Folk-rock pioneers Steeleye Span will kickstart their major UK Tour in Hexham's Queens Hall.
The tour marks a significant phase in their 50th-anniversary commemorations.
The band, renowned for their part in epitomising the genre, has continued to deliver gold discs and international tours five decades since its inception.
Their newest release, the Green Man Collection, features tracks from recent albums with fresh interpretations of three Steeleye classics.
Worth noting is the remixed version of Hard Times, featuring Status Quo’s Francis Rossi, and an intriguing rendition of Elvis Costello’s Shipbuilding.
Adding to the collection, the title track The Green Man, written by Bob Johnson, who was part of the band throughout the '70s, has sparked an interest among fans.
Lost for over 40 years, the song brought up the topic of climate change even before it became a global issue.
Athena Octavia, a classical violinist and a member of the indie folk band Iris & Steel, will join the band on the tour.
Steeleye Span's journey began during the early '70s, a hallmark period in music history.
By the end of 1973, they had released four albums, starting one of the most enduring stories in music.
Notably, the band didn't bask in past glories.
Instead, they took their 50th anniversary as an opportunity to be productive with the acclaimed Wintersmith collaboration with Sir Terry Pratchett in 2013 and 2016’s Dodgy Bastards.
The present line-up, led by Maddy Prior and featuring Andrew Sinclair, Roger Carey, Liam Genockey, Julian Littman, and former violinist Jessie May Smart, has been lauded as one of the best so far.
Steeleye Span, through its revamp of classic material and the launch of their esteemed 2019 album Est’d 1969, has set the stage for another musical adventure.
Post the Hexham concert, the band will hit the road, performing in places such as the Playhouse in Whitley Bay on October 3, the Victoria Theatre in Halifax on October 4, and The Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury on October 6, among others.
Steeleye Span will perform at Queen's Hall in Hexham on Wednesday, October 2.
Doors open at 18:30 and tickets are at £30.
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