About this event
Singer and composer Joe Yorke, originally from Northwest England, became captivated by punk, folk, and reggae during his early teens. After mastering various songs on the guitar, he became a familiar sight on the streets of Wigan and Manchester, busking his favorite tracks. A visit to the Notting Hill Carnival in 2006 introduced him to British sound system culture -an experience that immediately inspired him to become part of the movement. In his late teens, he moved to Moss Side, Manchester, where he fully immersed himself in the thriving local dub and reggae scene. He played with the group Black Star Dub Collective and took part in weekly jam sessions—an ideal training ground and meeting spot for talented musicians within the local reggae community. By combining live music with sound system culture, Joe Yorke embraces the full spectrum of the reggae scene. In recent years, the the young thirty something has made waves in the international reggae world with breathtaking live performances and a string of singles, EPs, and albums that have found their way into both record crates and the hearts of roots and soul music lovers. Through collaborations with acts such as Stand High Patrol, L’Entourloop, Gentleman's Dub Club, and O. B. F., as well as major festival appearances and tracks played by sound systems worldwide, this newly adopted Bristolian has won over audiences with his roots, rocksteady, and dub sound. At the same time, he draws heavily on the many other influences that shape his unique musical identity. His first two albums (released in 2022–2023) were rooted in UK dub, UK roots, and rocksteady, but were soon followed by the soul-infused Hopeless—the first release on his own label, Rhythm Steady. The subsequent invitation to perform at Les Transmusicales de Rennes not only introduced him to a wider audience but also confirmed his open-minded approach to music production. Soul, disco, Northern soul, new wave, dub techno, musique concrète, post-punk: Joe Yorke experiments and composes drawing from a wide range of influences. His latest offering, Shallow Fantasies, to be released this autumn as an album with a distinctly Britishidentity, threaded through with echoes of 60s pop and the Manchester scene of the 80s, drawing inspiration from post-punk, new wave and shadowy guitar music. Be prepared for a full submersion in the UK dubsystem culture guided by the golden voice of Joe Yorke.
Media
