Singer-songwriter and activist named as headline act for Folk on the Tyne Festival 2019

(Press release)

Sage Gateshead has announced legendary singer-songwriter and political activist Billy Bragg as the headline act at this year’s Folk on the Tyne Festival on Saturday 27 July. 

The annual festival, which brings some of the best folk acts from around the world to the south bank of the Tyne, has previously welcomed The Young ‘Uns, The Unthanks, and The Wilsons, as well as a host of workshops and performances.

Billy Bragg has been a fearless recording artist, tireless live performer and peerless political campaigner for over 35 years. Honoured with the PRS Outstanding Contribution to British Music award at the Ivor Novello awards in May 2018, he is regarded as a valuable statesman.

Among the former Saturday Boy’s albums are his punk-charged debut Life’s a Riot, the more love-infused Workers Playtime, pop classic Don’t Try This at Home, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee-timed treatise on national identity England, Half-English, his stripped-down tenth, Tooth and Nail, and Shine a Light: Field Recordings from the Great American Railroad, with Joe Henry.

The intervening three-and-a-half decades have been marked by a number one hit single, having a street named after him, being the subject of a South Bank Show, appearing onstage at Wembley Stadium, curating Leftfield at Glastonbury, sharing spotted dick with a Cabinet minister in the House of Commons cafeteria, being mentioned in Bob Dylan’s memoir, writing two non-fiction books (the second, Roots, Radicals & Rockers, was shortlisted for the Penderyn Music Book award) and meeting the Queen.

Folk on the Tyne is an experience for all folk fans, bringing together established and new artists, both traditional and contemporary in style.

Amy Leach, Folkworks Producer at Sage Gateshead said: “We are pleased to welcome Billy Bragg, an artist that uses the full power of folk music and songwriting to tell vital and relevant stories, to headline Folk on the Tyne.  We know that the audience will be excited to hear his music and what he has to say.

“We have lots of other exciting acts to announce in the coming weeks, and we’re looking forward to hosting another fantastic festival that celebrates the breadth and depth of our fantastic folk scene.”  

Tickets for Billy Bragg go on sale 10am Thursday 28 February from www.sagegateshead.com.