Kashena Sampson Showcase Provides American Sun On A Winter’s Night

Kashena Sampson, a new singer-songwriter from Nashville, made her London debut with an inspiring performance at Hackney’s Paper Dress Vintage.

Despite the cold winter night, Americana lovers found their way to one of the city’s more unusual venues. Located above (and part of) a clothing shop, Paper Dress Vintage is one of those places you wouldn’t expect live music to be played. Yet it is, and the fully packed club proves there are times when first impressions couldn’t be more wrong.

On the night of the Americana Music Association UK (AMA-UK) Conference Music Showcase, the venue becomes a home for various acts from across the pond. One of them truly stands out from the others and that’s Kashena Sampson. A new rising star of the Americana scene, she cast a magic spell that evening.

Kashena’s music combines ’70s folk-rock with a touch of classic country, but serves it all up in a new, unique way. Her music sounds both fresh and somehow familiar, touching hearts and souls, and making the audience swing gently to her rhythm.

There’s a good reason why she doesn’t need many musicians on stage. Just her voice and guitar, supported by multi-instrumentalist C.J. Hillman (winner of the 2017 AMA-UK Instrumentalist of the Year award), fill the room more than many five-piece bands ever could. Her unbelievable vocal range leaves almost no room for any other instruments. No surprise she was hailed as a new Stevie Nicks by Rolling Stone Magazine.

Apart from that incredible voice, Kashena Sampson has one more superpower she might not even be aware of. She’s a first-class storyteller. An old style bard, with the ability to attract crowds yearning to listen to her stories. Her show’s an autobiography converted into songs, with highlights including her debut UK single It’s A Long Way Back, Never Gave Up, and Come Back To Me.

That cold winter night a sun, straight out of a typical scene of American fields and roads, shines in the tiny Hackney club, as she puts an instant charm on the audience.

Kashena Sampson live @ Paper Dress Vintage, London, 31^st January 2018
Words and Photography by Edyta K

Angine de Poitrine Make US TV Debut With New Song ‘Zugzegk’ On The Tonight Show

Angine de Poitrine have made their US television debut with a wild and precision-driven performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, using their appearance to unveil the previously unreleased new song Zugzegk.

Pain Of Truth Announce Extensive UK & European Tour For February 2027

Long Island hardcore band Pain Of Truth have announced an extensive run of UK and European dates for February 2027, following the release of their highly anticipated sophomore album Pain Of Truth on 25th September via DAZE.

Ash Unearth Long-Lost Track ‘Bittersweet Blue’ Ahead Of 30th Anniversary Edition Of ‘1977’

Ash have unearthed a remarkable piece of their history with the release of ‘Bittersweet Blue’, a long-lost track that dates back to the recording sessions for the band’s landmark debut album, 1977. Originally written before the band entered Rockfield Studios in 1996, Bittersweet Blue was performed live by Ash before it had even been completed lyrically, recorded shortly afterwards and then ultimately left behind as the band refined the songs that would become their chart-topping debut.

Evanescence Create A Sanctuary Of Sound, Spectacle And Survival At The O2

“We’ve grown up together by now.” It is a simple observation from Amy Lee, but after more than two decades of Evanescence, it lands with extraordinary weight. This is a band whose songs have grown alongside their audience, soundtracking grief, heartbreak, anger, recovery and reinvention.

Passenger Shares New Single ‘Boomerang’ Ahead Of New Album ‘Wild Love’

Passenger has shared his latest single, Boomerang, alongside a cinematic new video, as anticipation builds for his forthcoming album Wild Love, due for release on 6th November. The new track arrives after a remarkable week for the chart-topping, Ivor Novello Award-winning singer-songwriter, who recently attracted a crowd of hundreds for an impromptu busking performance outside Tate Modern before returning to his hometown for a huge homecoming show at Hove Park.

Ronnie Wood & Imelda May @ The Long Road Festival 2026 (Henry Finnegan / @finneganfoto)

The Long Road Festival 2026 – Day Two: – Who Needs Sunshine When You’ve Got Ronnie Wood?

If Friday had been about The Long Road Festival fighting the weather, Saturday began with everyone looking at the sky and wondering whether we were about to do the whole thing again. Unfortunately, we were.

The Long Road Festival 2026 (Henry Finnegan / @finneganfoto)

The Long Road Festival 2026 – Day One: Come Rain, Shine Or Biblical Thunder

Last year, The Long Road Festival takes place a week earlier in August and, had it done the same this year, Stanford Hall would probably have been basking in the heatwave temperatures and sun-scorched grass that have defined much of the British summer. But The Long Road has become synonymous with the August Bank Holiday weekend and, right on cue, as thousands of country fans begin arriving in Leicestershire, the heavens decide to open.

The Samurai Seven Return With First New EP In Almost 25 Years, ‘Make It Real’

Cult favourites The Samurai Seven have made their long-awaited return with the release of their new EP Make It Real, marking the Oxford band’s first new release in almost 25 years.