TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Just been announced on their FB page that Dream In Colours have cancelled their tour next year due to unforeseen circumstances.

Hmmm.  I hope Steve, and everybody else, are alright....

Wonder what has gone wrong… hope all ok.

This makes it sound like "Dream In Colours" is no more, especially when referencing "future projects" rather than "future tours".

I wonder if it is related to Johnny Kalsi leaving the Afro-Celts in any way?

I was thinking the same, hope all is ok.

Cancelling the tour nearly 6 months out certainly suggests business/contractual issues. And the weird way the statement is worded gives the impression that they've disbanded. If they have, I guess we'll find out sooner rather than later.

Weirdly worded statements seem to be following JK around at the moment...

That’s a real shame; they were fantastic at Abbotsbury, and would have only got better and better. Hope they are all ok

For closure really.  Chatted to  Steve Knightley  yesterday and as has been speculated , the hiatus is down to Johnny and Afro-Celts split.  He didn't view it as terminal for DiC , just that Johnny is focussed on paying the bills (my words not Steve's) . fingers crossed.

On 1st April, Steve Knighley announced:  After the success of my Winter Yards solo tour, I’m excited to launch a brand-new four-piece band for autumn 2025! I’ll be hitting the road with guitar virtuoso David Delarre, master percussionist Evan Carson, and double bass expert John Parker. Together, we’re creating a high-energy, immersive version of Winter Yards that I can’t wait to share with you. This new lineup takes the music to another level, and I’m proud to be pushing the boundaries of the folk scene once again.

His list of tour dates is as long as your arm ... Phil Beer too is very busy touring.  Despite Show of Hands packing it in because they "decided to prioritise their well-being above the demands of the road" they seem to be busier than ever.  Don't understand it and I find it all rather sad really.  

From what I’ve seen, heard and read, Steve and Phil are still friends and the ‘split’ was amicable. Maybe they both wanted to try something different outside the framework of Show of Hands.

yes, but i dont get why they didnt say that then instead of saying they "decided to prioritise their well-being above the demands of the road" when they clearly are both back on that demanding road? Anyway it will be interesting to see what emerges from this new four piece.

I'm not sure how accurate that is, no matter who was saying it. A lot of smoothing over has gone on, I reckon, based on what I was originally told by someone close to them.

I wouldn't worry too much, there's brass in reunions. While Steve & Phil are still willing and able, I can't see them absolutely never doing Show Of Hands ever again...

They both stated that they had their own projects they wanted to do and that there just wasn't enough time to devote to those while also keeping SoH going as a regular touring concern. Remember, they never said that SoH was folding forever, just that they weren't going to be touring any more for the foreseeable. I guess Andy is suggesting that that was just a cover story and there had actually been some level of falling-out, but that wouldn't be a huge surprise after so long touring together pretty much every year. They seem to have remained perfectly friendly towards each other.

And let's be honest, giving the impression that it was a final farewell tour will have been useful for getting tickets sold at a time when even the previously-reliable folk audiences have become flakey.

As has been said, there's money in reunions, so they'll always have that in their back pockets while they're still physically able to perform.

I saw a FB reel from Phil on Fri (pre-Ashley gig) where he said he was going out for a meal with Mr Knightly, so I don't think we should overthink things for them...

I was at a Track Dogs gig in Portsmouth yesterday (and very good it was too!).
They happened to mention that at the forthcoming gig in Exmouth they will be joined by Steve and Phil and will be recreating some of their “Dog Show Sessions” collaboration, so it does look as though a reunion is not out of the question.