The David Ford Songbook
David Ford is one of Britain’s most quietly revered songwriters — a craftsman of bruised, unguarded storytelling whose work has earned cult devotion, critical acclaim, and a reputation for live performances that feel less like concerts and more like confessions set to music.
Ford first came to prominence as the frontman of the indie trio Easyworld, but it was his leap into a fiercely independent solo career that revealed the full force of his voice: raw, literate, political, tender, and unflinchingly human.
Ford’s debut album, "I Sincerely Apologise For All The Trouble I’ve Caused", arrived in 2005 like a quiet detonation — self‑recorded, emotionally fearless, and anchored by the now‑iconic “State of the Union.” as massive fan favourite. Critics hailed him as one of the UK’s most compelling new songwriters, and artists from KT Tunstall to Elvis Costello invited him on tour,
Now with a substantial album catalogue, onstage, Ford is a one‑man orchestra. Armed with loop pedals, battered instruments, and a restless creative energy, he builds songs in real time, shifting from delicate whispers to explosive crescendos. His performances at festivals like Latitude, Bonnaroo, and Austin City Limits have cemented his reputation as a live act of rare emotional power.
"Unmissable" ***** The Guardian
"One of Britain's best." ***** The Times
"Puts everything into every word." The LA Times
"David Ford is the eternal thrill of a young man going way too far and pulling it off." Word Magazine
Age 14+ (under 14s must be accompanied by an adult
We live in an antiseptic musical era, devoid of passion and soul. David Ford brings these indefinable qualities in abundance to every show he performs.
Sometimes gut-wrenching, often heart-stopping, occasionally provocative and regularly hauntingly beautiful, Ford’s performances and his songs connect with an audience like few artists active today.
Whether fronting a band or alchemizing a wall of sound using only a loop pedal and a bucketload of talent, David Ford can cast a spell on a roomful of strangers. Without resorting to tired rock cliché or schlocky sentimentality, Ford creates concert experiences that sear themselves into the memories of all present.
Having educated himself via legendary showmen such as Tom Waits and Bruce Springsteen, and possessing an ear for a tune that rivals Paul McCartney, Ford has carved out his own, idiosyncratic musical path and stuck to it tenaciously. He’s been rewarded by an ardent army of converts who return show after show, often enticing newcomers with the promise, “You’re not going to believe this...” From screaming down the house as regular showstopper State Of The Union reaches its crescendo to almost whispering lament of love and loss like I Don’t Care What You Call Me and The Way The Heart Breaks, Ford is a brave and audacious performer.
For anybody craving the exhilaration of witnessing an authentic entertainer pouring himself into finely-crafted songs of love, disgust and everything in between, an evening in the company of David Ford cannot fail to make the heart pump faster.