Press release for Findings Release Tour

General press release:

Ange Hardy and Lukas Drinkwater have been stunning audiences all over the country and have rapidly gained a reputation as a phenomenon on the indie and folk music circuit. If you’ve not heard them perform live yet then don’t miss this opportunity - you’re in for an absolute treat. You don’t get called “one of the country’s top folk musicians” by the Telegraph or invited to launch your new album live on BBC Radio 2 by delivering anything less than exceptional levels of entertainment.

Since she burst onto the scene in 2013 Ange Hardy has racked up an impressive array of awards including a nomination at last year's BBC Ra­­dio 2 Folk Awards and winning three consecutive FATEA awards: Female Vocalist of the Year (2013), Album of the Year (2014) and The Tradition Award (2015).

They perform live with a staggering array of ever-changing instruments and equipment: a 27-string harp, 4 different guitars, a double bass, an array of traditional whistles, an Indian shruti box, two loop pedals, a stomp box and anything else they've decided to bring with them to keep their sound engineer on his toes. It’s Ange’s innovative and spellbinding use of loop pedals to build layers of vocal harmony live from the stage that have gained her the most attention as a live performer - the dexterity of timing and skill required to harmonise with herself is almost as impressive as her ability to seemingly never perform the same set list twice.

"Findings" are the parts used to join jewellery components together to create something beautiful; this new album is about bringing together two musicians to create something even greater than the sum of their parts. The duo’s material contains their own findings in the form of traditional songs that they’ve rearranged as well as lines from traditional material interwoven into their own songs.

Lukas Drinkwater has previously been seen performing in a duo with regular BBC Radio 2 Folk Award nominated Jim Causley, as one half of Jacob and Drinkwater, with European festival favourites Tankus the Henge and 3 Daft Monkeys, playing Jazz percussion for Lisa Marini, performing with The Little Unsaid and recording countless sessions with esteemed funk & soul producer Lack of Afro. Lauren Laverne recently called him “the hardest working musician of Glastonbury Festival” on BBC Radio 6.

Folk broadcaster Mike Harding referred to Ange as “one of the most interesting, powerful and talented singers and songwriters to come out of recent years” and this new tour with Lukas Drinkwater seems certain to cement their position as two of this generation's greatest performers.

There are songs and music here that span generations - go and see them live!

Watchet / Somerset specific introductory paragraph

Local Somerset folk star Ange Hardy, who had a huge national success with her Arts Council supported album based on the life and work of Coleridge, has once again turned her hand to writing about the local area - but this time it’s even closer to home and with the able assistance of a new duo partner Lukas Drinkwater.

Her new album opens with a trio of songs: The Call, The Daughters of Watchet and Caturns night. Paying homage to the local trades and traditions of Watchet, with references to the harbour and steam railway as well as the ore mines in the Brendon Hills and the old mineral line that connected them to Watchet.

There are more nods to her local heritage in the triumphant tune Bearded Ted of Radington that follows these words of thanks for Somerset farmers: "They were men from a line of tradition. Their land was their honour and pride and they had not a single intention to take or to steal or divide".

They close the album with a song that is a contemplative reflection on the closure of the Watchet paper mill - observing that all seasons change, and reflecting on the fact that the world no longer relies on the once prosperous industries built on steam power and seafaring.