Alex Roberts

A highly acclaimed songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and bard of Greek and Welsh ancestry, Alex Roberts hails from the south coast of Britain. Touring and releasing music regularly for over two decades, he has collaborated with some of the finest traditional musicians of the British Isles and abroad.

His work has earned him the monikers of ‘Bard of Dorset’ & ‘Hollowneck Troubadour’ (after his exemplary lap-steel guitar playing). Whether it’s the finger-style guitar, lap-steel, or bouzouki, it is played with a sincerity borne of years of graft, craft, and of a man who seems to straddle time through song.

Alex’s songs offer a fusion of cultural pertinence, generated by an acute appreciation for our earth and ancestry, and a raw gift for storytelling. His songs are enriched by travel and immersive living experiences, from off-grid living in the wilds of rural France, to tipi dwelling in Dorset, allowing music to guide his path across multiple continents, the result is
an oasis of mini odysseys in which each song feels like it has been specially harvested for our appreciation. Through devotion Alex turns life into song, and shows how song provides life with its heartbeat.

His most recent album – ‘Trespass’ – (2025 – Mottow Soundz) is a body of work illustrative of a deep connection to musical heritage and a progressive mastery of his art, which received great acclaim from the folk music community and excellent reviews from the international music press.

‘A folk revivalist and a singer-songwriter whose work invites comparison with the guitar greats and singer-songwriters of the 60s folk revival… brave, atmospheric and epic… a fine piece of storytelling.’
Songlines Magazine (August 2025)

Support comes from 

Joe Burke

Joe Burke is a Salisbury Music Award-winning acoustic innovator (Best Guitarist & Best Solo Act) and a recognized “wizard” of the guitar. His live performance turns a single instrument into a vast, cinematic soundscape, earning him a reputation as a must-see artist on the UK circuit.

Drawing direct comparisons to the legendary John Martyn, the atmospheric depth of Ben Howard, and the technical percussive mastery of Newton Faulkner, Joe has crafted a transcendental sound that fuses alternative folk, indie, and soulful blues.

His signature style is defined by an intricate alternate percussive picking technique—using a thumb-driven snare rhythm to create a drive that feels closer to a full ensemble than a solo performer. Recently hand-picked to support 90s Britpop legends Dodgy and a featured performer for the Salisbury City Hall reopening, Joe’s musicianship is described by fellow artists as ” inspirational “

From the “Baritone Growl” of his vocals to the hypnotic use of multiple capos and alternate tunings, Joe Burke delivers a high-impact, deeply spiritual performance designed to captivate and absorb a room. ♫♪♪

Painted Sails

Painted Sails are an original folk duo from Winchester and Chichester who play traditional English and Appalachian folk music as well as original songs on banjo, guitar, bazouki and harmonium. Comprising of Kathy Ashford and Jack Boyd, Painted Sails is influenced by Ye Vagabonds, Doc Watson and Pentangle.