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LATEST UPDATESWEDNESDAY 3rd NOVEMBER 2011 Beth to tour Australia in 2012It’s been nearly six years in the making, but come January 2012, iconic eclectic British singer/songstress Beth Orton makes her long awaited return to Australia for a series of solo acoustic concert dates.
The British chanteuse begins her run of shows in Brisbane on Sunday 15 January at the Old Museum Concert Hall, before heading to Sydney for two shows on Tuesday 17 & Wednesday 18 January at the City Recital Hall as part of the Sydney Festival. The tour then continues to Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre on Friday 20 January, The Gov in Adelaide on Saturday 21 January before finishing up in Perth with shows at The Quarry on Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 January.
Not seen down under since touring her 2006 opus Comfort of Strangers, Beth promises an intimate show that will feature material from all her classic recordings - including Trailer Park (1996) and her two Australian chart successes Central Reservation (1999) and Daybreaker (2002) - as well as a special sneak preview of songs from her highly anticipated upcoming album.
A fiercely independent trend-bucker from the very outset of her career, Beth Orton is well-renowned for her collaborations as for her own work - collaborations which range in style from her early ground-breaking and innovative sessions with William Orbit and The Chemical Brothers (recordings widely acknowledged as pre-figuring the folktronica movement), to her tender haunting vocals for folk legend Bert Jansch’s Black Swan album.
In the time since her last release Comfort of Strangers, Beth has been busy raising a family; but with a new album imminent in 2012 (on her new label, US based ANTI-), Beth explains the interval was also a period for some serious introspection: “The truth of the matter is I’ve taken off time to reassess my work, to think about the songs I write, and what it is I love most about what I do. It’s taken a lot to just really pull it down and deconstruct it and build it back up again. It’s taken me this long to get a body of work together that I feel proud of; but these songs are like nothing I’ve ever written.”
Hot on the heels of recording her new album, Beth Orton’s upcoming Australian dates will offer not just a rare opportunity to catch this esteemed artist, but also witness her in the process of defining a new chapter in her music.
Beth Orton @ Old Museum Concert Hall, Brisbane
Old Museum Concert Hall, Brisbane QLD, Australia
Sunday - January 15, 2012
Cost/Tickets: oldmuseum
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Beth Orton @ City Recital Hall, Sydney
City Recital Hall, Sydney NSW, Australia
Tuesday - January 17, 2012
Cost/Tickets: sydneyfestival - ticketek 132 849
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Beth Orton @ City Recital Hall, Sydney
City Recital Hall, Sydney NSW, Australia
Wednesday - January 18, 2012
Cost/Tickets: sydneyfestival - ticketek 132 849
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Beth Orton @ Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne
Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne VIC, Australia
Friday - January 20, 2012
Cost/Tickets: Ticketek 132 849 or ticketek
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Beth Orton @ The Gov, Adelaide
The Gov, Adelaide SA, Australia
Saturday - January 21, 2012
Cost/Tickets: thegov 03 8340 0744 - moshtix 1300 GET TIX - venuetix 08 8225 8888
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Beth Orton @ Live At The Quarry, Perth
Live At The Quarry, Perth WA, Australia
Tuesday - January 24, 2012
Cost/Tickets: Ticketmaster 136 100 or ticketmaster
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Beth Orton @ Live At The Quarry, Perth
Live At The Quarry, Perth WA, Australia
Wednesday - January 25, 2012
Cost/Tickets: Ticketmaster 136 100 or ticketmaster
WEDNESDAY 5TH OCTOBER 2011
Bert Jansch: 1943-2011
Remembering the great and inimitable folk guitarist
I interviewed him a couple of times, on both occasions – tellingly – to discuss the merits of other artists rather than his own considerable legacy. Lugubrious, taciturn, a little wary, Jansch was immune to self-aggrandisement and wasn’t much of a talker – or a singer, really, come to that – but get him onto music and musicians and he could be warm, generous and relatively expansive. In January 2009 I caught up with him the day after his friend John Martyn died. He was, first and foremost, very giving and perceptive in his technical analysis of Martyn’s gifts as a musician and singer. “His guitar playing was such a winner," he said, and he would know. "Very lazy and blues-ish, easy and quite laid back, never harsh or brittle. With John the singing and guitar playing came as a package. His voice was like another instrument, which was fantastic. Later he moved away from the acoustic guitar but the instrument doesn’t really make a difference – it doesn’t change the way you think about music. He wanted to embrace all different kinds of music, as much out of curiousity as anything else.” Though the two differed dramatically in their styles, he could easily have been describing aspects of his own adventurousness: blues, folk, jazz, country, Middle Eastern scales, Jansch's playing seemed to envelop them all without acknowledging a single boundary between genres or cultures. He was clearly cut up about Martyn’s death, but it was a personal sadness that he preferred not to share. He was more comfortable expressing his love and admiration through musical appreciation. The other time we talked was a couple of years previously, in praise of the wonderful English folk singer Anne Briggs, who had disappeared to the Highlands in the 1970s and had rarely been seen since. The pair were old friends and collaborators from way back and Jansch had, gently, attempted periodically to bring her out of her retirement. “I’d be really over the moon if she started again,” he said. “A lot of people have been trying to coax her back into it. I gave her a mini disc player to record with, but she’s not very good with hi-tech. I probably should have given her a cassette player...” He simply wanted, he said, to hear her sing again. It was his love of music that was so evident in these conversations, and that same love of music which was so evident in his own work. For all his dazzling technical virtuosity, his writing and playing flowed directly from the heart - which is why, perhaps, there wasn’t always much room left for mere words. Today, too, words seem singularly ineffective in capturing just how gifted he was. So let's take a leaf from Bert's book and concentrate on the music.
THURSDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER 2011
Maldives’ Six Senses Laamu to Host Ocean Conference
Global industrial growth, most of it very far away, has brought the Maldives to the frontline in the battle against rising sea levels. What happens to the Maldives and its 400,000 inhabitants may foretell the future of coastal regions around the globe, and for 15 years, the resort company has led the effort to protect the 1,190 islands of the Maldives. DuringWater/Wo/Men, Sonu Shivdasani, founder and CEO, Six Senses Resorts & Spas, and ocean conservationists will lead dialogues and debates on the most pressing marine and drinking water issues facing the planet today. One of Hollywood’s leading film actresses, Hannah, noted for her mermaid role in Ron Howard’s “Splash” and her environmental activism, is dedicated to ecological sustainability and will also participate in the panels. Surfers and divers will offer clinics to guests while musicians jam on the sandbanks. Award-winning chefs will keep guests sustained with ethically sourced gourmet food, best enjoyed with biodynamic wines from Australia’s Margaret River. For more information, visit www.sixsenseswaterwomen.com. TUESDAY 2nd AUGUST 2011
Beth is set to perform on the Fringe Stage @ the Split Festival, Ashbrooke Sports Club, Sunderland on Sat 17th Sep (click here for tickets) and at St Georges Church, Brighton on Saturday 24th September 2011 (Click here for tickets) SUNDAY 21st May 2011 The Age of Not Believing Orchestra & The Real Tuesday WeldMusic / Saturday, 11 June 2011 - 8:00pm / Hall One Price: £12.50 £14.50 £19.50 Saver Seats £9.50 Critically-acclaimed The Real Tuesday Weld present 'The London Monster' with accompanying visuals and music drawn from The Last Werewolf and Tales of the Lost City albums. Influenced by 1930s jazz, Serge Gainsbourg, Ennio Morricone and minimalist electronica, their live performances are accompanied by extraordinary atmospheric visual projections. 'Warm and welcoming as well as arty... a gypsy knees-up, a psychedelic bossa with the polite reeds of a '30s dance band crushed by booming hip-hop bass..."Q The Real Tuesday Weld are joined for this performance by Marcella Puppini’s lyrical Weimar Baroque’n’Roll ensemble, Marcella and The Forget Me Nots. She prowls about the stage, crooning a lullaby to the lover she has just murdered. Yet she is not afraid to show vulnerability or heartfelt emotion, singing gently of lifelong love. Fairy Tales & Monsters finishes in epic style with Arctic Circle’s new ensemble the extensive Age of Not Believing Orchestra features members of The High Llamas, The Red Clay Halo, Homelife, Dollboy and Beth Orton accompanist Ted Barnes, alongside an array of vocalists including Adrian Crowley, Emily Barker, Stephen Coates, Dale Grundle (The Sleeping Years) and a narrator, Dom Coyote. Together, they perform a suite of “spine-tingling music that delves into people’s dreams and memories”, comprising beloved children’s songs and specially commissioned compositions, arranged by composer Harry Escott. In addition, artist Louise Phillips will be making ‘live’, instinctual drawings in direct response to the evening’s musical performances. On Saturday the foyer will be transformed to accompany the Hall 1 and 2 events. Come and enjoy a range of free activities aimed at the young and the young at heart. Discover your inner monster through face painting, storytelling and a paper creature workshop, all accompanied by a live performance from sonic soundsmith Sone Institute. Fairytales & Monsters Ticket Offers www.tuesdayweld.com
SUNDAY 15TH MAY 2011
Beth is to appear at Voewood Festival on Saturday 27th August 2011 The inaugural Voewood Festival will be held over the August Bank Holiday weekend Friday 26th (evening performance), Saturday 27th, Sunday 28th and Monday 29th August. Dates Fri 26th August to Mon 29th August 2011 Writers confirmed: Musicians confirmed: Festival details will be announced soon! SATURDAY 16TH APRIL 2011 - THE TOUR! The gigography part of this site will be updated in due course!!
TUESDAY 8TH FEBRUARY 2011 - IRELAND DATES Saturday 30th April 2011 9.00pm @ Cleeres €15 Sunday 1st May 2011 9.00pm @ Cleeres €15 Since 1998, The Kilkenny Rhythm and Roots Festival has attracted some of the finest names in the Americana canon; acts like Calexico, Giant Sand, Ryan Adams,Alejandro Escovedo, Mark Eitzel, Guy Clark, Chuck Prophet, Ray LaMontagne,Richmond Fontaine, Rodney Crowell… The list is very long, and these are but a small few names who have been drawn to the magnet of the Marble City Mardi Gras in the past. Country, folk, blues, bluegrass, rockabilly, cajun etc… All forms of what we like to call Americana are well represented over the four days. From midday to midnight audiences wind their way through the medieval streets sampling the huge range of music in the 30 plus venues, hosting over 30 acts from Ireland, USA, Canada, UK and Sweden, with over 80 ticketed and free shows. There’s a mixture of old and new acts on the free pub gig trail and all styles will be catered for, from swing to bluegrass, rockabilly to cajun, folk and the blues.
THURSDAY 25TH NOVEMBER 2010 - DATES CHANGED DUE TO ILLNESS Beth has been unwell and because of this the first 3 dates of the December tour are being moved to March 2011. The rest of the dates are unaffected and will stay where they are. The new dates are as follows: Wed 02-March Nottingham The Glee Club Thur 03-March Leamington Assembly Fri 04-March Holmfirth Picturedrome If you are unable to make the new dates please contact the your ticket provider for a refund!
The lucky winners of a pair of tickets for Beth’s Nottingham gig on Wednesday 1st December 2010 at the Glee Club are: Neil Weir, Rugby Mary Robinson, Mansfield Thanks to all that entered and better luck next time!
Win tickets for Beth’s Nottingham gig on Wednesday 1st December 2010 at the Glee Club!www.beth-orton.co.uk has been given 2 pairs of tickets to give away for this gig Simply sign up to either the website newsletter and/or the blog. Once you have done that email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with your name, address and the answer to the following question: Beth kicks off her UK tour in which city?The first two answers drawn out of the hat will each win a pair of tickets! Closing date for entry is 1st November 2010
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Sunday, 29 January 2012
