Old South Church welcomes northern Manchester England’s folk singer and activist Johnny Campbell to Farmington, Sunday, May 11 at 7pm. Doors will open at 6:30pm. Admission is adults $20 and students (12 yrs +/college w/id) $15. Tickets can be purchased at www.farmingtonucc.org/events for a small processing fee or can be reserved by calling 207-491-5919 before 2 pm on the day of the concert. Tickets will be available at the door.
The Church’s 235 Main Street entrance is handicapped accessible.
“Johnny Campbell emerged onto the UK folk scene writing self-penned material and delving deep into Northern English folk song and story. The album From “Hull & Halifax & Hell” (2020) took him to The Faroe Islands where he recorded a live album on the island of Nolsoy. Since musical instruments hadn't arrived on the islands until the 19th century, this is perhaps the first time Northern English traditional song has been recorded on these islands. This production earned him album of the week with Blues and Roots radio and reviews with British folk press:
''The spirit of the folk clubs in their heyday runs in his veins''-Folking.com
''I defy anyone not to be galvanized by the total integrity of his exceptional rendition of (Ewan MacColl's) Moving On Song''-The Living Tradition
''A truly entertaining work. Lose yourself in the true folk experience''-Fatea Magazine
Tradfolk calls Campbell ''A Modern-Day Billy Bragg''
Since March 2020, Campbell hasn't relented, releasing three singles, “Hard Times of Old England”, “Winter Hill Trespass”& “A Right to Roam”. The former receiving play on Ian Lynch's (Lankum) Fire Draw Near podcast, Winter Hill Trespass (2021) gained national press in Country Walking Magazine & The Guardian.
Johnny released ‘Winter Hill Trespass’ to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the mass trespass by 10,000 local people to defend an ancient right of way across the moor. The event predates the Kinder trespass but is less well-known. The song is a narrative with some imagination thrown in and an extremely singable chorus,
“As you would expect from Campbell, the song is delivered with power and passion and an almost evangelical zeal. It took over a hundred years to right the original wrong and the song provides inspiration that it will not be allowed to go back again with just the swipe of a vested interested minister's pen. It's the power of song that it can not only reflect our past, but also raise awareness for the future or we'll all be marching still.”- Neil King
A Right to Roam (2022) is a collaboration with Commoners Choir & Skelmanthorpe Brass Band which received the accolade of 'One of the Best Folk Songs of 2022' alongside contemporaries such as Eliza Carthy, Jon Boden, Angeline Morrison & more, chosen by Tradfolk.
''Nobody else seems to be doing what Campbell is doing right now, and his passion and determination deserve recognition”- Jon Wilks
2024 sees Campbell releasing True North, an album of Northern English traditional songs recorded on their respective county summits, garnering press from Country Walking Magazine, Folk on Foot & BBC Radio 4 Open Country. Richard Thompson declared True North as one of his albums of the year in 'My Year in Music' in UNCUT Magazine.
''I can't think of another project quite like this!'' -Richard Thompson
⭐⭐⭐⭐ “(True North) is a psychogeography field trip''-MOJO
Through extensive touring in UK and Europe, Campbell finds time to write for Britain's best-selling walking magazine, Country Walking as well as being billed with BBC Folk award nominees & winners in recent years such as Stick In the Wheel, Martin Carthy, Ye Vagabonds, Lankum, Daoiri Farrell, Ewan McLennan, The Men They Couldn't Hang and many more.
⭐⭐⭐⭐''Haunting, Evocative & Pure''-SONGLINES
I met Johnny Campbell as one of the several artists on our Scotland Folk Tour trip last June. He performs old English folktunes as well as self-penned originals with heartfelt passion and woven with an activist spirit. I hope you will join me in welcoming Johnny to Old South for the first time and enjoy an evening of northern England folk tunes.
For more information about Johnny Campbell visit www.
https://johnnycampbell.co.uk/
If there is no sponsor for sound and lights for this concert a monetary collection will be taken at the beginning of the second half.
Donations of mens’ and womens’ deodorant and toilet tissue for The Essentials Closet can be left in the Vestry where intermission is held.
Also check out other Music events in Farmington, Entertainment events in Farmington, Concerts in Farmington.
