The first part of this month's Hot Burrito double bill is back in it's spiritual home of Le Pub before a trip down the road to Cardiff's Clwb Ifor Bach for the 17th's Danny and the Champions of the World gig which I'll preview at a later date. It sees the quite wonderful Southern Tenant Folk Union grace our stage, a band so good live that The Redlands Palomino Company have admitted to being terrified to follow them onto the stage when they had them as support.

They were formed by Belfast born five-string banjo player Pat McGarvey and take their name from the ground breaking multi-racial union of sharecroppers and non-landowning tenant farmers founded in Arkansas in the 1930’s, the Southern Tenant Folk Union are an explosive London based folk and bluegrass outfit.

Writing and performing their own unique brand of Old-Time, Bluegrass, Gospel and Celtic Folk, Southern Tenant Folk Union appropriate the themes, ideas and metaphors from traditional folk songs and 20th century Americana music to document and reflect modern life through styles popularised by musicians such as The Carter Family, The Stanley Brothers and even Dillard & Clark.

Once up and running the Southern Tenant Folk Union released their debut album of original material in January 2007 to acclaim, positive reviews and national radio play. The rest of the year saw them playing festivals, arts centres and clubs around the UK and Ireland and they’ve now finished recording the follow-up ‘Revivals, Rituals & Union Songs’ which is be released on March 3rd 2008. A step forward for them with its strong confident tone, soulful sound and the darkly reflective yet heart-warming nature of the eleven brand new songs presented.

Support on Wednesday comes from Caerleon troubadour Stephen Light and the Black Sand Band. It's their second Hot Burrito appearence after wowing the audience with their well crafted songs, distinctive vocals and sheer number of instruments, including a sitar. Get there early.

Tickets are available from Diverse for £5 in advance, it'll be £6 on the door.

http://www.myspace.com/southerntenantfolkunion
http://www.myspace.com/stephenlight