BIRMINGHAM: Kitchen Garden Cafe

Wednesday 9th October, 2024

7:30pm

Event information

One of the finest and most loved duos on the British and World folk/roots stages.

“They light up the room with their amazing energy” (James Taylor).
“Truly gifted human beings” (Richard Hawley).

With 30 years of unrivaled musical partnership and gathering numerous nominations, awards and critical acclaim along the way, much beloved British singer-songwriters Chris While and Julie Matthews celebrated a quarter of a century last year as one of the best loved and most prolific female duos to come out of this country.

They have played more than 2,600 gigs, appeared on over 100 albums, written hundreds of original songs and reached millions of people around the world. They are also part of female super group, Daphne’s Flight (Helen Watson, Melanie Harrold & Miranda Sykes) and Christmas band, St. Agnes Fountain with Fairport’s Chris Leslie. Now, 30 years after their debut, they sound as fresh and vital as ever.

2024 marks their 30th anniversary and will see the release of their 12th studio album as well as several festival appearances throughout the summer then culminating in an extensive celebratory tour in October.

"it's a real honour just to be an audience member but I've had the added honour of standing on a stage with them playing along in the background, things like that I'll treasure forever, truly gifted human beings" (Richard Hawley).

“Chris While is the best singer in England” (Eddi Reader).

Froots simply called Julie Matthews “awesomely talented”.

Chris While (vocals, guitar, banjo, dulcimer, bodhran and percussion) & Julie Matthews (vocals, piano, guitar, mandolin and bouzouki) are stunning singers, songwriters, musicians and performers whose energy and commitment to their craft and their audience is boundless.
They are two of the best and most hardworking musicians on the world folk roots scene, both are highly regarded producers and they record everything that they are involved in at their own studio in a small pennine town far from the Londoncentric music industry. They truly are inspirational women.

“The undisputed queens of British folk duos continue to come up with the goods, 1st class songs delivered with to die for harmonies, immaculate musicianship & melodies that lodge themselves in your brain” (The Guardian).

Though internationally acclaimed, they continue to be a leading force on the UK’s acoustic/roots arts circuit. Their songs cover life as they see it, from the industrial waste lands of the north, to injustice and freedom, matters of the heart and everything in between. Their songs are covered by many revered singers the world over but it is While & Matthews’ musical partnership and obvious joy of performing together that really brings their songs to life. As performers they are unrivaled and their audiences leave their concerts having been through an emotional journey.

Chris and Julie have been nominated ten times in the BBC Radio 2 Folk music awards in the ‘Best Song, Best Duo, Best Live Act’ categories and winning Best Duo in 2009 but it is their longstanding and devoted growing fans that they care about most.

2017 saw them perform at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the Folk Awards alongside Boo Hewerdine, John McCusker and Kris Drever. They were performing songs from the Ballads Of Child Migration, a project that covers the sad history of forced child migration and became a major tour in November 2018.

“These women far outclass their many famous American cousins, and prove just how immediate and powerful well-written and performed music can still be. Awe- inspiring. (Dirty Linen)

“Chris and Julie are on top form and can’t put a foot wrong” (fRoots).