Roddy Woomble

Familiar to many thousands of music fans as the front man in the Scottish rock band Idlewild, Roddy Woomble is also a celebrated solo songwriter & performer. He follows up the release of his acclaimed 2006 solo debut 'My Secret is My Silence' with a brand new album of new songs.

A native of Irvine - small-town Scotland writ large - Roddy Woomble co-founded Idlewild in 1995, naming the band for the quiet haven featured in his then-favourite book, Anne of Green Gables.

Given that the NME likened their early punk-fuelled sound - deftly revisited on their latest album, 2007's Make Another World - to "a flight of stairs falling down a flight of stairs", the quiet haven part was initially somewhat ironic, but gradually came closer as Idlewild meanwhile progressed through sweeping melodic rock to rootsy, melodic sparseness.

Extending that softer lyrical vein of Roddy's songwriting, 2006 saw his first solo release, My Secret Is My Silence, winning rave reviews across both the rock and folk press.

He was also a key instigator behind the acclaimed 2007 album Ballads of the Book, bringing together leading Scottish poets and musicians to collaborate on new songs.

Roddy went on to record and release the album 'Before the Ruin' with Kris Drever and John McCusker in 2008, which they toured extensively around the UK to much praise. The new album, ‘The Impossible Song and Other Songs’ was recorded on the isle of Mull. This was released in the spring of 2011 to critical acclaim and Roddy and his band have been touring the UK ever since playing some notable dates including Beautiful Days and Wychwood Festival last summer.

As well as songs from the new album the live set will feature tunes from 'My Secret is My Silence', 'Before the Ruin' alongside several Idlewild numbers.

Praise for ‘The Impossible Song and Other Songs’:

'This is a distinctly lovely affair' NME

'A moving and quietly joyous collection of pieces weaving together strands of folk, jazz and country.' The Guardian

'The imagery is striking...like island life it's self it won't be rushed' Mojo

'One of Britain's most distinct and talented voices' Kerrang