Fri 24th November, 2017
8:00 pm - 10:30 pm (Doors: 7:30pm)Buy Tickets
Bookings are closed for this event.
CHAPEL ARTS CAFE IS OPEN THIS EVENING – last orders 7.00pm, to book a table please call: 01225 920256
Worry Dolls are an exciting duo born out of the joint talents of multi-instrumentalists Zoe Nicol and Rosie Jones, whose debut album Go Get Gone was released earlier this year.
Serendipity brought Zoe and Rosie together at an open mic when they were 18, whilst studying music in Liverpool. Both redheads with guitars, on their chosen path of becoming solo singer songwriters, and both falling under the spell of ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’. Paired by their teachers for an opportunity to have their songwriting critiqued by Paul McCartney, they were inspired to start co-writing, and could now be described as an almost telepathically linked songwriting force.
Discovering a unique chemistry and symbiotic vocal harmony with their voices, they set off together making music as Worry Dolls. It was a new sound, blending the tender urgency of Zoe’s Irish-influenced voice with the fiery integrity of Rosie’s vocals and rhythmic guitar. Zoe transferred her fingerpicking skills to ukulele, followed by Earl Scruggs-style banjo, motivated by players like Emily Robison (Dixie Chicks) and Winston Marshall (Mumford & Sons).
The pair were drawn to London, where they spent the best part of a year sleeping on couches, obsessively co-writing and performing, and all the while developing a burgeoning cult following. Worry Dolls harnessed this period of transition and channelled it into two EPs, with their second release “Burden” evidencing a sound that was beginning to shed its starry-eyed innocence, and give way to a more acerbic and mature artistic voice.
After a summer of grafting on the festival circuit, they made the decision to quit their day jobs & lives in London to fly to Nashville and record their debut album. They had a strong vision for the record even before it was fully written. The most important creative anchor was to stay true to their English roots and to work with people who could elaborate what they already had. It didn’t take long for personal recommendations to pair them with producer Neilson Hubbard, a veteran of East Nashville’s music scene with an ear for successful collaborations & a strong focus on vocals. It was soon obvious that the chemistry was mutual.
In the 6 months following their album release, highlights include a raved-about main stage performance at Cambridge Folk Festival, showcases at The Great Escape and AmericanaFest UK, Festival La Truite Magique in Belgium, Jessie Weston’s catwalk at London Fashion Week, C2C Festival at The O2, BBC Introducing, plays on BBC Radio 2, praise from MOJO, BBC’s Whispering Bob Harris & Paul Sexton, opening slots and collaborations with Sam Outlaw and Mott the Hoople’s Ian Hunter and a limited edition white vinyl released on Record Store Day. Their November Headline Tour begins at The Borderline in London on November 9th. With 88 shows this year – all a testament to their talent and achievements in such a short time in 2017.
Worry Dolls’ debut album Go Get Gone is out now on all outlets via Bread and Butter Music.