The Unthanks

As part of 20th year celebrations, The Unthanks scale back for some intimate shows, supporting today’s best small venues and including memorable ones from their early days. The shows will draw from all parts of their repertoire.

How many artists have covered as much musical ground and journeyed so far at The Unthanks over the past two decades? BBC 6 Music regulars, but equally to be found on Radios 2, 3 and 4, the Tyneside band are like magpies, picking up undiscovered jewels, reframing history and drawing on the worlds of folk, jazz, orchestral, electronica and art-rock to create their own unique truth and beauty. They have won Mojo Magazine Folk Album of the Year twice, they were the only British folk representation in The Guardian’s and Uncut’s Best Albums of the Decade (worldwide, all genres), and count amongst their admirers, fellow storytellers including Elvis Costello, Maxine Peake, Michael Sheen, Rosanne Cash, Martin Freeman, Robert Wyatt, Martin Hayes, Nick Hornby, Ben Myers and Dawn French.

Using the traditional music of the North East of England as a starting point, the influence of Miles Davis, Steve Reich, Sufjan Stevens, Robert Wyatt, Antony & The Johnsons, King Crimson and Tom Waits can be heard in the band’s 16 records to date, earning them a Mercury Music
Prize nomination and international acclaim along the way.

“Few of their contemporaries, within both folk music and the wider artistic spectrum, have such a keenly honed ability to locate in a song the emotional essence that can, in just a single phrase or vocal elision, cut one to the quick.” The Independent

“The Unthanks have covered a lot of ground in the past decade and watching them evolve over this
period has been truly inspiring.” Phillip Selway (Radiohead)

“The honest and heartfelt way in which they deliver their music is a true inspiration to me.” Martin Hayes

“It hits you in your soul rather than your head. I love them.” Adrian Edmondson

“If there was such a thing still as having a favourite band like in the old days, I’d say they were my favourite band.” Paul Morley

Photo credit: Kit Haigh