Singer-songwriter Paul Thompson will be stopping off in Hexham and Once Brewed this month as part of a tour which sees him venturing from Norwich to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival using the unusual means of transport.
The Norfolk musician is the first solo artist to tour in such a vehicle and has gained funding from the Arts Council of Britain for the three-month journey in the specially-converted electric float.
“I wanted to think of an original way to do a music tour, that was fitting to my style of music and that also incorporated sustainable technology,” Paul explained.
“Performing at mainly outdoor locations, the milk float will double up as my tour bus and music performance space, with solar panels on the roof powering musical equipment and other adaptations allowing the float to charge up at electric vehicle charging points across the country.”
The float set off on Wednesday and will travel at a rock ‘n’ roll pace of 15mph for 30 miles a day.
Paul - who has been performing professionally for 10 years and has toured Europe, the US, Canada and New Zealand - will arrive in Hexham on Saturday, June 20 for a performance at The Forum cinema.
The following day, the float will take him to his next venue at the Once Brewed Visitor Centre near Bardon Mill.
With each stop of his Beautiful Britain Tour, he will be hosting a songwriting workshop in the afternoon and performing live music in evenings.
He added: “I’m interested in exploring the idea of music performance in fresh and original contexts and expanding my opportunities to play at new venues.
“I’ve researched places to play that have an emphasis on environmental awareness but that might not normally be considered by musicians as a ‘venue’.
“Travelling a long distance at 15mph will prompt me to look at the world from a different perspective, to slow down from the normal pace of everyday life and encourage new songwriting ideas to flow.”
Paul’s music has been described as ‘blissed out Donovan meets John Martyn’, and he uses a loop box to layer guitar, vocals and rhythm – a technique made famous by chart-topping musician Ed Sheeran.
The tour marks the release of Paul’s third self-penned and produced album, Lost in the Land of Midnight Sun.
To find out more visit www.paulsmusic.
co.uk
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