Beautiful South founder to bring new band to Bournemouth tonight

Dave Hemingway will bring his new outfit Sunbirds to Madding Crowd in Bournemouth town centre.

Having retired from the live scene at the back end of 2016, Dave has been keeping busy together with erstwhile South colleague, guitarist/songwriter Phil Barton, new discovery singer/violinist Laura Wilcockson and drummer Marc Parnell.

Cool to be Kind was released in November 2020, on the independent label Nectar Records signalling the arrival of Sunbirds with new songs and a new sound.

The band’s sound predominantly features the instrumentation of traditional American roots music combined with the occasional outburst of guitar heavy melody more associated with Seattle in the late 80s/early 90s.

Their debut album produced by cult producer Teo Miller, captures “truthful, open-hearted, funny and sometimes painfully honest songs”.

Dave said: “Although a lot of the songs have an Americana feel they’re still about life in England.

“You’re going to feel a bit daft singing about pick-up trucks and low down honky-tonks when you live in Yorkshire.”

Support comes from Lee Rasdall-Dove Band and Picture House.

Doors open at 7pm and tickets available from £12.50 plus service fee.

Visit maddingcrowd.club.