Greg Freeman, Vermont-based folk artist, recently travelled across the pond to perform his first ever shows in London, with a headline performance at SJQ in Dalston followed by an intimate in-store show at Rough Trade. Whilst he was here, Greg took in the sights of the Big Smoke and shared some of his favourite memories with us below.
1) The Islington Tunnel. My friend Steve pointed it out to me as we walked along the Thames. It takes the whole canal about half a mile right underneath the city.
2) The inside of the Troubadour in Earls Court. I was on a long walk through West London on my day off and passed the little coffee house. Charlie Watts used to drum there I read. Dylan hung out there in the early 60’s. I got some tea.
3) A Samuel Smith pub I went to after my Rough Trade West show. They have these tiny/miniature doors inside the pub that you have to duck underneath to get into the various sitting areas. I read that the little doors were made in the 20’s as some kind of tax loophole. Dont really understand it though…
4) English breakfast I got every morning. It was okay!
5) Sat on this bench for about 30 minutes in Islington, thinking about who Rasit Rasit might have been. I bet he had a fabulous sitting career.
Greg’s debut album, I Looked Out, garnered critical acclaim following its release and, as a sign of its success, was re-released earlier this month. Listen here.
Originally released in 2022, ‘I Looked Out’ received praise from all corners. Citing Richard Thompson and Elvis Costello as key influences and with a fascination of folk traditions and stories, both from the US and UK, Freeman’s music merges Americana and quintessentially British songwriting traditions.Â
