This year, amidst the difficult lockdown situation, Canadian troubadour Michael Bernard Fitzgerald created a unique take on live concerts. He has embarked on a Canada-wide tour setting up on private farms and performing intimate concerts in a travelling open-air venue called “The Greenbriar”. Already selling out dates, and delighting audiences, the small, socially distanced concert format is proving popular and will come to the UK in Spring 2021 for Michael’s ‘Love Valley Tour’ as a tried and tested exciting solution for intimate and special socially distanced gigs.
The Greenbriar is a romantic, quaint venue decorated with canvas curtains, lanterns, chandeliers and wooden chairs. As the sun goes down, the space glows with string lights and people take in their first live music in months – no more than five families at a time. It is comfortable like a living room but has the feel of a concert venue. With locally sourced partnerships with food and beverage companies, the experience allows punters to pre-order refreshments in advance for a trouble-free relaxing show with Michael’s distinctive brand of Americana meets alt-folk music.
With the announcement of 21 Greenbriar gigs coming to the UK in Spring 2021 following the release of his hotly anticipated new album ‘Love Valley’ this October, Michael is creating safe and memorable opportunities to catch a set of his critically acclaimed hushed and beautiful singer-songwriter tunes and to spend an evening letting go.
Dates for the ‘Love Valley’ tour have been scheduled for England, Scotland and Ireland (full dates listed below) and each night Michael will host 20 people in The Greenbriar. The venue site will be no more than 60 minutes by car from the listed town/city centre, providing some mystery, magic and spontaneity in where Michael will emerge next. Directions to the show venues will be sent to ticket holders on the day of each show respectively at 11am with music starting at 8pm. Aiming to capture the rustic feeling of festivals past and future, the tent setting offers audiences an intimate sanctuary of great music, nostalgia and intrigue.
Michael has also just released a new Double A-Side single from ‘Love Valley’, a stunning coupling of the tracks ‘Good Plates’ and ‘I Love You’. With the blossoming sonic vistas of ‘I Love You’, Michael wants to demonstrate simple, calm love. “Love that doesn’t require anything lavish or over the top. That’s the type of love I aspire to have, and I hope people relate to that in their own lives. I think a calm love is the destination.”, he says.
‘Good Plates’ is a choice track pairing that further exemplifies this theme, being a song about having reason to set the table and get the ‘Good Plates’ out. “I want people to hear the song and feel that warm feeling”, says Michael. “The good plates moments can be big ones – but also just evenings with friends and family. The song is a simple reflection of love. Wishing to get the table set for guests with someone you love.”, he adds.
Michael’s new album ‘Love Valley’ is the journey, the destination, and the whole story. It is the kind of record you want to listen to cover to cover – falling into the narrative and existing within it. In a culmination of Fitzgerald’s experience as a songwriter, the lyrics are intended and wistful, telling a story you cannot help but want to be a part of. The intimate vibe achieved with this record is something that Fitzgerald strives to convey in everything he creates – from song writing to live shows. If it was in a small club, large theatre, or at a festival, the spirit of honest connection with people has always existed in Fitzgerald’s performances.
Spring 2021 Ireland & UK ‘Love Valley Tour’ dates:
Tue Apr 6th: Donegal
Wed Apr 7th: Sligo
Thu Apr 8th: Galway
Fri Apr 9th: Cork
Sat Apr 10th: Dublin
Tue April 13th: Liverpool
Wed Apr 14th: Manchester
Thu Apr 15th: Carlisle
Fri Apr 16th: Glasgow
Sat Apr 17th: Edinburgh
Tue Apr 20th: Perth
Wed Apr 21st: Aberdeen
Thu Apr 22nd: Inverness
Fri Apr 23rd: Newcastle
Sat Apr 24th: Sheffield
Tue Apr 27th: Norwich
Wed Apr 28th: Cambridge
Thu Apr 29th: Brighton
Fri Apr 30th: Bournemouth
Sat May 1st: Bristol
Tue May 4th: London
The venue site will be no more than 60 minutes by car from the listed town/city centre. Directions to the show venues will be sent to ticket holders on the day of each show respectively at 11am with music starting at 8pm.
We will update capacity information in keeping with the relevant governmental guidelines and laws regarding Covid 19. In the event that the shows have to be rescheduled a new date will be set with also a streamed event on the original scheduled date.
Tickets available at http://www.michaelbernardfitzgerald.com/tickets
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