Annie Dressner in Concert supported by Ed Blunt

Doors & Bar 7pm
Music 8pm

On her stunning new single ‘Black and White’, out 13th October 2023 via Dharma Records, NYC singer-songwriter Annie Dressner contemplates long-gone heartbreak and distant memories.

Songwriting stalwart Annie Dressner has been releasing music since her 2011 debut album Strangers Who Knew Each Other’s Names and, following her move to Cambridge, has become a regular name on the UK touring and festival circuit.

Demonstrating a knack for rich storytelling, mesmerizing melodies, and lyrics that cut straight to the heart, her new single ‘Black and White’ (out 13th October) showcases this flawlessly, containing a rich musicality to convey a wealth of history between two people, stirring up old feelings. With her life acting as a canvas on which to paint her experiences, Annie’s music resonates with an NYC flair to tell these stories.

Speaking on the track, Annie explains: “I wrote this song after an encounter with an ex that I had not seen in a decade. It was almost as if no time had passed. I always felt really sad that he would no longer be in my life as he meant a lot to me as a friend, and I often thought that ‘the thing that made me the saddest is I wanted to know you...’.

“I wrote this song as a reaction to our recent conversation, and I guess I didn’t know how to say it to their face in words, but I’ve said it here and I hope that if they ever hear it, they know I still care and mostly remember the good stuff.”

Born and bred in the heart of NYC, Annie picked up her family’s guitar for the very first time on the night of her high school graduation, and discovered a hidden passion that would change her life.

Inspired by icons like Simon & Garfunkel, Carly Simon, and Ben Kweller, she began crafting her own melodies, often humming her thoughts like a secret soundtrack to city life.

Annie's artistic odyssey led her to countless open mic nights in the bustling streets of New York, which became her training ground, cultivating not only her craft but also a vibrant community of fellow songwriters and musicians. She eventually played her debut solo show at legendary NYC venue The Bitter End in 2008, and thereafter began collaborating with the likes of David Ford (formerly of Easyworld), Polly Paulusma, and Matthew Caws (Nada Surf).

Her music over the years has been played on BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6Music, and has seen press support from titles such as American Songwriter, Paste Magazine, Folk Radio UK and AmericanaUK, while gaining a nomination for Female Artist of the Year from FATEA.

She has graced the stages of multiple UK festivals, including the Green Man Festival, Cambridge Folk Festival, Black Deer Festival, Secret Garden Party and Manchester Folk Festival. With hundreds of gigs under her belt, sharing stages with the likes of Echobelly, Emily Barker and Simone Felice, Annie will be heading out on tour around the UK, including a wealth of shows as support for The Trials of Cato and we can’t wait to welcome her to Village Concerts.

“Her words are intense and personal, contrasting with her understated, almost conversational, singing-style.” – AmericanaUK

Annie Dressner will be supported by the fabulous Ed Blunt…

Discovered by Squeeze’s Chris Difford on a lockdown zoom songwriting camp, Ed Blunt writes songs that blend his jazz piano background with an unfiltered lyricism, often compared to Randy Newman and Paul Simon.

His song-stories hold a mirror to the millennial experience— from swiping right for love in the digital age to arriving (fashionably) late to adulthood.

“A quiet genius.. his songs are wry and completely brilliant” Chris Difford (Squeeze)
“A unique ability to reframe universal truths in a way that really hits home” Brum Radio
“Immensely talented.. highly recommended” BBC Radio
“Powerful and atmospheric” The Folk Club