Noah and the Whale bassist Matt Owens to play Birmingham
Matt Owens is bringing his solo tour to Birmingham in March.
The musician, also known by the nickname Urby Whale, was the bassist in popular London-based band Noah And The Whale in the 00s, and will be bringing tracks from his upcoming solo record Whiskey & Orchids to the Kitchen Garden Café on York Road on March 7.
Owens, co-founder of Noah And The Whale, was born in Hammersmith, London and grew up in Twickenham. He remembers: "I wasn't allowed a guitar until I was 11, in hindsight very sensible. On digging up a guitar from the 60s, from out the loft, I played on it for about six hours a day 'til I broke it at 12. We formed our first band the Nuclear Toads around this time. From that point on I was forever in at least two bands throughout school."
After a disastrous time at Bristol University, Owens was asked to help out musical brothers Charlie and Doug Fink, and the rest is history.
"Charlie and Doug had supported Hunting Dodo as a duo under the moniker Noah and the Whale and I got asked to join on violin. This then spread to keyboards, guitar, glockenspiel, and harmonium, before finally settling on bass.
"I loved my time with Noah and the Whale. I couldn't have had a better time. Any misgivings about missed opportunities and things we turned down are pale in comparison to the time that was had. The only thing I desperately miss now is touring the States."
"My approach to music is as soon as I'm not getting better at it or enjoying it I will stop.What still holds me is that it has actually nothing to do with the chords or the melody or the lyrics, just how it floors you. This drives me on.”
And fans can hear his solo material at the Kitchen Garden Café gig, alongside Alex Lipinski. Tickets, priced at £8 in advance, are available here.
