THE PITMEN POETS - extensive UK Tour Jan-Feb + New Album 'More Black Diamonds' (available fr
THE PITMEN POETS – 31 DATE UK TOUR, JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2017
VIDEO HERE: https://youtu.be/D34u3zUcTVk
After two sell out UK tours in 2011 and 2013 , The Pitmen Poets planned world tour was put on hold when Bob Fox was offered a starring role as The Songman in the West End production of Warhorse. Now that Bob has stopped horsing around for a while, it is time for the Poets to ride again – though Bob will be returning, soon to that particular ‘mount’…
Since the first Pitmen Poets tour in 2011, Sam West's revival of the seminal ‘Close the Coalhouse Door’ has completed a triumphant UK tour and Lee Hall's ‘Pitman Painters’has been a hit in the West End and also on Broadway. Interest in the North East's mining tradition has never been more intense. What better time could there be for an opportunity to experience the brilliant entertainment of The Pitmen Poets?
The Pitmen Poets celebrate the songs, humour, and culture of North East England's Coal Mining tradition, bringing together four of the region's leading champions of it's musical heritage. Ex-Lindisfarne & Jack The Lad singer and writer Billy Mitchell, song man from London’s west end musical Warhorse, Bob Fox, leading exponent of Tyneside song Benny Graham, and much-covered BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards nominee songwriter Jez Lowe - individually and collectively, The Pitmen Poets.
With archive footage and photographs, this is a journey through the centuries of a once-great industry, from the songs that saw it thrive and dominate, to those that saw it's demise and the resulting aftermath
“The stark setting of New Hartley's Memorial Hall was transformed into an emotional hothouse during the concert by the Pitmen Poets. The audience sang along, laughed and also shared moments of sadness as the combined talents of Billy Mitchell, Jez Lowe, Benny Graham and Bob Fox took them on an epic journey through the life and times of the Northumberland and Durham coalfields. What a great night!” (Brian Coles – Rock of the North).
“…it was most definitely standing room only as the audience filled the room (and beyond) to be equally moved and amused by songs spanning two centuries”. (Living Tradition Review, Costa Del Folk)
THE PITMEN POETS, ONE BY ONE:
Billy Mitchell
Billy spent much of the 70s touring Europe with much-missed folk-rockers Jack the Lad before becoming 50% of the hilarious Maxie & Mitch. When Lindisfarne knocked on his door in 1996, he fronted the band until they retired in 2003. Continuing to perform solo and with his band, he has more recently been touring The Lindisfarne Story with his pal and Lindisfarne co-founder, Ray Laidlaw. www.billymitchell.co.uk
Bob Fox
Bob has twice been nominated as Folk Singer of the Year at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Through his masterful interpretation of traditional and contemporary songs he's become a favourite on the national and international folk circuit. Recently he's played the role of ‘Songman’ in The National Theatre’s West End production of Warhorse and the UK, Ireland and South Africa touring production. www.bobfoxmusic.com
Jez Lowe
From Easington Colliery in County Durham, Jez is a much-covered and much-travelled songwriter and singer, with around twenty albums to his name, as well as a long-running role as a principle writer for the award-winning BBC series, The Radio Ballads. His latest album, The Ballad Beyond, was released last year, to much acclaim. www.jezlowe.com
Benny Graham
Benny served his musical apprenticeship in the folksong clubs of The North East, developing a love of rural songs, and the music which grew from the heavy industries of coal, steel and ship building. Following years working in the UK and Europe as a solo performer, he's recently been working as an actor & songwriter. www.bennygraham.com
JANUARY – FEBRUARY, 2017
Thurs 12 Darwen, Library Theatre Knott Street, Darwen BB3 3BU 01254 706006 www.darwenlibrarytheatre.com 7.30pm £17.50 + B/fee
Friday, 13 Chesterfield, Pomegranate Theatre Corporation St, Chesterfield S41 7TX
01246 345222 www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk/whats-on.aspx 7.30pm £20.50
Sunday, 15 Scarborough, Spa Theatre South Bay, Scarborough YO11 2HD · 01723 821888 www.scarboroughspa.co.uk 7.30pm £19.80
Tues 17 Milton Keynes, The Stables Stockwell Lane, Wavendon, Milton Keynes MK17 8LU 01908 280814 www.stables.org 8pm £20 + fees
Wed 18 Pocklington, Arts Centre 22-24 Market Place, York YO42 2AR 01759 301547 www.pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk 7.30pm £18.50
Thurs 19 Solihull, Core Theatre Box Office Homer Road, Solihull B91 3RG · 0121 704 6962 www.thecoretheatresolihull.co.uk 7.30pm £17.50 + B/fee
Friday, 20 Doncaster, Cast Waterdale Doncaster DN1 3BU 01302303950 https://castindoncaster.com/whats-on 7.30pm £18.50
Sat 21 Leeds, City Varieties Swan Street Leeds LS1 6LW 0113 243 0808
https://www.cityvarieties.co.uk 7.30pm Tickets £20.10*, Boxes (to seat 2) £46.20*
Sun 22 Buxton, Pavilion Arts Centre 5 The Square, Buxton SK17 6BE 0845 127 2190 www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk/pavilion-arts-centre 7.30pm
£21 Matcham: 12% off Discounts: Groups (8+)/Senior/Disabled: £2 off
JSA/Income Support/Students/Children: ½ price
Wed 25 Billingham, Forum Theatre The Causeway, Billingham TS23 2LI www.forumtheatrebillingham.co.uk 01642 551389 7.30pm £17.50
Thursday, 26 Shrewsbury, Walker Theatre Frankwell Quay, Shrewsbury SY3 8FT
01743 281281 www.theatresevern.co.uk 7.30pm £19 FRIENDS 10% OFF
Friday, January 27 Barnsley, The Civic Hanson Street, Barnsley S70 2HZ 01226 327000 www.barnsleycivic.co.uk 7.30pm £17.50 + B/fee
Saturday, 28th Stafford, Gatehouse Theatre Eastgate Street, Stafford ST16 2LT
01785 619080 www.staffordgatehousetheatre.co.uk 7.30pm £18.50+B/fee
Sunday, 29 Margate, Theatre Royal Addington Street, Margate CT9 1PW 01843 293877 www.theatreroyalmargate.com 7.30pm £18
Monday, 30 Folkestone, Leas Cliff Hall The Leas, Folkestone, Kent CT20 2DZ 01303 228 600 www.theatresonline.com/theatres/folkestone-theatres/leas-cliff... 7.30pm £22.40 + T/fees
Tuesday, 31 Yeovil, Octagon Theatre Yeovil Ba20 1, Yeovil BA20 1UX 01935 422884 www.octagon-theatre.co.uk 7.30pm £19.50 £18.00Conc
February
Wednesday, Feb 1 Torrington, Plough Arts Centre 9-11 Fore Street, Torrington EX38 8HQ 01805 624624 www.theploughartscentre.org.uk 8pm £17..£16 conc
Thursday, 2 Swansea, Grand Theatre Singleton St, Swansea SA1 3QJ 01792 475715 www.swansea.gov.uk/swanseagrandtheatre 7.30pm £19 + online b/fee
Sunday, 5 Durham, Gala Theatre Millennium Place, Durham DH1 1WA
0300 026 6600 www.galadurham.co.uk 7.30pm £ 18
Tuesday, 7 Keswick, Theatre by the Lake Theatre By The Lake Lakeside, Keswick CA12 5DJ 017687 74411www.theatrebythelake.com
Wednesday, 8 Lancaster, Grand Theatre St Leonard's Gate, Lancaster LA1 1NL · 01524 64695 www.lancastergrand.co.uk 7.30pm £17.50
Thursday, 9 Scunthorpe, Plowright Theatre The Baths Hall, Doncaster Road, Scunthorpe, DN15 www.plowrighttheatre.com 7.30pm £18.50 B/fee may apply
Friday, Feb 10 Whitley Bay, Playhouse 10 East Parade, Whitley Bay NE26 1AP · 0191 447 0500 www.playhousewhitleybay.co.uk 7.30pm £18.50 £17.50 conc + B/fees
Sunday, 12 Mansfield, Palace Theatre Leeming Street, Mansfield NG18 1NG · 01623 412951 www.mansfield.gov.uk/palacetheatre 7.30pm £18.50 £17.50 + B/fee
Monday, 13 Crewe, Lyceum Theatre Heath Street, Crewe CW1 2DA · 01270 368242 https://crewelyceum.co.uk 7.30pm
Tuesday, 14 Melksham, Assembly Hall Market Place, Market Place, Melksham SN12 6ES · 01225 709887 www.melkshamtown.co.uk 7.30pm £18
Wednesday, 15 London, Kings Place 90 York Way, London N1 9AG · 020 7014 2838 www.kingsplace.co.uk 8pm Online Price: £14.50 – £34.50 | Savers £9.50*
Thursday, 16 Bury, The Met Market Street, Bury BL9 0BW · 0161 761 7107 www.themet.biz 7.30pm NYL 18/10/16
Friday, 17 Bathgate, Regal Community Theatre 24-34 North Bridge Street, Bathgate West Lothain EH48 4PS · 01506 632558 www.bathgateregal.org 7.30pm £20
Saturday, 18 Hexham, Queens Hall Beaumont Street, Hexham NE46 3LS · 01434 652477 www.queenshall.co.uk 8pm £18.50
Sunday, eb 19 Gateshead, Sage St Mary's Square, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead NE8 2JR · 0191 443 4666 www.sagegateshead.com 8pm £21.50, £19.35. Includes 7.5% handling fee.
