Kings Place welcomes back multi-award-winner singer-songwriter Charlie Dore, with her new live show – The Man Who Built Christmas. Alongside her long-time collaborator Julian Littman of Steeleye Span, and Gareth Huw Davies, they swap guitars, piano, harmonium, mandolin, ukulele and stories as they showcase these yuletide originals as well as favourites from the past nine albums and several songs never before heard live.

Charlie Dore’s songs have been recorded by the good and the great, including George Harrison, Tina Turner, Celine Dion, Martha Wainwright, Jimmy Nail and Ricky Ross, but her live shows reveal that she keeps the best songs for herself.

In a career of several decades, this multi-award-winner realised she had never written a Christmas song. Proving that there’s a first time for everything, Charlie Dore presents her live show – The Man Who Built Christmas.

‘My entire catalogue was a Christmas-free zone, which was fine by me. Except for one song, Santa and Edie, which I wrote for the Green Note’s Festive Show. This whet my appetite for approaching the whole Christmas thing from different angles, trying for unusual plots, like making miniature movies with the listener behind the camera.’

As one of the UK’s most respected songwriters, recent live sessions for Mark Radcliffe (BBC Radio 2), playing and co-hosting for Ricky Ross’ Another Country (BBC Radio Scotland) as well as an inclusion on Ken Bruce’s final BBC show prove Charlie’s relevance and ability to capture the imagination of an increasing audience. She has also recently collaborated with Michele Stodart of The Magic Numbers, and rising folk star Katie Spencer.

Charlie will be playing with her long-time collaborator Julian Littman (Steeleye Span) and double bass player/cellist Gareth Huw Davies.

The performance will last approximately 2 hours, including an interval.

Reviews

‘… earnest and witty, tender and cynical all at the same time… profound, moving and oddly haunting.’ RnR Magazine

‘Subtle songs that pack a punch… absolute gems of modern songwriting.’ Mike Harding

‘… one of our most intelligent and erudite singer-songwriters.’ Fatea Magazine