A once a decade opportunity to attend Richard Trethewey’s album launch!

Richard will be launching ‘Two Halves’ at the beautifully intimate Malpas Village Hall overlooking the Truro River on Sunday March the 17th 2024. Richard will be joined by the guest musicians who play on this album to perform the whole album as it is heard on the album. He will also show some of the films he has made that accompany some of the songs from the ablum. There are only 60 tickets available so make sure to order early. Each pre ordered ticket will be in with a chance of winning one of the extremely rare vinyl test pressings! There will be a bar available. Please note there is no parking at the village hall. Parking at Boscawen Park and walking ‘The Lonesome Track’ is the best option!

Guest Musicians include: Bec Applebee (crowdy crawn and voice), Freya Jonas (piano and voice), Neal Jolly (double bass and whistle) , Kath Buckler (cello), Jenny Jonas (oboe), Richard Morgan (percussion), The Aggie Boys Choir (voices), Nicola Edwards (voice), Laura Garcia (accordion and voice), Tom Fosten (guitar), Steve Hawker (piano), Gareth Price (wood flute), Jamie Sterritt (Harp) and Raymond Trethewey (voice).

Two Halves was first imagined for vinyl. It presents one side of songs and music inspired by stories from Cornwall’s wonderfully evocative river estuaries. The second half is more akin to his debut album ‘Dig Where You Stand’ and tells stories associated with Cornwall’s industrial heritage. Richard is joined by a selection of wonderful musicians and friends that he has worked with over the last few years.

The first side contains songs inspired by tales of smuggling and piracy to wonderfully eccentric royal visits, forgotten castles that overlooked the estuary and the harvest of the kea plum trees growing  along the banks of the River Fal. 

The second half starts with the true story of Tretheweys who left the Clay Country to seek their fortune in Canada before moving onto a song inspired by and featuring the various sounds involved in the mining industry. As well as the sound of hammers being struck underground,  Richard once again revisits his Brass Band connections and is accompanied by St Dennis Band Quartet on this track. From the story of an ice skating vicar taking to a frozen clay pit in the 1930’s  to exploring Cornwall’s diaspora connections and ending with a lullaby (featuring Richard’s father singing in Cornish)  inspired by Richard’s work as a Music Therapist for Children’s Hospice South West. 

Richard has reunited with Dig Where You Stand producer Phil Innes as well as working with Iain McKnight again on the brass arrangement to produce this follow up album eleven years on. They do say Cornishmen do it ‘dreckly!