Ruarri Joseph Live at The Barrel House Ballroom

Event information

Barrel House friend and Totnes favourite Ruarri Joseph returns to the newly restored Ballroom with his new album ‘Brother’ (Pip Productions). The record, Ruarri’s fourth studio album to date, is a record inspired and propelled by ideas of friendship, relationships and family. Ruarri became a father at the age of just 19, but rather than becoming overwhelmed by the responsibilities of a young family, Ruarri instead felt spurred to pursue his passion for music. Now himself having just approached 30, this notion of family is one that beats strongly at the heart of ‘Brother’. For Joseph, the single word of the title symbolizes “companionship, community and closeness.” Building on the themes of his previous album.

Originally born in Edinburgh, the nomadic Joseph found his songwriting roots in the Southwestern Pacific. A move to New Zealan, and the young Ruarri found himself coming of age in Dannevirke (population 6,000), an isolated, rural farming community. At 17 Joseph packed his suitcase and moved back to the UK and settled in London, where he met his future wife.

At 25 Joseph released his debut album ‘Tales Of Grime and Grit’ through Atlantic Records, and shortly after leaving Atlantic in favour of independence in 2008, he formed his own label ‘Pip Productions’ through which all his subsequent LPs have been released. Inspired by Bob Dylan, the singer song-writer’s work has also earned him favourable comparisons to the chart-topping pop savvy sounds of Damian Rice and David Gray, artists which through no coincidence Joseph now shares management with.

"An intimacy somewhere between Bon Iver and Cat stevens" - UNCUT