Jon Palmer Acoustic Band

Event information

Jon and his band did a brilliant gig for Ripon Live Music last year and we are proud and excited to have them back again for what will be another memorable night.

The Jon Palmer Acoustic Band are an award-winning high energy folk rock band with an enviable live reputation in the north of the country.
There growing popularity has lead to booking at many widespread festivals this year.
The band comprises six very talented musicians, they are Jon Palmer - guitar, vocals; Adam Hopkins - cajon, vocals; Wendy Ross - violin, vocals; Eddy Green - bass, vocals; Iain Cunningham - keyboards, vocals; Lee Wellbrook - mandolin, vocals. They perform with a passion and enthusiasm that matches the content of Jon’s songs.

Mixing the traditional with the contemporary, and never afraid to comment on current topics, Jon Palmer writes songs with soaring, memorable choruses that you will have trouble getting out of your head. The band’s last album, Vacca Wall, garnered great reviews.

A review of Jon and band’s excellent new CD ”Light Goes Low”
"I recently wrote in a social media posting that Jon Palmer is one of Yorkshire's finest songwriters and that his band is one of the best. Having now received the band's latest album to review; I am very pleased to see that the high standard of writing and delivery has been maintained. I would go as far as to say that, in my opinion, this is the best album produced by the band to date.
The music is a fusion of modern folk with a touch of rock and roll. Jon is a lyricist who is able to put over his passions in life, Yorkshire, politics, troubles, and relationships all being delivered with a light touch, some humour at times, and all sung without ramming it down the throats of the listener. Folk music after all has always been the natural home to air your feelings!
I have seen the band live a few times and can heartily recommend their performances which are as close to the recorded versions as it is possible to get. They ooze dynamism and joie de vivre as the audience is taken on a musical journey of wonderment and fascination.

The album opens with "Old Folk Renegades" a song which resonates particularly with me in my late 70's. It's a positive song about growing old disgracefully. "Lay Your Burden Down" is quite simply about getting rid of the rubbish that we all gather through life and probably really don't need.
Smugglers and pirates are given a song each devoted to their careers (?) and the highwayman Dick Turpin has a whole song devoted to his chosen path in life. The lyrics "Dick by name and Dick by nature" sort of sums it up! It also made me laugh out loud! Not one of Jon's favourite historical figures I would assume.
"Stone Garden" is to my mind the music that best encapsulates the overall sound of the band and possibly my favourite track on what is a superb and very accomplished album. Modern folk at its very best and one that will even appeal to audiences who claim not to like folk music.
To be an outstanding songwriter, you need imagination, an excellent grasp of vocabularies and perhaps even a touch of the outlandish and bizarre. I would hazard a guess that If Roald Dahl had composed music, it would be somewhat similar to Jon Palmer's."
Rory M Stanbridge

Reviews for their live work:
"...their joy illuminated the venue with feel-good folk-rock with spirit and a conscience” - At The Barrier
“…the biggest noise of the weekend, topped with 6-part harmonies, flying fiddle, energy, joy and spirit” - Folk North West
“the most electrifying acoustic band in the country”… Folking.com