Gig Preview: Martin Simpson
Colwall Village Hall, Colwall, Saturday 26th September 2026 at 7:30PM
One of England’s most revered folk performers, Martin Simpson brings his remarkable solo show to Colwall Village Hall this autumn, offering an intimate evening of extraordinary guitar playing, traditional song and deeply compelling storytelling.
Widely regarded as one of the finest acoustic and slide guitar players in the world, Simpson has spent five decades developing a distinctive style that combines virtuoso musicianship with a rare emotional honesty. His interpretations of traditional songs are anything but museum pieces, breathing new life into familiar stories while his own compositions sit comfortably alongside them.
Simpson’s live performances are renowned for their intensity and intimacy. Moving effortlessly between acoustic and slide guitar, he can make a single instrument fill a room, but it is his storytelling that gives the performances their real power. His repertoire encompasses passion, sorrow, love, beauty, tragedy and humour, delivered with the kind of subtlety that comes from a lifetime spent immersed in music.
Described by The Guardian as “one of the virtuoso instrumentalists of the English music scene”, Simpson has been nominated an astonishing 32 times in the 18 years of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards – more than any other performer – and has taken home numerous awards along the way.
Now, with half a century since the release of his first LP, Simpson enters another significant chapter with the September 2026 release of his latest album, Some Kind of Jubilee. Recorded in Yorkshire and Santa Monica, courtesy of Jackson Browne, the album brings together new originals, reimagined classics and traditional songs, with Simpson supported by a stellar cast of musicians.
While his technical ability is never in doubt, it is Simpson’s ability to communicate the heart of a song that makes his performances so special. Whether coaxing extraordinary sounds from his guitar or quietly delivering a centuries-old ballad, there is a sense that every note and every word matters.
For lovers of folk, acoustic guitar and great storytelling, this promises to be a special opportunity to see a genuine master of the form in an intimate setting.