BIRMINGHAM: Kitchen Garden Cafe

Wednesday 14th May, 2025

7:30pm

Event information

Sam Amidon is a singer and multi-instrumentalist (banjo, guitar, fiddle) from Vermont, now based in London, England. He has released seven acclaimed solo albums of songs on Bedroom Community and Nonesuch Records, the most recent of which is 2020’s “Sam Amidon.” He is currently working on a new album to be released this year.

Amidon’s material for these albums often consists of adventurous reworkings of traditional American ballads, hymns and work songs, with the New York Times writing that Amidon “transforms all of the songs, changing their colors and loading them with trapdoors.” The albums have been deeply collaborative in nature, inviting contributions from musicians such as composer Nico Muhly, guitarist Bill Frisell, and legendary percussionist Milford Graves.

Sam Amidon has recorded or performed as a guest artist with musicians such as Bon Iver, Emmylou Harris, Tune-Yards, The National, John Prine, Jason Moran, and Amidon’s wife, Beth Orton. He has also appeared internationally as a soloist performing with ensembles such as the Kronos Quartet, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, The Aurora Orchestra, The Oregon Symphony and the Britten Sinfonia.

Opening the show is Antony Hurley, a songwriter based on the south coast in Ramsgate, Kent. His music blends English folk, Americana, and Old Time traditions. His second album, Howl For More, builds on the intimate textures of his debut Quiet Rooms, while embracing a broader sonic palette of synthesiser, string arrangements and layered vocals. Written and recorded across a year of travel, Howl For More reflects the changing landscapes and experiences that shaped it—merging intricate guitar and banjo work with a more expansive, spontaneous sound. It’s a collection that captures Hurley’s growth as a storyteller and musician. He is also the founder of Lanterne Records, a label specialising in music in conversation with literature. Lanterne's most recent release features the music of Jacken Elswyth in response to the poetry of CA Conrad.