Half Moon presents:

Chris Helme (Seahorses)

Chris Helme + Rosie Smith

Half Moon - Putney, London

£15 Adv / £17 Door
Entry Requirements: 18+ after 7pm

Rising to fame in the 1990s as frontman of indie band The Seahorses singer-songwriter Chris Helme is now producing acclaimed folk-infused tracks as a solo artist, including with a new album readying for release in Spring 2023.

His enviable back catalogue includes Britpop classics such as ‘Love is the Law’ and ‘Blinded by the Sun’ from his time with John Squires’ post-Stone Roses band, The Seahorses. But beyond these well-loved indie hits Helme has matured into a songwriter of regard for noir-tinged folk gems blistering with emotion.

Previous album, 2012’s The Rookery - produced by Sam Forrest (Nine Black Alps, Sewage Farm) - drew critical praise on release with Uncut describing it as, “echoing the fragility of Gram Parsons, while flirting with the rustic side of Neil Young” and his latest work is set for a similar reception.

His long-awaited forthcoming album builds on this tone, with a number of ‘70s folk and song writing touch points across his works - Tim Buckley, Van Morrison, and Jackson Browne - it is the melody and imagination as much as the intricate guitar interplay and orchestration, which leads to lush, blossoming climaxes to hold audiences spellbound. Lyrically Helme has a knack for mixing light and dark and for poetic description which remains relatable to resonate deeply, his matured vocal uncovering new feeling in whichever track he turns his attention to.

From rousing sing-a-longs of Britpop classics to underrated indie-folk gems Chris Helme is among the finest singer-songwriters on the circuit today and the release of long-awaited new material should only confirm his reputation and give audiences fresh favourites to enjoy alongside his indie classics.

Support comes from Rosie Smith

Line Up

25 years on from the release of The Seahorses’ seminal album Do It Yourself, acclaimed vocalist Chris Helme will revisit the iconic record with a series of one-off acoustic performances across the UK throughout 2022.

Formed by Stone Roses’ guitarist John Squire, the English alternative rock band released their first and only album in 1997 to an outpouring of adoration from fans at home and around the world.

The album reached number 1 and number 2 in the Scottish and UK album charts respectively, made the top 40 in countries including New Zealand and Sweden, and defined a moment in time for hundreds of thousands of people.

The album’s success quickly led to a string of high-profile shows including tours with Oasis, U2 and The Rolling Stones and a spectacular performance at Glastonbury. The Seahorses were regular contributors to some of the most coveted Friday night TV slots going, with unforgettable appearances on Top of the Pops, Jools Holland and TFI Friday. It wasn’t long before Do It Yourself went platinum, selling 300,000 copies in the UK alone.

The Seahorses never released another album and ever since Do It Yourself connected with the British public in the 90s, this debut record has continued to mean so much to so many.

This year, Chris is set to take audiences back to 1997 and the era of Brit-pop classics as he performs the impactful album from start to finish, in a way rarely heard before.

Watch as Chris lovingly brings the memorable album’s cherished tracks back to life, including Love is the Law – which reached number 3 in the UK and number 1 in the Scottish singles charts and has racked up more than 8.2 million streams on Spotify –, and Love Me and Leave Me, which was Liam Gallagher's first ever songwriting credit.

Chris, one of the finest singer-songwriters on the circuit today, has gone on to enjoy an established solo career. His “dreamy but driven indie folk” (Q Magazine) and blistering voice, which continues to stop audiences in their tracks, has garnered ongoing critical acclaim and he is readying a new solo album for release in 2023.

Join Chris Helme as he marks the 25th anniversary of Do It Yourself with acoustic performances of this iconic album for the very first time at much-loved venues across the UK.

Multi-talented Southampton-born Rosie Smith moved to Glastonbury ,Somerset with her family when she was ten following the offer of a sports scholarship at Millfield School. Now at 22, Rosie is releasing her first album and is already busy compiling material for her second. This first album is pure Rosie Smith, likening the pull of emotions to the power of waves, rain and water. She describes this album as a kind of self-help guide for struggling young adults, covering love, friendship, upheaval and grief, the lyrics conjuring accessible metaphors from nature to describe each experience. The songs are both personal and universal, inspired by people watching, traditional storytelling and her own life experiences. Rosie’s life so far has been peripatetic and unsettled, involving not just the sudden death of a beloved mentor, but 13 house moves and a difficult time at school. Undaunted, she has packaged her responses to this bumpy ride into a sophisticated, mature and complex suite of songs which belie her relative youth. Now, supported by her guitarist, Rosie has recently completed her first live tour with Lawson, playing at venues nationwide as well as to a packed O2 London. The tour was a huge success, and another series of dates are in the offing for 2022.

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