‘...A standout performer of his generation’ – The Guardian ‘Boden plays a vast variety of instruments as we veer from mysterious love songs to dark, poetic tales, amid hints of soul, electronic and thrilling guitar thrash’ - Mojo ****

In an exciting Festival first, folk star Jon Boden will take the role of Guest Curator of Cambridge Folk Festival 2017. Jon Boden is delighted to announce Painted Lady tour, Part Two, starting in May 2017.

Best known as the lead singer of the progressive folk big band Bellowhead, who split in May 2016, Jon launched his solo career in Autumn 2016, touring the UK solo for the first time. Largely presenting the self-penned songs of his debut album, Painted Lady (2006), (recently re-issued by Navigator Records), as well as material from his remarkable dystopian follow-up, Songs From The Floodplain (2009, Navigator Records), Jon’s solo show also includes material from Bellowhead, his duo partnership, Spiers & Boden and his ambitious A Folk Song A Day project, in which he recorded 365 folk songs in one year.

Though widely respected as an interpreter and champion of traditional song, as anyone who has heard his solo albums or has seen Jon live will know, his repertoire extends far beyond the boundaries of the folk traditional genre.

Jon’s May 2017 dates will not just showcase his instrumental talents on fiddle and concertina, but also on guitar and trademark electrified ‘stomp box’.

Accompanying himself with simple handclaps one moment and performing a distinctive version of Whitney Houston’s 80s hit ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’ the next (one of the new, bonus tracks on the reissued Painted Lady), Jon Boden’s solo performances are electrifying audiences around the country.

When not touring or recording with various bands, Jon has also composed music for the Royal Shakespeare Company, for Richard Curtis’s film ‘About Time’ (in which he also appears) and composed and performed the signature music for BBC2’s comedy series Count Arthur Strong.

Jon’s compelling live shows provide insight into a man of many and various talents who uniquely manages to draw audiences deeper into the worlds of traditional music and of his own highly accomplished song writing. ‘The Ham also featured Jon Boden, formerly of Bellowhead, who was without a doubt the highlight of the week for us. He held the crowd for over an hour and a half, alone on stage with his plethora of instruments… filled with a mixture of songs from Bellowhead, traditional folk tunes and songs from Boden’s solo career. He came back for two encores at the end – the first time we have ever seen this happen at Sidmouth.’ Culture Vultures (live review of Sidmouth folk Week 2016)