Damnably Presents: Kath Bloom

Event information

Damnably is delighted to bring folk legend Kath Bloom back to the UK for the first time since 2011.

“Bloom sounds like a woman who has spent years in the wilderness...An earthy, unpretentious presence, she can snap a heart like a twig” -Pitchfork

"One of the most beautiful singers ever. Heartbreaking." -Devendra Banhart

KATH BLOOM
The daughter of world-renowned oboist Robert Bloom, Kath was born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut, where she trained as a cellist.
However, she soon gave away formal musical education for the acoustic guitar, which she taught herself over long afternoons spent among the tombstones of her local cemetery.
After a time working with conceptual artist Bruce Nauman, Kath met avant-garde guitarist Loren MazzaCane Connors in 1976, teaming up with him for a series of now highly sought-after recordings of traditional blues and folk songs and Bloom's originals.
Some records were released in editions of as few as fifty, most no more than 200 copies, until the duo released their Swansong Moonlight in 1984.
After a period of child-rearing, family life and daily financial struggle, Kath began to return to songwriting and recording in the early 90s, revealing a mother-of-three songwriter as accomplished and affecting as any of her more acclaimed colleagues such as Lucinda Williams, Gillian Welch or Hazel Dickens.
In 95' Richard Linklaker's inspired use of her song 'Come Here' in 'Before Sunrise' introduced kath to a new generation of fans as did 'Loving Takes This Course' two disc set, featuring one disc of covers (Bill Callahan, Josephine Foster, Devendra Banhart) and one of the original versions of Kath's songs is as good a place to start as any. Bloom is a tiny, wiry, mature woman, that strums with a claw-like hand, wearing a belt of harmonicas that she switches to match the chords of each song. Closer to fellow outsider Michael Hurley than enigmatic female folk acts that fell off the map like Judee Sill or Karen Dalton, but in her prime her vocal power is reminiscent of Peel favourite Sandy Denny.

Record Labels:
Mark Kozeleks' Calvo Verde & Chapter (Twerps/Dick Diver) release her albums and Domino handles publishing.

Fans
Stewart Lee, Richard Linklaker, Bill Callahan, Josephine Forster, Deventra Banhart, Scout Nibblet, Mark Kozelek.


Press
Pitchfork 'Thin Thin Line' 8.0 http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13884-thin-thin-line/
Pitchfork 'Finally' 7.8 http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/9791-finally/
Louder Than War 'Pass Through Here' 9/10 http://louderthanwar.com/kath-bloom-pass-album-review/



Video's
'Come Here' in Before Sunrise w/ Julie Delphy & Ethan Hawke https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQpYHiB0k6k
'I Wanna Love' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3zBa7Ih_Pc
'Finally' & 'Fall Again' Live in Japan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcDISfrebHc


Websites
http://www.kathbloom.com/
https://chaptermusic.com/artist/kath-bloom/
http://www.caldoverderecords.com/kb/kbloom_bio.pdf



Splintered Man

Splintered Man are a acoustic-based duo initially devised by Simon Kobayashi as an outlet for songs he couldn't do in his other band, smallgang. They've developed a great repertoire of songs that have been acclaimed by the likes of Chris T-T and Chris Brokaw amongst others.
For fans of Mark Kozelek, Bill Callahan, John Fahey

https://soundcloud.com/splinteredman/home-to-no-home
https://www.facebook.com/splinteredman
https://twitter.com/splinteredman



Capt.Lovelace


Born in Arcachon Bay France, Beatrice settled in Norway then returned to France and Bordeaux at 20, and now resides in Brighton. An adventurer, in love with the quaint European rail network that serves as an escape from the geeky computing world she inhabits for a living. ‘Capt. Lovelace’ refers as much to pornographic actress Linda Lovelace as the world’s first computer programmer Ada Lovelace. Beattie has shared stages with Tom Brosseau, Girlpool, Mike Watt & The Missing Men and released her debut EP /* Preview Pane */ on Damnably in August 2015.
Are you ready to ride with her?

For Fans of: Sibylle Baier, Cat Power, Julie Doiron & Hobo Nouveau

https://soundcloud.com/damnably/capt-lovelace-banana-hammock
http://www.damnably.com/capt-lovelace/
https://www.facebook.com/CaptainLovelace/
https://twitter.com/capt_lovelace


Passerines
Toshi from smallgang and Katie from Crumbling Ghost create a tuneful din somewhere in-between Low and the Silver Jews.
https://soundcloud.com/passerines-london/toshmas

Releases, Gigs, Tours & Radio
https://www.damnably.com