Foy Vance

Foy Vance plays St George's Bristol on Wednesday 21 October, part of a world tour celebrating The Wake and the songs of IF. He's supported by Bonnie Bishop and Niall McCabe.

There's a fair bit of ground to cover in the set. The Wake is the seventh and final instalment of a cycle of albums Vance started after his father's sudden death in 1999, and he finished it in 2026. From that, he drew on more than a hundred songs he'd kept closely guarded for twenty-seven years. He then produced his eighth album, IF, with Anderson East, and co-writes with Lori McKenna, Natalie Hemby, Gabe Simon and Ross Copperman. The tour is built around both.

It's a long way from the records that first put him on the map. The 2013 international breakthrough Joy of Nothing featured Bonnie Raitt and Ed Sheeran, and 2016's The Wild Swan was executive-produced by Elton John. He's a Northern Irish singer/songwriter who pulls from folk, soul, blues, gospel and jazz, and critics have heard echoes of Otis Redding, Richie Havens, Tom Waits and Van Morrison in his work. He's described as an intelligent songwriter with a sublime voice, a funky guitar style and a clever turn of phrase.

Doors open at 6.00pm, with the music starting at 7.00pm. Tickets are from £30, with limited availability.