Rachel Unthank and the Winterset
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Daily Telegraph Top Folk Album of the 2007
"It is by turns passionate, defiant and angry, and the strings of the Northern Sinfonia add to the intense beauty."

Observer Music Magazine Top 50 Albums of 2007 (number 17)
"The Bairns is a bewitching, dream-like, down-to-earth masterpiece."

Channel 4 Music Top Ten Albums of 2007
"Not just a great record but an important one; a classic in its own lifetime."

Winners of the BBC Radio 2 Horizon Award 2008

Headlines 30th April 2008

Sheffield show cancelled.
Tuesday's Boardwalk show is cancelled. Having suffered several problems with the venue, we have made a mutual decision alongside and in support of Mean Fiddler (the show's promoter).

We have cancelled three shows this year now, which is highly regrettable, and we'd just like to point out that non of them were called off due to poor ticket sales. We would rather turn up and play to one man and his dog than cancel due to poor ticket sales! We hope to re-arrange a show in the Sheffield area soon. As it is, the current tour is going great. The atmosphere was electric at a packed Night and Day Cafe last night, and we're looking forward to the rest. Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Brighton to go. We've got some interesting support acts for you too.

T-Shirts now on sale at shows! Yes, they've arrived and they're looking good! They're quality, fitted t-shirts, available in red or black. We hope to have them on sale through the website soon, but for now they are only available at shows.

Sunday Express major feature. Look out for an interview in this weekend's Sunday Express.


Our major UK tour starts... today! Please check here for a date near you.
We're coming to London, Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, Sheffield, Manchester, Salisbury and Exeter, all in the next couple of weeks.

We're headlining the beautiful Spiegeltent in Brighton, and then loads of other places through June. And the big news is, from the Manchester gig on, we should have T-Shirts for sale! At last!

Some links from this week.
"By far the most rigorous of Bragg's supports" read the Observer review of our show with Billy Bragg at The Barbican.
http://music.guardian.co.uk
See photos from the night here:
http://bl106w.blu106.mail.live.com
Listen back to the girls playing Blue Bleezing Blind Drunk live on Radio 4's Loose Ends with Clive Anderson, until Saturday:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/comedy/looseends.shtml


Daily Telegraph feature. An interview with Rachel features in today's Telegraph. Read on line here

Canterbury show postponed. The Gulbenkian Theatre show on May 3rd has been postponed. A rearranged show will be announced shortly, in the Autumn


European shows announced. Denmark, Germany and Belgium dates announced for June, see here

London and Manchester shows now on sale.

Exclusively announced by Mojo Magazine in their latest edition, Rachel Unthank & The Winterset play:

MANCHESTER: 8th May, Night & Day Cafe
LONDON: 12th May, The Shaw Theatre
Tickets available now, here...

www.aloud.com/holding/rachel_unthank.shtml


Very special guest Sarah Blasko
Our very special guest at our last show in Sydney will be Sarah Blasko. We are very priviledged to have Sarah do a short set at the Harpe tomorrow, April 1st.

Sarah won't need any introduction to Australian audiences, she's major success in Oz. For fans back home, you can check her out at:
http://www.myspace.com/sarahblasko


Read tour diary blogs and see photos from Ireland and Australia, now on www.myspace.com/rachelunthank


Even more tour dates announced, and summer festivals too, including Glastonbury, Wychwood, Lovebox, The Big Chill, Belladrum, Summer Sundae. Click here for details.

Extra date announced in Sydney. After last night’s sell-out show at The Harpe in Sydney (02 9559 6300), an extra 'farewell Australia' date has been announced for Tues April 1st

New recordings. Listen back to a live session on Australia’s ABC Radio National, featuring interview and really good live performances of I Wish and Blue Bleezing Blind Drunk. I Wish is worth listening to in particular, having new aspects to the piano arrangement.

Click here, then click on the listen back button for March 15th, then click to the 'next hour', then move through to 34 minutes and session starts.


click this link for some photos from Port Fairy Festival, Australia

http://www.pbase.com/gazza54/pfff08unthank&gcmd=add_comment


New dates and Major UK city tour More »


5 Star review from Paul Morley from the sold-out Borderline London shows.

"easily more contemporary and stylish than boys in skinny trousers holding electric guitars like it's 1969...They might not end us being the best-selling British all-girl group of all time, but they're well on their way to being the most charismatic and imaginative." Read here »

Hello Stef!Say hello to Stef.

See photos from the weekend's sold out Borderline shows, including our first photos with new pianist Stef Conner here »


"A thoroughly bewitching performance" read the Telegraph review from the two sold out Borderline London shows this weekend.

Read Rachel and Becky's blog from the Folk Awards on Myspace
www.myspace.com/rachelunthank

Watch a video of Felton Lonnin, live from the Folk Awards
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/events/folkawards2008/video.shtml


**STOP PRESS**
Rachel Unthank & The Winterset win the Horizon Award at last nights BBC Folk Awards. More reaction and photos coming soon.


The Winterset and Belinda O’Hooley part ways.

More to follow...

End of Year Honours for The Bairns: a full list of polls in which The Bairns featured, see below.

Ireland tour dates announced.
10 date tour of Ireland in February. Dates here »

More end-of-year polls
Besides being No. 17 in the Observer Music Monthly Top 50 Albums of 2007, The Bairns is also No. 8 in Albums of the Year in fRoots, No. 4 in the Mojo Folk Albums of the Year and it's in the top ten in the Financial Times World Albums of the Year - the only English entry.

No. 17 in the Observer Music Top 50
The Bairns by Rachel Unthank & The Winterset is number 17 in the Observer Music Monthly Top 50 Albums of 2007.

The highest placed folk album and ahead of albums by Rufus, Bjork, Springsteen and McCartney! Paul Morley wrote "The Bairns was a bewitching, dream-like, down-to-earth masterpiece." Read what else he wrote here;
http://music.guardian.co.uk/omm/story/0,,2222531,00.html

HMV Choice Top 30 Albums of the Year (number 18)
fRoots Top Ten Albums of the 2007
Financial Times Top Ten World/Folk Albums of 2007
Mojo Magazine Top 10 Folk Albums of 2007
Allaboutjazz.com Best of 2007
Robert Wyatt’s Personal Top Ten Albums of 2007
Tracey Thorn’s Personal Top Ten Albums of 2007
Blue Bleezing Blind Drunk – Top Songs of 2007 in The List
The Sun Top 100 Albums of the Year! (number 38)
FATEA Awards 2007: Best Live Performance