Alasdair Roberts

Alasdair Roberts is a Drag City artist based in Glasgow and raised in Callander, Central Scotland. His first releases consisted of home-made four-track recordings of his songs under the name Appendix Out. Over time Alasdair gradually became more immersed in the traditional song and balladry of the British Isles, resulting in the first release under his own name, the solo guitar-and-voice album of traditional songs The Crook of My Arm (Secretly Canadian, 2001). In 2001 Alasdair collaborated with Jason Molina and Will Oldham; the result was the Amalgamated Sons of Rest EP (Galaxia), a brief collection of songs written by the three individuals, covers, traditional songs and one

co-written track.

Alasdair has since released three further solo records including Farewell Sorrow (Drag City, 2003); No Earthly Man (Drag City, 2005), a collection of traditional British ballads of a tragic nature, this time accompanied by a large cast of players including Isobel Campbell, Alex Neilson and brothers Paul and Will Oldham amongst others; and his most recent album entitled The Amber Gatherers (Drag City, 2007). His latest long player is due to be released sometime in spring 2009.

Roberts has toured with Joanna Newsom and Bill Callahan, headlined at the Green Man festival and has played acclaimed gigs from the Barbican to St James's Church ; this is a chance to see him play live at the intimate setting of (new east end venue) Cafe Oto.

Mathew Sawyer (the Ghosts)

Mathew Sawyer is a man with many facets. He is an internationally respected visual artist, he played drums for the influential post-punk band the Television Personalities, and he is the lead singer and songwriter with his own musical collective, Mathew Sawyer and the Ghosts. [His debut] Blue Birds Blood has a stunning depth and

wistfulness. With Sawyer's sauntering rasp as the charming cornerstone, this lo-fi pop paradise offers a proper candidate for some of the sweetest tunes heard yet this year (Rough trade). He has been characterised by unpredictable live shows, ranging from playing with an 8-piece mini-orchestra (Queen Elizabeth Hall, Royal

Albert Hall Elgar Room), to playing acoustic solo or as an electric psych pop band. He has finished recording his second full length, due to be released on Stolen Recordings next year.