Music at GMC

Concert: Show of Hands Date: Thursday 11th November, 2010 Performers: Show of Hands: Steve Knightley, Phil Beer, Miranda Sykes Supported by Jackie Oates CD available: No

Show of Hands

Steve Knightley and Phil Beer are widely acknowledged as the finest acoustic roots duo in England.

Knightley, who writes most of their inspired material and Beer, a dazzling multi instrumentalist, have built up a huge following which has seen them sell out the Royal Albert Hall three times, headline major festivals from Glastonbury to WOMAD and playing all over the world, from Europe to America, Australia and India.

Voted Best Live Act by the public at the 2004 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, the jury is still out on just what kind of music they play. A genre defying mix of rock, roots, blues, country and trad, and often influenced by the music of other countries, it is played out on an array of instruments from slide guitar to fiddle, mandolin to South American cuatro.

Show of Hands are now joined by Miranda Sykes, who has been performing with them since 2004, augmenting their unique sound with her powerful double bass and rich harmonies.
In this time the band have moved on from their folk duo image, and evolved into a hard hitting acoustic band, selling out UK and European tours and headlining some of the biggest festivals across the world.

Jackie Oates

Jackie Oates is a singer and fiddle player hailing from Staffordshire. Her unique treatment of English ballads and songs, and pure, haunting singing style has attracted increasing attention.

Since appearing as a finalist in the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards 2003, she has performed extensively at festivals and folk clubs across the country, in a solo capacity and with a number of bands. She was a founder member of Northumbrian group and Mercury nominated Rachel Unthank and the Winterset until early 2007.