does the new album compare to the other 2?

Actually I have three other albums.  My first album was called Tales of Grime and Grit and came out on Atlantic records in 2007 but I no longer own the rights to it so I don’t know what they’re doing with it.  That record was made within the major system, so big studio, producer, mix engineer, budget, but as much fun as it was, I’m not sure it suited me.  The second record (both sides of the coin) I’m still really proud of as I’d done the brave (or stupid) thing by leaving Atlantic and poured my heart and soul into it, doing everything including releasing it through my own label which was tough going but really satisfying.  I pulled out of the promotional tour on that record when my eldest became ill and had to be taken to hospital for some time, so I always feel it had more to give but wasn’t meant to be.  I was a dad and a husband for the next 8 months and then Shoulder to the Wheel popped out.  The new record is the most ‘me’ a record could be.  I wasn’t writing for a label or to prove anything, just purely for the love of music.

      How has the tour been so far and what has been the reaction of the audiences?

We start tomorrow so I’ll let you know.

     What’s next for Ruarri Joseph? 

I’ve been writing and recording some new stuff and got the rest of the year between shows and festivals to piece it all together.  Just trying to stay afloat and happy for now.

You can catch Ruarri on Saturday 9th April in Liverpool at the Shipping Forecast

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Ruarri Joseph - UK Tour and Album

Ruarri Joseph has announced details of a new single and UK tour this spring. The nine-date tour will begin in Manchester’s Jabez Clegg on April 6 and conclude at Nottingham’s Glee Club on April 16.  Joseph is also confirmed to play Bristol’s Folk Festival in Colston Hall on April 29. The dates will coincide with the release of a new single, ‘Severed Dreams’, on April 18, which follows the Radio-2-playlisted ‘An Orchard For An Apple’. Both songs are taken from Joseph’s acclaimed new album, ‘Shoulder To The Wheel’ (ACP Recordings). Ruarri Joseph is a singer and songwriter born in Cornwall, but raised in New Zealand. His childhood was spent living on a farm in the middle of nowhere, swimming in rivers, docking lambs, shooting possums and going on road trips to lake Taupo for weeks on end.  Idyllic maybe,
but lacking in any musical outlet, Ruarri left school at 16 and began his search.  At 17 the search took Ruarri back to England (via a strange experience in Indonesia), where he met his wife-to-be at his first UK gig, and soon found himself a Teenage Dad, working as a nurse for the elderly and the mentally ill and playing music in any spare
time he could find. ‘Shoulder To The Wheel’ is Joseph’s third album, and was completed after an eventful few years. First, Joseph quit his Major Label recording contract after just one record.  His wife then helped himfound his own label, and still effectively acts as his A&R. Just ashis second album began to gather steam, their son, Alfie, had to
undergo emergency brain surgery, while his wife gave birth to theirthird-born, Harper, so Joseph bowed out of music momentarily.‘Shoulder To The Wheel’, then, was written following the eventual (andfull) recovery of Alfie. As such, there is a maturity on this record –and a sense of determination, hope and optimism as signalled by the
title - that reflects Ruarri’s twenty seven years.

You can catch Ruarri at the following venues and tickets are available from seetickets (link below)


Live Dates:
April 6 / Manchester / Jabez Clegg
April 8 / Leeds / Cockpit
April 9 / Liverpool / Shipping Forecast
www.seetickets.com

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