I’ve been terribly lax in updating the site over the last few months, but I won’t bore you with excuses! It’s a new year with a bucketful of new musical adventures to be had, although most of them haven’t revealed themselves yet. Let’s see what’s coming up…

This week sees ex-Nickel Creek singer and fiddle player Sara Watkins kicking off a two-week UK tour with an appearance at Sheffield Greystones this Wednesday (23^rd January). Full UK tour dates can be found here. We’re planning to catch the Sheffield gig (snow permitting) and I think this will be a much better venue for Sara than the somewhat staid Memorial Hall which hosted her last appearance in the city. Usually accompanied by her brother Sean (also ex-Nickel Creek) on flatpicked guitar and harmony vocals, Sara has an exceptionally sweet voice as well as being a great bluegrass fiddle player.

Since branching out as a solo artist, she has broadened her musical horizons and her first two solo albums include a mix of self-penned material and interesting cover versions (such as the John Hartford song below) as well as the occasional fiddle tune. She has recently toured as a guest member of indie favourites The Decemberists, as well as featuring regularly on the folksy US radio show A Prairie Home Companion.