The York Arts Barge is back.
After a two-year pandemic-enforced break, the repainted and restored Selby Tony barge will be mooring in the heart of York for a summer-long series of events.
The first confirmed show is the Arts Barge Arkansas Hoodang on Friday June 24. Featuring three country music touring acts playing a rare UK date, the event promises to kick off summer celebrations in style.
Concert organiser Kai West told YorkMix: “It’s been a long wait, but we’re delighted finally to get back to the barge and deliver a great show.
“We have been waiting years to get Dylan Earl to play here in York, and he is bringing top country performers Willi Carlisle and the Jude Brothers along with him.
“Willi is a multi-instrumentalist and poet offering exuberant folksongs, stories, and sing-alongs.
“His country-folk songs are in the tradition of Pete Seeger, Utah Phillips, and Ramblin’ Jack Elliot. He’s been described in The Guardian as ‘the greatest Americana artist you’ve never heard of…’
“The Jude Brothers is a singer-songwriter with an experimental folksy Americana flavour. And the music of Dylan Earl himself has been described as ‘countrypolitan twangcore’. Make of that what you will. But it sounds great.
“We’re rounding off the line-up with York’s own Wreck Liners which started as a country-folk project of the punk band, Pat Butcher.”
Later this summer the Arts Barge will see a welcome return to York of Curtis Eller and his American Circus band. The date will be announced soon, along with other summer barge dates.
Tickets are available here.
All hands on deck
The arts barge became a hub for music and arts events in 2019. It is being repainted and restored to its original colours with the help of Brewers Decorator Centre who have donated all the paint.
All it needs now is hands on deck.
Barge co-founder Hannah West says: “We’re looking for volunteers to join in the fun. Painting outside and prepping inside will be interspersed with the gigs we are planning.
“We’re aiming for Community Hands On Days on Sunday afternoons and Mondays from 3pm.”
You can get involved as an Arts Barge volunteer via artsbarge.com.