The Unthanks

How Wild The Wind Blows: Performing the Songs & Poems of Molly Drake

UK Tour 18 April – 28 May 2017

Forming the latest in their series of intrepid album projects, Diversions Vol. 4 sees Mercury nominated Tyneside band The Unthanks embark on a major tour of How Wild The Wind Blows: Performing The Songs and Poems of Molly Drake. 24 dates begin on April 18th, finishing in London with two shows on May 28th.

Mother of Nick Drake, and poet and songwriter in her own right, Molly made recordings at home during the 1950s with the help of her husband, and though never released at the time, share plenty of common ground with her celebrated son’s – charming and bittersweet, yet dark and pensive. In the eyes of The Unthanks, and increasingly amongst others, Molly’s work is extraordinary enough to rank alongside and independently of Nick Drake’s.

With the full blessing and enthusiasm of celebrated actress Gabrielle Drake (Molly’s daughter and Nick’s sister) The Unthanks are bound to treat her story with the same love, diligence and imagination as they did when reinterpreting the work of Robert Wyatt and Antony & The Johnson’s. A treasure trove only recently made public by the Drake family, if ever a body of work actually merited reappraisal and reimagining, Molly Drake’s is surely it.

In addition to the live re-imaginings by The Unthanks the audio-visual tour will feature film footage of Molly Drake, and her poetry, recorded and spoken by daughter Gabrielle Drake.

The tour will be accompanied by the release of Diversions Vol. 4 – How Wild The Wind Blows: The Unthanks Perform The Songs and Poems of Molly Drake due for release in late May.

TOUR DATES 2017

18th April – NEWCASTLE UNDER LYME New Vic Theatre

01782 717962 / newvictheatre.org.uk

19th April – MANCHESTER RNCM

0161 907 5555 / rncm.ac.uk

20th April – WREXHAM William Aston Hall

0844 888 9991 / glyndwr.ac.uk

21st April – KENDAL Brewery Arts Centre

01539 725 133 / breweryarts.co.uk

22nd April – EDINBURGH The Queens Hall

0131 668 2019 / thequeenshall.net

23rd April – BERWICK UPON TWEED Maltings Theatre

01289 330999 / maltingsberwick.co.uk

26th April – BIRMINGHAM The Glee Club

0871 472 0400 / glee.co.uk

27th April – CAMBRIDGE Corn Exchange

01223 357851 / cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

28th April – BASINGSTOKE The Anvil

01256 844244 / anvilarts.org.uk

29th April – CARDIFF Tramshed

029 2023 5555 / tramshedcardiff.com

30th April – BRADFORD ON AVON Wiltshire Music Centre

01225 860100 / wiltshiremusic.org.uk

1st May – BRIGHTON The Old Market

01273 201 801 / theoldmarket.com

2nd May – SOUTHAMPTON Turner Sims

023 8059 5151 / turnersims.co.uk

3rd May – LONDON The Albany

020 8692 4446 / thealbany.org.uk

6th May – CLITHEROE The Grand

01200 421599 / thegrandvenue.co.uk

7th May – BARROW IN FURNESS The Forum

01229 820000 / theforumbarrow.co.uk

10th May – RUNCORN Brindley

0151 907 8360 / thebrindley.org.uk

11th May – LEEDS City Varieties

0113 243 0808 / cityvarieties.co.uk

12th May – LEEDS City Varieties

0113 243 0808 / cityvarieties.co.uk

13th May – STOCKTON ON TEES ARC

01642 525199 / arconline.co.uk

14th May – NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Theatre Royal

08448 11 21 21* / theatreroyal.co.uk * call charges apply

25th May – DUBLIN Vicar St

00353 (0)1 7755 800 / vicarstreet.com

28th May – LONDON 3PM The Barbican Milton Court

020 7638 8891 / barbican.org.uk

28th May – LONDON 7.30PM The Barbican Milton Court

020 7638 8891 / barbican.org.uk