'Live' in the UK: A Farewell to The Pitmen Poets
Live’ in the UK: A Farewell to – The Pitmen Poets
“…it was most definitely standing room only as the audience filled the room (and beyond) to be equally moved and amused by songs spanning two centuries”. (Living Tradition Review, Costa Del Folk)
The Pitmen Poets celebrate the songs, humour, and culture of North East England's Coal Mining tradition, bringing together four of the region's leading champions of it's musical heritage. Ex-Lindisfarne & Jack The Lad singer and writer Billy Mitchell, Song Man from London’s West End musical Warhorse, Bob Fox, leading exponent of Tyneside song Benny Graham, and much-covered BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards nominee songwriter Jez Lowe - individually and collectively, The Pitmen Poets.
This is a journey through the centuries of a once-great industry, from the songs that saw it thrive and dominate, to those that saw it's demise and the resulting aftermath.
Now, after two albums and several hugely successful tours, the band prepare to release their farewell album to accompany their 23 date farewell tour.
“The audience sang along, laughed and also shared moments of sadness as the combined talents of Billy Mitchell, Jez Lowe, Benny Graham and Bob Fox took them on an epic journey through the life and times of the Northumberland and Durham coalfields. What a great night!” (Brian Coles – Rock of the North).
With every member coming from coal mining stock, this quartet represent the first generation of their families not to take up the tradition of working down the pit. As Billy Mitchell explains: With every member coming from coal mining stock, they represent the first generation of their families not to take up the tradition of working down the pit. As Billy Mitchell explains:
“Our parents all said ‘you’re not going down the pit, get a good education and do something worthwhile with your lives'….so now we sing songs and tell stories…. about coal mining. It’s quite ironic really but it’s very important to keep the stories we all heard growing up in the form of songs for the next generation.
“Life working in the pit was tough and to reflect that, our songs aren’t all happy tunes as we look at the terrible tragedies that affected whole villages when disaster struck. But there’s also humour too in great doses in our songs as that’s how families got through the bad times.
“We’re playing a lot of former coal mining areas and the songs will resonate with many people there who made their living from coal. Our music and the subject matter will entertain audiences from Berwick in the North, Croydon in the South, East to Canterbury and West to Blackwood in South Wales. We’re all looking forward to going out on our 2019 tour and meeting the public and literally taking our coals from the Newcastle area to the rest of the country.”
The Pitmen Poets Farewell Tour 2019
OCTOBER
16 TH CANNOCK PRINCE OF WALES THEATRE 01543 578 762 https://boxoffice.wlct.org/select_seats.aspx?perfid=1500
17 TH LEEK FOXLOWE ARTS CENTRE 01538 386 112 https://www.foxloweartscentre.org.uk/?s=Pitmen+Poets
18 TH CONSETT EMPIRE THEATRE 03000 262 400 https://www.empireconsett.co.uk/galapost/the-pitmen-poets/
20 TH MANSFIELD PALACE THEATRE 01623 633 133 https://mansfieldpalacetheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/873598714
21 ST NETTLEBED VILLAGE CLUB 01628 636 620 http://www.nettlebedfolkclub.co.uk/booking_form.html
22 ND CROYDON STANLEY HALLS 0208 251 0184 https://www.stanleyhalls.org.uk/whats-on/
23 RD MILTON KEYNES THE STABLES 01908 280 800 https://stables.org/event/the-pitman-poets
24 TH WORCESTER HUNTINGDON HALL 01905 611 427 http://www.worcesterlive.co.uk/events_review.asp?eid=453061349
25 TH BARNSLEY CIVIC 01226 327 000 https://www.barnsleycivic.co.uk/events/the-pitmen-poets
26 TH BUXTON OPERA HOUSE 0129 872 190 https://buxtonoperahouse.org.uk/event/the-pitmen-poets
27 TH KESWICK THEATRE BY THE LAKE 017687 74411 https://www.theatrebythelake.com/production/19098/THE-PITMEN-POETS?startdate=2019-10-27
28 TH LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC 0151 709 3789 https://www.liverpoolphil.com/whats-on/all-shows/the-pitmen-poets/3479
29 TH RUNCORN BRINDLEY THEATRE 0151 907 8360 https://tickets.thebrindley.org.uk/en-GB/shows/the%20pitmen%20poets/events
30 TH SHREWSBURY THEATRE SEVERN 01743 281 281 https://www.theatresevern.co.uk/shows/whatson/the-pitmen-poets
31 ST SALE WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE 0161 912 5616 https://watersidearts.org/whats-on/2553-the-pitmen-poets/
NOVEMBER
1 ST LINCOLN NEW THEATRE ROYAL 01522 519 999 https://newtheatreroyallincoln.ticketsolve.com/shows/873603866?_ga=2.229907935.255765444.1566853825-1303907649.1566853825
2 ND MALTON MILTON ROOMS 01653 696 240 http://www.themiltonrooms.com/events/the-pitmen-poets/
3 RD BARNARD CASTLE WITHAM 01833 631 107 https://thewitham.org.uk/event/pitmen-poets/
4 TH SELBY TOWN HALL 01757 708 449 https://www.selbytownhall.co.uk/events/event.php?name=the-pitmen-poets
6 TH SOUTH SHIELDS CUSTOMS HOUSE 0191 454 1234 https://www.customshouse.co.uk/theatre/pitmen-poets/
7 TH OTLEY COURTHOUSE 01943 467 466 https://otleycourthouse.org.uk/
8 TH AMBLE DOVECOTE CENTRE 01665 713 655 SOLD OUT
9 TH DURHAM GALA THEATRE 03000 266 600 https://www.galadurham.co.uk/galapost/the-pitmen-poets/
12 TH CHESTERFIELD WINDING WHEEL 01246 345 222 https://www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk/shows/the-pitmen-poets.aspx#.XWROfyhKjIU
13 TH SOLIHULL CORE THEATRE 0121 704 6962 https://www.thecoretheatresolihull.co.uk/whats-on/all-shows/the-pitmen-poets/21265
14 TH BLACKWOOD MINERS INSTITUTE 01495 227 206 https://bmi.ticketsolve.com/shows/78319
15 TH CHELTENHAM PUMP ROOM 0844 576 2210 http://www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk/event/the-pitmen-poets-274356/
16 TH CANTERBURY GULBENKIAN THEATRE 01227 769 075 https://thegulbenkian.co.uk/events/the-pitmen-poets/
17 TH BILLINGHAM FORUM THEATRE 01642 552 663 https://forumtheatrebillingham.co.uk/?s=Pitmen+Poets
19 TH BURY MET 0161 761 2216 https://themet.org.uk/event/pitmen-poets-2019/
20 TH BERWICK MALTINGS 01289 330 999 https://www.maltingsberwick.co.uk/booking/333404
22 ND WHITLEY BAY PLAYHOUSE 0844 248 1588 https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/3600563CBD9F7AFE
23 RD HEXHAM QUEENS HALL 01434 652 477 https://www.queenshall.co.uk/events/pitmen-poets-2019
24 TH GATESHEAD, SAGE 0191 443 4661 https://sagegateshead.com/whats-on/the-pitmen-poets-2019/
