An evening full of raw American Primitive fingerpicking

Double bill: Glenn Jones & Liam Grant + 1 More TBA

Glenn Jones is a master of American Primitive Guitar, a style invented in the late 1950s by John Fahey. Jones, who led the post-rock ensemble Cul de Sac, brings his own made-up tunings, the use of custom-crafted partial capos, and a highly skilled picking style on both banjo and guitar, to create personal compositions that are lyrical, emotive and elegant.

https://glennjones.bandcamp.com/music

Liam Grant (Boston, MA) is a New England guitarist with a punk ethos, cut from the American Primitive cloth. The restless guitar explorations, modal epics and driving uptempo rags recall the likes of Grant‘s pedagogue: Takoma Records and the path that was paved by his forebears John Fahey, Robbie Basho, Peter Walker, Max Ochs and later Glenn Jones, Steffen Basho-Junghans, Jack Rose, and others.

https://liamgrant.bandcamp.com

Glenn Jones first made a name for himself with the ‘rock band’ Cul De Sac, a band that played with Can-singer Damo Suzuki more often than Can itself. Since then, he has become one of the most important American Primitive guitarists of the 21st century.

Over the course of ten albums, Jones has developed an undeniably unique fingerstyle voice. His music forms a deeply personal melodic grammar: witty, reflective and rooted in memory. Sketches of Fahey, his friendship with John Jackson, early visits to 78 rpm collector Joe Bussard and his bond with Jack Rose all leave their mark on his work.

Equally present are the tender portraits of his mother, Nora Smith, and the small anchor points in daily life, such as his beloved cats. Jones’ compositions feel like living memories, shaped by curiosity, dedication and the fleeting beauty of everyday life.

Over the years, he has remained a vital figure in the underground scene, someone who continually refines and reinvents the steel-string tradition. His pieces carry emotional power without sentimentality and are anchored in experience, yet always open to surprise.

Liam Grant draws deeply from the landscape in which he grew up: memoires of the Merrimack, Amoskeag and the waters flowing toward the great flood of Dead River. He has toured extensively in the US and beyond since 2021 and regularly works with Glenn Jones and fiddler Mike Gangloff.

His debut album Amoskeag (2023) confirmed his place as a rising voice within the steel-string tradition. His album Prodigal Son (2025, VHF Records) – a lo-fi statement for 12 string, 6 string and lap steel guitar – was praised by NPR’s Viking’s Choice and featured among The Quietus’ and Wilco’s favourite albums of 2025.

Grant’s collaborations include releases with Gangloff, Sam Shalabi and members of The Three-Top Serenaders, as well as contributions to compilations like The Sun Is Not True. He is among the young players revitalising the American Primitive vocabulary, still rooted in tradition but driven by curiosity and shaped by the rivers and history of New England.

+ 1 more tba

Presale/door prices adjusted: our events are set up by volunteers in favour of supporting DIY touring acts, but it is getting ever more risky to plan and book events – please support the community and buy your tickets early! Presale closes 18.00 on day of the show.