Ryan's Gig Guide - May 2019

Check Leon out in our Spotify playlist www.ryansgigguide.com/audio  Photo: Ollie Hambrook LEON C Leon Chatterton, is an up and coming contem- porary folk singer songwriter based in Birming- ham and Southampton. Since releasing his debut Album in 2018, Leon has begun work on new music, the first of these to come out in 2019 is a double single that was produced at Armistice records. In these songs Leon shows his prowess as a songwriter who writes music beyond his years. Bringing his influences of many genre together, Leon blends his love for dynamic smart arrangements and poetic lyrics to pro- duce a fresh and previously untouched sound. This is shown in depth in the first original track, They Call Them Liars which mixes percussive drumming, horns and piano that sits on a bed of organ, synth and double bass, before being completed by piercing meaningful melody with a catchy but thoughtful chorus. In the second song, I Hear You Calling, his love for folk rock bursts through in a manner that had been untested by Leon.With a unique take on a Bill Fay song, using clean instrument tones and instruments that were typical of the 60s, he creates a smooth, but mature song that then bursts into a more modern feel, taking the 60s instrumentation and merging it with more mod- ern soundscapes. Leon has been playing guitar for over 11 years. Initially classically trained for 8 of these, Leon has moved into song writing for the past three years.With his debut album out, over a hundred gigs played and a tour self-planned in the summer of July 2018, Leon is redefining what a troubadour is. His can-do attitude, inspired by influences such Bob Dylan, Kevin Morby and Townes Van Zandt, has led Leon to gain a massive amount of experience and attention in his local scenes thus allowing him grow into a musician that rivals those far older than him.With recordings to come in 2019, some of which have been recorded at Abbey Road Studios alongside his newly formed backing band. Friday 3rd May Prince ofWales, Moseley Tuesday 7th May Stirchley Speaks - Artefact, Stirchley Saturday 11th May British Oak, Birmingham Tuesday 28th May The Jam House, Birmingham  www.facebook.com/leoncmusic www.ryansgigguide.com 34 rgg May 2019