25 Aug The Wandering Hearts announce socially distanced bandstand tour
The Wandering Hearts have announced a Bandstand Tour with an initial four date run beginning in Cardiff on Friday 28thAugust. The band said, “We were so sad at the thought of not playing shows this year, now that our In Harmony Tour has moved to 2021, so we came up with a plan to reach our fans in person in a fun and safe way. We can’t wait to tour bandstands around the country, play songs old and new, and enjoy the last of the summer sun at these socially distanced free gigs.”
The Wandering Hearts shot to the forefront of the UK folk-Americana scene with their debut album ‘Wild Silence’. Earning glowing comparisons ranging from First Aid Kit to Fleetwood Mac, the album propelled them upon a remarkable journey during which they played some of America’s most storied venues. After a personal invitation from the legendary Marty Stuart, they became the first band to make their US debut at Nashville’s iconic Ryman Auditorium and then play the Grand Ole Opry in the same week.
An early highlight came at the UK Americana Awards, where they won the Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award and performed with Robert Plant, Mumford & Sons and Imelda May. Two years on the road followed, with sold-out headline tours, support slots for Lukas Nelson, Justin Townes Earle and Larkin Poe, opening for Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks at London’s BST Hyde Park, and festival circuits across the UK and US.
The Wandering Hearts headed to the idyllic setting of Woodstock, NY at the start of 2020to record their follow-up album. The self-titled album will be released on 26thFebruary 2021 and been introduced with first single ‘Over Your Body’ which captures the elegance, beauty and drama that have come to be hallmarks of The Wandering Hearts’ sound. A beautifully haunting, driving track with harmonies that evoke The Mamas & The Papas, the band describe it as being, “A song about the process of walking away. Breaking a pattern, getting out, and realising that there’s a new horizon waiting for you.” Its accompanying video summarises their time in The Catskills throughout the album’s creation, a three-minute postcard of an unforgettable experience.
The trio – Tara Wilcox, Chess Whiffin and AJ Dean-Revington– started writing for the album by drawing on personal experiences. Themes and stories emerged that reflected how they’ve supported each other, both within music and life in general. They’re topics that are universally relatable: life, death, love and fear.
Sonically they touched upon a wide variety of influences, while keeping the focus on their sweet vocal harmonies, melodic leanings and vintage instruments. You can hear echoes of greats from the Laurel Canyon scene – Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Joni Mitchell, Carole King– plus their admiration of Fleetwood Mac. Despite that respect for the past, it’s equally inspired by the present with The War On Drugs, Lukas Nelson and Arcade Fire also infused in their sound.
To maximise the potential of the material, The Wandering Hearts called upon the expertise of producers Simone Felice and David Baron. The duo’s magic touch had previously inspired numerous acclaimed artists including The Lumineers, Jade Bird and Bat For Lashes. The majority of the album was crafted at thepair’s mountain top studio near Woodstock, NY. It was a location that further fuelled the band’s creativity, from the striking scenery of the local area to the historic instruments, notably a celesta once owned by Thelonious Monk. The result is an album which brims with hope, even in the darkest of times. The album is now available to pre-order from https://TWH.lnk.to/TheWanderingHeartsPR.
BANDSTAND TOUR DATES 2020:
28 August – Victoria Park, Cardiff
29 August – Victoria Parade, Broadstairs
30 August – Battersea Park, London
5 September – Saltwell Park, Gateshead
