These Wicked Rivers have released an acoustic version of their latest single, Rise, offering a fresh take on one of the key tracks from their recently released third album, Fire And Folklore. The Derbyshire rockers, who topped the UK Rock Album Chart with the record, are preparing to hit the road for an extensive run of UK headline dates, beginning in Newcastle on 19th November.
These Wicked Rivers
The acoustic release follows a busy few weeks on the road alongside Reef and Robert Jon & The Wreck, as the band continue to build momentum around Fire and Folklore, which arrived on 2nd October through Fat Earth Records. The new version of Rise highlights the song’s uplifting message, bringing its central sentiment into sharper focus through a more stripped-back arrangement.
Written by multi-instrumentalist Rich Wilson, Rise was conceived as a positive song for difficult times, encouraging people to look beyond their differences and find common ground. Wilson explains: “I wanted to write something with a positive message to try and uplift people in these troubled times. It’s basically saying we all need to come together and stop focusing on our differences when we are all fundamentally the same.”
Frontman John Hartwell shares that intention, reflecting on the personal struggles that inspired the track: “We’ve all been through dark times. It’s sometimes hard to get back up and get back on track when things go wrong, we wanted Rise to help people see a way forward.”
The original single is accompanied by an official video directed by Conor Lee Butler and Andy Morahan, whose credits include iconic videos for Guns N’ Roses and George Michael. However, it is an unlikely star of the film that has been attracting attention back in the band’s hometown of Belper: a 1983 Hymer 550S motorhome, affectionately adopted by the band despite being described by local residents as something of an eyesore.
For These Wicked Rivers, the vehicle was an essential part of the video’s visual identity. Guitarist Arran Day says: “When an esteemed director like Andy says he wants to be involved in a video for a song on your new album you say ‘Yes’ immediately. Conor, Andy, Indy and our team had a vision from the very start after connecting with the song Rise early on. Their ideas, enthusiasm and professionalism really pushed us to up our game on this shoot. They were constantly coming up with new ideas and imagery to enhance his vision. Including the Hymer RV which we all have grown very fond of. It was easy to see why Andy has worked with the very best over his incredible career and Conor is no slouch either having directed our previous video.”
The motorhome’s appearance may also reflect the band’s fondness for alternative living and familiar, lived-in surroundings, but its inclusion was part of a creative vision that took shape early in the process. The resulting video gives Rise an unmistakably local flavour, while adding an unexpected talking point to the campaign surrounding the album.
Fire And Folklore is a ten-track collection that explores themes including resilience, mental health and personal recovery. Alongside Rise, Horse to Water tackles addiction and the difficult reality that someone can only be helped when they are ready to accept it. The record began taking shape while the band were still touring their previous album, Force Of Nature, before the songs were developed and recorded over a month at Sneaps’ studio in Belper.
Working with producer Colin Richardson and engineer Pete Newdeck, the band created a record rooted in their Derbyshire surroundings. For Hartwell, being able to make the album close to home was particularly meaningful. “Being local lads, it’s been a real privilege to be able to record the album so close to home in beautiful Derbyshire, a stone’s throw from where some of the songs were written, it’s been a great learning experience.”
The album moves between the reflective and the hard-hitting, with tracks including The Healing, Ain’t No Smoke, Love to Love, Sing Another Song, featuring Kezia Gill, Brother Oh Brother, Better Man, Woodland Queen and Stories, alongside Rise and Horse to Water.
The band’s growing reputation has been built not only on their recorded work but also on their live performances. Their audience, affectionately known as the Rivers Family, has developed into a devoted community across the UK and Europe. These Wicked Rivers place inclusivity and a welcoming atmosphere at the heart of their shows, aiming to create a space where fans of all ages and backgrounds feel at home. With a bigger sound and increasingly ambitious stages ahead, the band are taking that spirit on the road throughout the coming year.
The headline run begins this month, taking in Newcastle, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Carlisle, Leicester, London, Norwich and Milton Keynes before continuing through December and into 2027. Further European dates will see the band bring Fire And Folklore to audiences in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
These Wicked Rivers
Fire And Folklore is available on black vinyl, orange Fire vinyl, purple Folklore vinyl, picture disc and limited-edition pressed-flower vinyl, as well as CD and USB formats. The album is also available digitally.
Upcoming UK Live Dates:
NOVEMBER
13th – Holmfirth, Picturedrome (supporting Reef)
Fire and Folklore Tour:
19th – Newcastle, The Grove
20th – Glasgow, Stereo
21st – Aberdeen, The Tunnels
22nd – Carlisle, The Brickyard
26th – Leicester, O2 Academy2
27th – London, The Garage
28th – Norwich, Norwich Arts Centre
29th – Milton Keynes, Craufurd Arms
DECEMBER
3rd – Birmingham, O2 Institute
4th – Bristol, Thekla
5th – Falmouth, Cornish Bank
6th – Portsmouth, The Lens
10th – Cardiff, The Globe
11th – Llandudno, Motorsport Lounge
12th – Manchester, Deaf Institute
13th – Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
19th – Morecambe, Winter Gardens
JANUARY
8th – Cambridge, The Junction
10th – Sheffield, Greystones
APRIL
3rd – Wolverhampton, KK’s
MAY
28th – Lincoln, Call of the Wild Festival
JUNE
18th – Ferndown, Love Rocks Festival
JULY
23rd – Ebbw Vale, Steelhouse Festival
24th – Cheshire, Together Again Festival
AUGUST
7th – Doncaster, Gig in a Field
8th – Plumpton, Plumpton Revival Festival
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