Our Man In The Field

Our Man In The Field plays The Hope & Ruin on Friday 12 February, with the night running from 7:00pm to 11:00pm. That's the stage name of British singer-songwriter Alex Ellis, and the set is his own.

Ellis writes musical snapshots drawn from the lives he's observed or led, and he describes the project as part band, part roving transmission between the rolling hills of England and the fading glow of the American dream. The influences run from the open spaces of the North East Coast to the raw energy of London's skyline, and the live show has a cinematic, soulful, road-worn feel to it. Americana UK called him one of the finest songwriters to emerge on the UK scene for many a year, Bob Harris described the live show as sensational, and Mark Radcliffe called it gorgeous.

Much of the current material comes from his third album, Silverado, which was recorded at Mark Knopfler's British Grove Studios and produced by Guy Fletcher. The record features guest performances from Ethan Johns, Robbie McIntosh, Nick Pini, Sonny Landreth and PP Arnold, and its first single, 'Wall of Sound', was praised for its cinematic, widescreen sound. You'll hear that same widescreen approach live, with the songs drawing on those same North East and London landscapes.

Tickets are £15, and the night runs from 7:00pm to 11:00pm at The Hope & Ruin, 11-12 Queens Rd, Brighton BN1 3WA.