I'm blinded by a bargain. Suggest one and you've got my attention. Like when I purchased the three super-sized bags of ‘fresh’ compost from the roadside farm stand on the Scotland leg of my solo tour a few weeks ago. When it was really hot…and sunny…and I was driving loads of miles over the week. Probably not my best decision. By the time I crossed the border into northwest England a few days later, I had to drive with the windows down. Those bargain bags of ‘fresh’ compost were getting ‘riper’ by the mile.
It's another scene for my 2025 solo tour documentary, which I will be sure to include for your viewing pleasure. As will the long section of me telling you, the viewer, about the new collection of songs I'm writing and the little twist I've discovered in the ‘process’ of writing that is breathing new life into the whole thing. Sometimes we're moving up life's escalator of enlightenment, and sometimes we're not, I will say directly into the camera. You will have to wipe a tear from your eye.
In truth it has been a blessing to re-acquaint myself with playing solo. It's ‘what I used to do’ for decades, but it feels different somehow. The monkey's decided to go jump on someone else's back and the black dog has finally quit barking. I've got old songs, new songs, covers, and guitar ditties swimming around in my head and I can pluck one from that imaginary fishbowl and give it a bash on my not-imaginary guitar. My boss (me) has given the talent (me) total freedom to play what I wish. It's so unlike him! I'll be sure and thank him when he gets back from his summer holidays.
Photo Jo Hurwitz Williams
SUMMER TOUR DATES 2025
All shows are in the UK & Brooks is playing SOLO unless otherwise noted…
May 31 Knox Presbyterian Church, (Benefit for Los Angeles Eaton Fire Relief), Pasadena, CA USA
June 6-7 Arisaig Americana Festival, Inverness-shire, Scotland
June 14 Beardy Folk Festival, Shropshire (w/ Dan Walsh)
June 15 Brackley Folk & Acoustic Club, Brackley, Northamptonshire
June 27 Bingham Folk Club, Bingham, Nottinghamshire
July 9 Hambledon Folk Club, Hambledon, Hampshire BROOKS & AARON!
July 10 Acoustic Music Club, Bradninch, Devon
July 13-19 Summer Acoustic Music Week, Moultonborough, NH USA
July 21 Croydon Folk Club, Croydon, Surrey
July 24 East Point Pavilion, Lowestoft, Suffolk BROOKS & AARON!
July 27 Music on the Waits, St Ives, Cambridgeshire BROOKS & AARON!
August 3 Brightlingsea Festival, Brightlingsea, Essex
August 14 Crail Folk Club, Crail, Scotland
September 7 Springthorpe Village Hall, Lincolnshire (01427 838276)
Photo Debs Earl
LOS ANGELES EATON FIRE CHARITY CONCERT
PASADENA MAGAZINE ARTICLE
A huge thank you to Pasadena Magazine for their concert preview.
Many, many hands make good things happen. From the seed of an idea proffered by Jo last January as we worriedly followed the news of the Los Angeles fires from our home in the UK, to friends organising a concert at Knox Presbyterian Church in Pasadena, to their suggestion of teaming up with Door of Hope, a local charity in Pasadena, and their Eaton Fire relief project, lots of people have brought this event together. Read Eaton Fire Housing Assistance Program. The concert is Saturday, 31st May 2025, at 7:30pm. If you're in Southern California at that time we hope to see you!
READ MORE ABOUT IT
SUDDENDLY SUMMER PLAYLIST 2505
The days grow longer. Even warmer. Sometimes hot. Everything feels different. The light can feed the soul.
Use the code at the bottom of this email to access the tracks
MEANWHILE, BACK AT BROOKS & AARON HQ…
HERE'S OUR UPCOMING TOUR DATES - plus we're in the studio in September!
JULY
9th Hambledon Folk Club, Hambledon, Hampshire
24th East Point Pavilion, Lowestoft, Suffolk
27th Music on the Waits, St Ives, Cambridgeshire (2pm)
SEPTEMBER
11th Old Riverport Jazz & Blues Festival, St Ives, Cambridgeshire
15th - 17th STUDIO
23rd Hoy At Anchor, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex
25th Kirkcaldy Folk Club, Kirkcaldy, Fife
26th Cambridge Folk Club, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
27th Maindee Library, Maindee, Newport, South Wales
28th The Folk House, Bristol
29th Colchester Arts Centre, Colchester, Essex
OCTOBER
1st Chapel Arts Centre, Bath
2nd Lyceum Folk Club, Newport, Wales (with Jon Short, double bass)
3rd Tin Shed, Flintshire, North Wales (with Jon Short, double bass)
4th Knoydart, Lochaber, Highland Scotland (with Jon Short, double bass)
5th The Wee Bear, Kirriemuir, Scotland (with Jon Short, double bass)
PLUS: CD Launch and Tours Coming in 2026!
Photo by Theo Looijmans