Nick Harper to perform at Wrecking Ball Arts Centre

After a string of eclectic, theatrical projects – exploring swinging ’60s London (58 Fordwych Rd); 19th century fantasy literature and 1980s West Country romance (Phantastes) and an epic poem lost in time (A Wiltshire Tale), Nick is back, how nature intended: One voice. One guitar.

Nick Harper is playing live at Wrecking Ball Arts Centre for the first time on Saturday 26 November.

Rich Duffy-Howard said: “We’re really excited to announce that we’re teaming up with Wrecking Ball Arts Centre to welcome Nick Harper back to Hull before his eagerly anticipated brand new studio album release. Nick’s being coming to Hull since we put on his first out of town solo show together in 1994 and he’s been making friends here ever since as Rob Adams from the Glasgow Herald says – ‘If you’ve never seen Harper live, you’re missing out on one of the musical phenomenons of our age.’ The autumn shows will feature old favourites, a few forgotten gems from his extensive back catalogue and a taster or two from his forthcoming new album. With extended studio time planned for next year, this may be the last chance to see Nick up close and personal for some time…

Tickets are £15 and available now: wreckingballstore.co.uk/event/nick-harper-at-wrecking-ball-arts-centre

Reviews:

‘Harper has so much musicianship in him it just leaks out all over the place.’ — The Times
‘He deserves to become a major figure in his own right’ — The Guardian
‘Dylan for the iPod generation…Betjemen with a guitar.’ — Guitarist
‘My musical discovery of 2016!’ — Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music
‘One of the finest guitarists of his generation’ — Mojo
‘Acoustic Hendrix!’ — Guitar Magazine
‘Hey, the boy is good!’ — Robert Plant
‘That boy is too good.’ — Bert Jansch

Nick Harper is one the UK’s best kept musical secrets. Those who have witnessed the spellbinding, one-man show will tell you this. A childhood growing up surrounded by the musical prowess of some of the 60’s most revered songwriters & musicians, not to mention being son of Roy Harper, along with 20 years of crafting songs & touring the land has spawned a truly one-off, original guitarist & songwriter who stands alone as a UK great, to be cherished & revered.

For over two decades, he has been dazzling audiences, reviewers & fellow artists alike with his heady mix of virtuosity, boyish charm, showmanship & sheer bravado. An imagination bursting with ideas has seen Nick release 11 solo albums to critical acclaim. 2018 also saw Nick Harper perform his first spoken word piece, A Wiltshire Tale, at some of UK’s most prestigious venues. It is a journey through Wiltshire’s (where Nick later grew up) history, landscape & wildlife. Depicted through the voices of three characters, this one-man show bears witness to this most magical of counties in spoken word, poetry & live music.

In 2019 Nick embraced his legacy and extensively toured the UK with the award-winning show, 58 Fordwych Road. It centred around a living room in a small flat in Kilburn, London in the mid 1960s. Then the abode of up-and-coming singer-songwriter Roy Harper & his wife Mocy. The flat was an after hours hang-out for the legends who played at Les Cousins in Soho at the height of the acoustic explosion in swingin’ sixties London. People like Bert Jansch, Davy Graham, John Renbourn, Paul Simon, Marc Bolan, Sandy Denny & others dropped in, to drop out, jam & try new tunes. But, all along, there was someone else there… a toddler, part of the family, inhaling the music & absorbing the vibe; Roy’s young son, Nick Harper. This heart-warming show that saw Nick play renditions of the greats’ masterpieces and was a rare opportunity for fans to hear Nick perform his father’s material –– needless to say it was fiercely endorsed by his fans.

As 2020 got about its reckless mischief and with a year of gigs postponed, Nick retreated to the studio. The resulting album ‘Phantastes’ couldn’t have been more of a great escape in every way…

In 2021 it was back on the road with ‘Aaand.. We’re Back In The Room’ Tour which concentrated on the joy of Nick, an acoustic guitar and songs from all of his albums down the years… a happy run of dates skipping across the UK with all the euphoria of a pack of puppies let off the leash for the first time in a long time.

The 2022 Autumn shows will feature old favourites, a few forgotten gems from his extensive back catalogue and a taster or two from his forthcoming new album.