Doors 7.30pm   Earlybird tickets £16 / £18 Standard

Charlie Dore - The Man Who Built Christmas Tour
From the celebrated singer & songwriter of worldwide hits

Playing with the stellar multi-instrumentalist Julian Littman

Charlie Dore’s songs have been recorded by the good and the great including George Harrison, Tina Turner, Celine Dion, Martha Wainwright, Jimmy Nail and Ricky Ross, but her live shows reveal that she keeps the best songs for herself.

In a career of several decades, this multi-award-winner realised she had never written a Christmas song. Proving that there’s a first time for everything Charlie Dore presents her live show - The Man Who Built Christmas. Alongside her long-time collaborator Julian Littman of Steeleye Span the pair swap guitars, piano, harmonium, mandolin, ukulele and stories as they showcase these yuletide originals as well as favourites from the past nine albums and several songs never before heard live.

“My entire catalogue was a Christmas-free zone, which was fine by me. Except for one song, Santa and Edie, which I wrote for the Green Note’s Festive Show. This whet my appetite for approaching the whole Christmas thing from different angles, trying for unusual plots, like making miniature movies with the listener behind the camera.”

As one of the UK’s most respected songwriters her albums, described as ‘eclectic contemporary folk-americana with crunchy lyrics’ continue to win awards on both sides of the Atlantic, most recently Female Vocalist Of The Year (FATEA, 2020) and Best Lyrics (Like Animals, US Indie Acoustic, 2021). Charlie has also played major festivals including Glastonbury, Celtic Connections, Cropredy, Shrewsbury Folk and Ventnor and headlined some of the UK’s most prestigious venues including Kings Place and Liverpool Philharmonic. 

Recent live sessions for Mark Radcliffe (BBC Radio 2) playing + co-hosting for Ricky Ross’/Another Country (BBC Radio Scotland) as well as an inclusion on Ken Bruce’s final BBC show prove Charlie’s relevance and ability to capture the imagination of an increasing audience. She’s also recently collaborated with Michelle Stodart of The Magic Numbers and rising folk star Katie Spencer. 

“…earnest and witty, tender and cynical all at the same time… profound, moving and oddly haunting.” RnR Magazine 

“Subtle songs that pack a punch… absolute gems of modern songwriting.” Mike Harding

“.. one of our most intelligent and erudite singer-songwriters.” Fatea Magazine

“ …her dark wit sculpts her lovely lyricism her gentle, unique voice is one to die for.” Folk Wales