Phil Beer and Steve Knightley met as teenagers in Exeter, and after performing casually together for years, realised the partnership had potential in 1991. Becoming regulars on the festival circuit Phil and Steve built up a huge and loyal fan base, seeing them perform twice to sell-out audiences at the Royal Albert Hall.
Winners of the Best Live Act in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2004, Show of Hands are an unbelievable talent. Phil can, as The Scotsman observed, ‘play nearly every stringed instrument known to man’ and the inspired Steve is described as ‘one of England’s greatest singer songwriters’. Their music is powerful and atmospheric, regularly voicing the hopes, fears and life stories of scores of people in song. 2003 saw the release of their first ever collection of purely instrumental music. The Path is a celebration of the sights and sounds of the West Country coast line with each track named after a different location including North Devon’s own Braunton Burrows and Buck’s Mills.
The duo’s latest album, Roots – The Best of Show of Hands, is a double CD. The first features their best studio recordings selected by Phil and Steve. The second contains their best live tracks chosen entirely by their fans. Expect to hear many of these, as Show of Hands perform in Barnstaple with regular collaborator Miranda Sykes and special guest Slaid Cleaves. -- www.northdevontheatres.org.uk
