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Martin Stephenson and the Daintees

Martin Stephenson and the Daintees

Genre: Rock / Folk / Pop Band

Location: Durham, County Durham

13 gigs listed (see below)

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About Martin Stephenson and the Daintees

Inspired by early Cure and the Brighton scene, Martin began his career as a busker aged 15 . He then spent three years plying his trade as the guitar player in various bands in the North East of England . But Martin wanted more, he wanted to tell stories of his own and he was quickly developing ways of doing just that.

He developed his song-writing technique by firstly learning a few licks from a Spanish guitar book and repeated the process with Jazz, Blues, Country, Skiffle, Reggae etc. Eventually, this glorious collision of styles would become the trademark which Martin has carried through his career of almost 40 years.

Martin formed his band The Daintees, who became a busking sensation and were signed by Kitchenware at around the same time as Prefab Sprout and Hurrah! The band and indeed Martin have always been known for their incredible range of styles, each album covering a multitude of genres, tempos and moods.

In the early days of The Daintees, the band toured with the likes of Aztec Camera and The Bluebells. In 1985 , they became Roy Buchannan’s backing band on a month long tour of Europe and the following year joined John Martyn on his ‘Piece by Piece ‘tour. As a solo artist , Martin also toured around this time with such artists as Hothouse flowers and Janice Ian.

The Daintees released four albums between 1986 and 1992:

Boat to Bolivia was produced by Gil Norton (Pixies/Gomez/James)

In a review of ‘Bolivia’ at the time , the NME said ‘ it builds bridges between love and hate, between cradle and grave, between folk and pop, between past and present.’

Incudes ‘Rain’, ‘Crocodile Cryer ‘and ‘Running Water’

Gladsome Humour and Blue was produced by Paul Samwell Smith (Cat Stevens, All About Eve, Carly Simon)

Includes the hit ‘Wholly Humble Heart ‘, ‘Nancy’ and ‘There Comes a Time’

Salutation Road was produced by Pete Andersosn (Dwight Yoakam, Michelle Shocked)

Includes ‘Morning Time’ , and ‘Left Us To Burn’

The Boys Heart was produced by Lenny Kaye (Suzanne Vega, James)

Includes ‘ Big sky new Light ‘ and ‘We Can Roll’



Disenchanted at the way the industry was moving and following the band’s break up shortly after The Boys Heart , Martin distanced himself from the main stream music industry and relocated to the Scottish highlands in order to recharge and re-evaluate.

Then followed a number of years in which Martin supported himself through a combination of extensive live work and a multitude of self financed solo albums.

2000 saw the reformation of the Daintees, to this day Martin splits his time between solo and small collaborative projects with band albums and annual celebratory Daintees UK tours.

A few years ago, Martin fought and won a battle to take back control of his catalogue and now owns all the copyright to his vast back catalogue, including the songs on the first four major Daintees albums .

In 2014, Nutella licenced Martin’s song ‘ Morning Time ‘ from Salutation Road as part of a successful TV campaign in Australia . The money this sync generated for both Martin and EMI, prompted the latter to refuse to relinquish recording rights back to Martin. Given that EMI had done nothing to promote Martin and his music for many years, Martin decided to re-record the first four major Daintees albums , in order to take back some control in this regard too……. And what stunning results ensued . It’s taken a while but all four have now been rerecorded to an extremely high standard, using mainly original Daintees members and it has to be said, in all cases actually improving on the original versions.

Daintees albums and solo recordings alike are met with eager anticipation by Martin’s loyal fanbase, who often pre-order projects ahead even of their recording to ensure they see the light of day.

In 2019, Billy Connolly paid a visit to Martin’s home which was filmed as part of Billy’s Made in Scotland BBC TV programme, in which , Connolly warmly described Martin as his kind of musician and songwriter and the song ‘ Rain ‘ from Boat to Bolivia was heavily featured .

Martin has hundreds of songs which are crying out to be used in tv and film projects, he is a truly independent artist free of any ties or management which makes dealing with him both enjoyable and straightforward.

The range of material is breathtaking , the best thing to do is see / hear for yourself

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Links

daintees.co.uk

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Appearing at...
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Fri 6th Nov 26 19:30

The Chester Tavern

Kidderminster, Worcestershire

Venue Type : Pub

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Thu 4th Mar 27 19:00- 22:00

Wylam Brewery

Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear

Venue Type : Brewery

Wylam Brewery, set within Newcastle's historic Palace of Arts, offers a distinctive industrial-chic backdrop for events. It combines on-site brewing with a vibrant cultural programme, making it a unique destination for live music, food festivals, and social gatherings.

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Fri 5th Mar 27 19:00- 22:00

Saint Luke's and the Winged Ox

Glasgow, Renfrewshire

Venue Type : Bar & Kitchen

The Winged Ox bar & kitchen at St Luke’s is open 7 days a week and serves an eclectic range of food for the soul.

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Sun 7th Mar 27 19:00- 23:00

The Lemon Tree

Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire

Venue Type : Performing Arts Theatre

The Lemon Tree’s artistic programme celebrates the new, up and coming, experimental and alternative in music, theatre, dance, performance art, comedy, spoken word and creative learning.

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Wed 17th Mar 27 19:00- 23:00

The Blues Kitchen

Manchester, Greater Manchester

Venue Type : Bar and Restaurant

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Thu 18th Mar 27 19:00- 23:00

Cavern Club

Liverpool, Merseyside

Venue Type : Live Music Venue

THE CAVERN CLUB IS THE CRADLE OF BRITISH POP MUSIC, THE PLACE WHERE THE BEATLES MUSICAL IDENTITY WAS FORMED.

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Sat 20th Mar 27 19:00

Masham Town Hall

Masham, North Yorkshire

Venue Type : Town Hall

Masham Town Hall is an imposing, Grade II listed stone building built in 1912 and opened in May 1913. Set up by a legacy from the 2nd Lord Masham, the Town Hall is at the heart of the busy, beautiful ansd historic market town of Masham in the Yorkshire Dales.

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Sat 27th Mar 27 19:00- 23:00

The Limelight 2

Belfast, Antrim

Venue Type : Live Music Venue

A vital Belfast music venue, The Limelight 2 offers an intimate setting for diverse live performances and club nights. Its historic wooden interiors and energetic atmosphere define its place in the city's cultural scene.

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Fri 2nd Apr 27 19:00- 22:00

Metronome

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

Venue Type : Live Music Venue

Nottingham's purpose-built Metronome offers a state-of-the-art platform for music, comedy, and spoken word in the Creative Quarter. This accessible venue delivers a diverse programme, from intimate shows to high-energy events, fostering local talent and attracting national acts.

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Sat 3rd Apr 27 19:00- 22:00

Thekla

Bristol, Bristol

Venue Type : Music Venue & Nightclub

Thekla is an award-winning live music venue and club space, on board a converted German cargo ship, moored in Bristol Harbour since 1984.

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Sun 4th Apr 27 19:00- 23:00

Hare and Hounds

Birmingham, West Midlands

Venue Type : Music Venue

Situated in the South Birmingham suburb of Kings Heath, the Hare & Hounds has been around since 1820, but has stood in its present form since 1907. This is a major contributing factor to its current Grade II listed status, along with the beautiful and unique Art Nouveau tiles that line the entry hall and staircase.

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Sun 4th Apr 27 19:00

Hare and Hounds 2

Birmingham, West Midlands

Venue Type : Music Venue

Situated in the South Birmingham suburb of Kings Heath, the Hare & Hounds has been around since 1820, but has stood in its present form since 1907. This is a major contributing factor to its current Grade II listed status, along with the beautiful and unique Art Nouveau tiles that line the entry hall and staircase.

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Fri 9th Apr 27 19:00- 22:00

The Adrian Flux Waterfront

Norwich, Norfolk

Venue Type : Nightclub & Music Venue

The Waterfront is a live music venue and nightclub situated in King Street, on the bank of the River Wensum, close to Norwich City Centre, the Riverside complex and the train station.

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Sat 10th Apr 27 19:00- 22:00

Glassbox Theatre

Gillingham, Kent

Venue Type : Theatre

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Sun 11th Apr 27 19:00- 22:00

Colchester Arts Centre

Colchester, Essex

Venue Type : Arts Center

Housed in the old St. Mary's Church this arts centre promotes a very wide range of productions.

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Thu 15th Apr 27 19:00- 22:00

The Globe

Cardiff, Cardiff

Venue Type : Nightclub & Music Venue

Originally a fully operational cinema, The Globe is a much loved hub of live music/DJ's in Cardiff

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Thu 15th Apr 27 19:00

Colchester Arts Centre

Colchester, Essex

Venue Type : Arts Center

Housed in the old St. Mary's Church this arts centre promotes a very wide range of productions.

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Fri 16th Apr 27 19:00- 22:00

Union Chapel

Islington, Greater London

Venue Type : Independent Venue | Church | Homelessness Project

Inspiring Space, Inspiring Lives

Union Chapel is an award winning music venue in Islington, North London. But it’s more than that, it’s Victorian Gothic architectural jewel, that’s still a working church, home to an incredible organ and the base for The Margins Project which works with people facing homelessness and isolation.

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Fri 16th Apr 27 19:00

Union Chapel

Islington, Greater London

Venue Type : Independent Venue | Church | Homelessness Project

Inspiring Space, Inspiring Lives

Union Chapel is an award winning music venue in Islington, North London. But it’s more than that, it’s Victorian Gothic architectural jewel, that’s still a working church, home to an incredible organ and the base for The Margins Project which works with people facing homelessness and isolation.

Prices & More Details

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Sat 17th Apr 27 19:00- 22:00

Dust

Brighton, East Sussex

Venue Type : Nightclub

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Sat 17th Apr 27 19:00

Zahara

Brighton, East Sussex

Venue Type : Cocktail Bar and Nightclub

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Past Gigs

Click on a gig to read reviews, and maybe leave one.

The Assembly Rooms, Leamington

Leamington Spa

Sat 29th Nov 25

The Globe

Cardiff

Fri 28th Nov 25

Bedford Esquires

Bedford

Wed 26th Nov 25

Limelight 2

Belfast

Sat 22nd Nov 25

229 London

London

Sat 15th Nov 25

Rescue Rooms

Nottingham

Fri 14th Nov 25

Slay

Glasgow

Fri 7th Nov 25

La Belle Angele

Edinburgh

Thu 6th Nov 25

Wylam Brewery

Newcastle Upon Tyne

Wed 5th Nov 25

Thekla

Bristol

Sun 26th Oct 25

Cavern Club

Liverpool

Thu 16th Oct 25

The Crossing

Birmingham

Fri 3rd Oct 25