Joe Solo is an award-winning musician, writer, poet, activist, broadcaster and washing machine engineer from Scarborough. His musical odyssey began in 1987 fronting a bash-em-out band at school, and has seen him play nine countries either as lynchpin of pop-punk upstarts Lithium Joe or hammering out his unique brand of Folk, Punk and Blues in his own right.
On top of releasing twenty one albums since 2004, Solo has written a series of children’s books for Unison on social justice and equality; runs a research project on the Hull Pals Battalions in the First World War; hosts a weekly Monday night radio show; has had one of his poems used in an international campaign to educate on dementia awareness; co-runs ‘May Day Festival of Solidarity‘ an annual event bringing together voices from music, poetry and politics to celebrate International Worker’s Day; and has still found time to open for the likes of Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott, Billy Bragg, Chris Wood, TV Smith, Louise Distras, David Rovics, Grace Petrie, Attila the Stockbroker, Otis Gibbs, Robb Johnson, Edgar Broughton, Naomi Bedford & Paul Simmonds, Emily Portman, Pete Wylie, and The Blockheads; whilst his songs have been played by John Peel on Radio One, Mike Harding on Radio Two and Tom Robinson on BBC6Music
Hadrian’s Union – since the initial conception of the band the musical styles have continued to evolve. They are a predominantly a folk – rock band but their interests in many genres of music has led to experimentation with Ska, Jazz, Blues, Bluegrass and so much more.
The Swamp Stomp String Band are not just another hillbilly-wannabe, country band…sure, there are twangy banjos, driving guitars, a honky-tonk piano, and a thudding double bass
but these propel everything from drinking songs that will have the room stomping their feet and
raising their flagons of cider, to ballads that willbreak even the toughest of folk. Play your cards
right and you might even get invited for a waltz!