Robert Vincent and his Band

A change of direction is in the air for award winning artist Robert Vincent, the Liverpool based singer songwriter. Appropriately the album “Barriers”, Vincent’s fourth studio album, is released, again by Thirty Tigers, on summer solstice, a time that reminds us to look inwards to find what we need to love and evolve. “I’m learning how to lower my barriers and have made a more personal album than ever before” says Vincent.

Experience Robert Vincent and his band peform tracks from the new album, along with others in his extensive catalogue with this one time event at Ivory Bar, Harrogate

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“He's the Real Deal” - Bob Harris OBE (BBC Radio 2)

Vincent’s third LP, the critically-acclaimed (“A phenomenal, spiritual listen – Sunday Times Album Review”) ‘In This Town You’re Owned’, was released by Thirty Tigers early 2020 and walked straight into a worldwide pandemic. Despite stalled promotional plans and tours, the record resonated enough to win the Americana Music Association UK’s ‘Album of The Year’ award for 2021. Receiving critical acclaim, the record also charted at number 2 in the UK Americana Charts and American Songwriter Magazine named it in its top 20 albums (every genre) of 2020. “I had to try to take the positives as an artist” Robert says when recalling the experience of lockdown. “I hadn’t had any time off from performing in many years and lockdown gave me time for a bit of a reset and to question where I was musically and personally”.

It was Vincent’s powerful and soulful voice that attracted acolytes such as Bob Harris, Paul Carrack and Mary Chapin Carpenter. In 2016, Harris awarded Robert with his ‘Emerging Artist’ of the year award at the inaugural UK Americana Awards show describing Vincent as “absolutely magnetic” and “the real deal”. In 2018 following the release of ‘I’ll Make the Most of My Sins’ (AMAUK Album of The Year 2018) Robert was invited to perform on the BBC ‘Old Grey Whistle Test, For One Night Only’ closing the show. It was this performance that would propel him to number 1 and 2 in the iTunes Album and Singles Charts.

Maintaining his status as one of the most acclaimed voices in the UK Americana rock scene, Robert’s new songs represent a real left turn for an artist who is ready for something more.

The new album “has more of an intimate sound,” Robert says. “The songs began to take shape during lockdown through to 2022 and are born from testing personal experiences, rather than the social commentary of the last album. This is a very inward set of songs, but I think it will resonate with people facing their own demons.’

The lead single for the album, ‘The Insider ‘, featured acclaimed actor David Morrissey in the video, playing the protagonist, with Vincent the doubtful dumb niggle “Who Am I To You” in the despot’s mind. Even when exploring his own personal battles Vincent doesn’t entirely leave the realm or metaphor of socio-political issues.

Vincent has been referred to as the “scouse Bruce Springsteen” and there are echoes of many of the same themes that Springsteen explored in ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town’, also his fourth album. Vincent breaks down the numbing barriers built up during a relationship gone wrong, faces the anger and challenges this creates and stands tall to fight for a brighter future and personal truth. As the second single off the album says “Follow What you Love and Love and Love Will Follow”

The intimacy and introspection of this evolving journey on the album’s songs is captured by the sure hand and keen ear of award-winning producer Ethan Johns whose work with Ray Lamontagne is a real touchstone for Vincent’s own ambition, mellowness, and honesty on Barriers. Johns also mixes the album and provides his own gifted instrumentation.

Vincent’s core band (Anna Corcoran on piano, vocals; Jim Kimberley, drums; Danny Williams, bass; Adrian Gautrey, guitar, keys) are gathered under the eye of engineer Jon Withnall (Coldplay, I Am Kloot) and performed the music live in the studio with the addition of guitarist Joe Coombes. They are ably adept at the musical shifts and changes on the album which keep one foot bedded in Americana rock whilst moving towards a more English singer songwriter sound.

Robert continues to tour extensively showing his versatility as both a solo performer and with a full band. Notable past performances include 2023 Celtic Connections at Glasgow Theatre Royal with Mary Chapin Carpenter, showcase performances at Americana Fest in Nashville, Tennessee, supporting Roger Waters at Hyde Park, Tours with Paul Carrack and Duane Eddy.

Tours around and after the album are booked for this year showcasing the consummate and searingly honest songwriting of this talented artist.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Ivory Bar & Lounge, 2 The Ginnel, Harrogate, United Kingdom