“Thirty years on from his remarkable, indescribably dark and damn right startling Americana debut “Wrong Side Of Memphis”, Ithaca, NY, legend Johnny Dowd returns to the roots rock arena with Family Picnic, his new album set for release on March 1st. 

As Dowd says himself:
“I had to dig pretty deep for this one. Not sure how many more tunes I have in me. Tick tock. This record took an unexpected turn to the past — my past. It’s kind of like Wrong Side of Memphis 30 years down the road. Surprisingly little has changed for me (emotionally, that is). I’m still drawn to the same themes — unrequited love, murder, general foolishness. Waltzes and shuffles and boom chuck beats abound. Ice cream chord changes. Plus Kim Sherwood-Caso and Mike Edmondson. What’s not to like? An Americana classic, if I do say so myself.”

Family Picnic will be released on Mother Jinx Records on March 1, 2019. It will be available digitally worldwide, and the CD will be available at www.johnnydowd.com and on the European tour which begins April 4 and comes to Bristol on April 11th.”

PARK DOING: NY-based solo artists who has spent much of 2018 on the road with Johnny Dowd and also Guided By Voices - www.parkdoing.org

THE JESUS BOLT: Gerard Starkie ( Ex Witness and Blue Aeroplanes) has joined forces with Hazel Winter as ‘The Jesus Bolt'. The band was initially masterminded to promote the release of Hazel’s book of poetry ’I’m Scared Of The Pig On The City Farm‘ (due for release summer 2018). It has now rapidly transmogrified into a Proper Thing with songs and films and stuff.

https://www.facebook.com/thejesusbolt/

DJ CACTUS COUNTY: Cactus County plays an eclectic selection of new & classic alternative music from Cardiacs to Hank Williams. He’ll almost certainly play something you’ll want to download the next day. You may be left either utterly disappointed, vaguely bewildered, and/or slightly amused but then again, that’s a bit like life isn’t it.

Doors Open: 7.30pm Admission: £12 on the Door

Tickets: £10 + BF from Bristol Ticket Shop, High Street, Bristol Tel 0117 9299008 www.bristolticketshop.co.uk