#Armistice Tour: The Guns Fall Silent

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The #ArmisticeTour came to its climax last night as our guns fell silent on the centenary of the end of the First World War.

It has been an incredible couple of weekends, six shows taking in Glossop, Wigan, Bolton, Wakefield, Ulverston and Middlesbrough. Each event doubled as a We Shall Overcome gig and the donations coming in each night were truly humbling. Rattling the bucket we raised more than £350 for Pauline Town‘s homeless packed lunches; and donations of food, warm clothing, toiletries and sanitary towels meant we sent Pauline off in one packed car full, and were able to donate Teesside Socialist Clothing Bank what looked to be close to another FOUR car fulls. Can’t thank those who brought donations enough, your compassion and generosity will literally save lives this winter.

A massive thank you has to go out to everyone who booked us and helped support these events, especially Matt Hill, Ian Whiteley, Dave Wood and Leigh Sayers without whom this tour would never have happened; and a special thank you to Lee Huck on sound and vision and humping of much PA equipment at unsociable hours of day and night.

And to our comrades at Philosophy Football for kitting us out in their First World War t-shirts. Much appreciated here.

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Having been a bit worried about whether people would be interested in these shows I was absolutely overjoyed to see not only audience numbers, but the reaction after the gigs was truly heartwarming, and although I know the subject can be dark there are moments in the set of genuine slapstick……

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…..one of which was caught on camera by Randers Gallery on opening night in Glossop as Rebekah and myself sang a new duet for the very first time live.

So there was laughter to go with the tears, history to be channeled as well as challenged, and a new outlook on the process of Remembrance to be discussed.

And I loved every minute. It is sheer joy to make music with Rebekah Findlay, and such is the added emotional depth her violin and voice give to these songs, that I have dusted off the shelved idea of re-recording these songs for a new album.

So 2019 will see the release of ‘Postcards From Potter’s Field’ by Joe Solo & Rebekah Findlay, and it will also see us hit the road again on the first two weekend of November.

Can’t wait.