Michael McDermott – Willow Springs Tour plus support Simon Mason

Thu 8th December, 2016
8:00 pm - 10:30 pm (Doors: 7:30pm)
Michael McDermott - Willow Springs Tour plus support  Simon Mason

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A rare visit to the UK from Chicago singer songwriter Michael McDermott, promoting his new Number 1 album Willow Springs, described by several critics as contender for album of the year.

Euro Americana Chart – Number One Album

Music Riot 5 Stars “a major songwriting talent”

Daily Express 5 Stars “the next American songwriter”

Americana UK 9/10 “An Americana Must-have”

Elmore Magazine 92 Points

Rhythms Magazine “A superb album, worth catching for sure”

American Roots UK “The Best Album I’ve heard in years”

Rocking Magpie “It’s his way with words; both on paper and when he sings that make him stand out from an over crowded market place like a bright red poppy in a field of gold.”

Karen Miller – BBC/Miller Tells Her Tale. “Michael doesn’t have one, but 2 of the Top 10 Records of 2016”

Following almost immediately on from the release of the critically acclaimed album Six On The Out by Michael McDermott’s band The Westies, Willow Springs comes along like an express train, delivering the most honest and expressive album of McDermott’s extraordinary 25 year solo career. Songs such as, ‘These Last Few Days’, ‘Getaway Car’, ‘Half Empty Kinda Guy’, ‘One Minus One’ and the title track, convey all at once, a sound that’s both reflective and confessional – borne by stark emotion and a tattered, battered delivery that’s both sobering and sublime.

Michael McDermott burst onto the scene in his early 20’s following a major label signing with his exceptional debut, 620 W. Surf and subsequently found himself touted as Rock’s ‘Next Big Thing’. MTV, Rolling Stone, The New York Times and even author, Stephen King added their appreciative nods, seemingly guaranteeing overnight success.

The missteps and failures that followed, the collapse of an industry that once embraced him as its next sensation, are troubles and travails that either ruin a person completely, or they force a change of attitude and staunch determination to gather one’s resolve to not only survive, but overcome. McDermott vowed to do both. Ten albums in, it’s resulted in Willow Springs (Pauper Sky), one of the most honest, daring and defiant recordings of McDermott’s career. Named for the small town where he now resides with his wife and young daughter, it reflects a certain circumspect about his life, the situations he’s encountered, while realizing that ultimately, his fate resided in his own hands.

For many UK Americana/Alt Country fans Michael McDermott is still a new name. His band The Westies have featured on both Bob Harris’s Country Show and Sunday show. UK shows are rare and not to be missed. In 2015 he broke off a European tour for one night in London, described aptly by the local promoter “the date was May Day bank holiday Sunday and because it was a 3-day weekend we had people flying and driving from all over the UK for that one night. It was a barnstormer”.

For more information, please visit www.michael-mcdermott.com

photo credit: Sandro

simon-mason-dec-2016Support – Simon Mason

Simon Mason is a poet, actor and songwriter. He wrote his book/memoir Too High Too Far Too Soon and has just completed recording an album under the project/band name Hightown Pirates.

Earlier this year Simon was invited to be part of Peter Doherty’s solo Eudaimonia tour, where he read extracts from his book/blogs and played a couple of songs solo.

More recently Simon took his one man show Too High Too Far Too Soon to Bristol where he sold out 2 nights.

Simon will be performing songs from his forthcoming Hightown Pirates album.

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/TheHightownPirates

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/simonmasonsays