Richard Dawson

RICHARD DAWSON’s modern folk storytelling has long been a welcome respite from daily drudgery – even when it takes a turn into dark places, his witty lyrics and deft hand for painting a vivid picture make these journeys ones that we want to take alongside him. The latest voyage he’s mapping out will lead him straight to Tilburg – we’re thrilled to announce that Richard Dawson will be performing at Roadburn 2024. 

Richard’s latest opus, The Ruby Cord, invites us to follow him into a dystopian future where things are far from rosy. And yet, with Richard as our guide we’re gifted the warmth of companionship even in bleak and inhospitable surroundings. The songs on The Ruby Cord may not be as immediate as some of his other work, but if you find the time to invest then the pay off is an immersive, multi-layered odyssey. The opening track, The Hermit, is a 41 minute, expansive tale which comes with an accompanying film – the perfect way to immerse yourself in a world of Richard Dawson’s making. 

Whichever direction, whichever point in time, the path that Richard Dawson carves out for us to walk along at Roadburn is sure to be one littered with his melancholy observations on the human (and occasionally the seemingly non-human) condition.  We’ll meet you there.

– Becky Laverty