The Two Tours

The logistics of one tour are normally challenging enough. On this visit to the UK, Ray has two interleaving tours – eight dates with Oysterband and June Tabor plus ten solo shows. The solo tour was almost booked up when Oysterband asked him to join them because Adrian, their regular cello player, was going on tour with the band James. Thanks to two understanding promotors who were able to move gigs to November 2025, Ray was able to join them for their final and sold out tour with June. They too are travelling the length and breadth of England and have so far visited Birmingham, Bristol, Bexhill, Manchester and Sunderland.

I met back up with Ray at the De Montfort Hall in Leicester for his fifth date on the tour with Oysterband and June Tabor. I’ve not been back here since the last Big Session. Their set was brilliant and it was lovely to hear Oysterband songs again with Ray and especially the songs with June. Dancing As Fast As I Can is special at the De Montfort; I remember the time they brought a choir up from Brighton to sing on it. Nice to see Ray play bass again. He and Al have different performance styles so it’s special to see both in one show.

June is in great voice – Hills Of Shiloh with just Alan on guitar, Roseville Fair on her own, then Bonny Bunch Of Roses with the full band. June, John and Ray shared vocals on a lovely version of John Barleycorn. Encores were White Rabbit and of course Put Out The Lights for the last time at the De Montfort Hall.

After the emotional evening, meeting many old friends, and after a good nights sleep, we re-start Ray’s solo tour at the Red Lion Folk Club in Kings Heath, Birmingham – thankfully only a short drive from Leicester.

Many folk legends have played here, including Paul Simon. Ray has played here many times and was made very welcome. The club has been in existence for over sixty years; Della and Chris have run it for over twenty; Rob Peters always produces a very clean sound.

The show began with the Cherrystones, a trio with guitar, tin whistle and bass, who play a mix of traditional tunes and self-penned songs.

Ray began with Even For A Shadow then the first whoop came when he sang Black Is The Colour / En Vacker Vän, singing both the English and the Swedish songs. Tonight, Ray sang A Line In The Sand, a piano song, which together with The Beast and Falling Like Thunder reflect on the modern age and appealed to the audience.

Now it’s a long drive to Barnoldswick in deepest West Yorkshire and the intimate basement room at the Music Centre.