Top British Band Retires at Tønder Festival

"A Long Long Goodbye" is what Oysterband are calling their farewell tour. Fitting, since the renowned British folk rock band are to spend this year and next on a concert tour round the world. Denmark will not be neglected; in fact, Oysterband close their travelling career with a major show at Tønder Festival 2025. Some of you may recall their sparkling Tønder debut 36 years ago - in 1989. Now they will play their last concert ever at the festival that was key in promoting Oysterband in Denmark.

Danish Star with Band

Rikke Thomsen is coming with her band, and that will be a big event. The popular songwriter has popularised the south Jutland dialect,and won her spurs as a musician of high carat.

Three New Contenders from USA

Our audiences have other treats in store: three lots of exciting American musicians. Songwriter, singer and bass player Melissa Carper delivers an extrovert mix of old-time, country, blues and western swing. Fantastic Negrito has updated the blues and R&B, and already won no fewer than three Grammies in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category. The non-binary singer Adeem The Artist gives country music new tales and a fresh expression.

THE MUSICIANS:

Oysterband (UK)

A long farewell. After 45 years on the road, British Oysterband take their leave of their many fans. In 2024 and 2025 the noted folk rock band go on a final, massive world tour which they have suitably called "A Long, Long Goodbye". This culminates in a concert at Tønder Festival 2025. It makes sense, for Oysterband have a long-lasting, warm relationship with Tønder's festival audience. It's reciprocated: Oysterband have played here many times and accumulated a huge number of devotees in Denmark. The first time they played at Tønder Festival was in 1989. Back then the name was The Oyster Band, swapped in 1990 for Oysterband. Today, Oysterband are an institution in British folk rock. They have released 29 studio and live albums, won five BBC Folk Awards and toured the world. Some of their awards they won for their 2012 album Ragged Kingdom, with singer June Tabor. Oysterband are the three original members, John Jones, vocal and melodeon; Alan Prosser, guitar and vocal, and Ian Telfer, violin, keyboard and vocal. Joining them are Dil Davies, drums; Al Scott, bass, mandolin and vocal, and Adrian Oxaal, cello, guitar and vocal. Their only Danish festival in 2025. www.oysterband.co.uk

Rikke Thomsen (DK)

Rikke Thomsen's South Jutland dialect songs have made a big impression on people, as has her warm humour. She grew up in the village of Blans in South Jutland, and her local roots are

a fundamental part of her songs and stories. Naturally, she has appeared at Tønder Festival before, most recently at the 50th anniversary concert this year. Back in 2022, her memorable solo concert in Tent 1 established this songstress as a serious communicator with a facility for reaching an audience right to the back rows. Rikke Thomsen first made her mark in 2019 with the EP Omve’n Hjemve (Homesick Cure) which was well reviewed and won the distinguished Mother Tongue award. In 2021 the album Opland (Back Country), containing the song Ballebrovej 2, (Rikke's home address), garnered more good reviews and three music magazine Gaffa prizes. The latest album is Makværk (Mess) from autumn 2023. Here and at her concerts with her band, Rikke Thomsen proves herself not only a gifted songsmith, but also a fine guitarist with a weakness for rock music. In the winter and spring of 2025, Rikke Thomsen will be out with Niels Hausgaard on his annual three-month tour of the country. At Tønder Festival 2025, Rikke Thomsen will perform with her band. www.rikkethomsen.dk

Melissa Carper (USA)

It's a lively affair when songwriter, singer and bassist Melissa Carper pumps out her version of authentic American roots music, elegantly and effortlesssly fusing old-time, country, blues and western swing in a contemporary setting. This is new music from Nashville, with a dutiful salute to the old leaders, Hank Williams, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline and Jimmie Rodgers. Mellissa Carper grew up in Nebraska, in a home full of music. She took up the bass and played in the family band. Later, the music took over, she moved to Austin, Texas, and later to Nashville. Her career really took off with her second solo album Ramblin’ Soul, in 2022. The album was well received and appeared on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 25 best country and americana albums of 2022. Her latest album Borned in Ya (2024), enlists some of Nashville's finest session musicians, among them multi-instrumentalist Chris Scruggs (yep, bluegrass legend Earl's grandchild). It was Chris who gave Melissa Carper the nickname Hillbillie Holiday, praising her ability to meld country and jazz singing. Melissa Carper appears with her band. Their only Danish festival in 2025. www.melissacarper.com

Fantastic Negrito (USA)

Blues, R&B and three Grammy Awards are in the mix when we present the fascinating American musician Fantastic Negrito. Born Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz, in 1968, into an orthodox Muslim family, he released his first album in 1996 under the name Xavier. A serious car crash in 1999 put his music career on hold, and it wasn't until 2014 that he came back with new music. Now the name was Fantastic Negrito and the album was called that, too. In 2015 he won the NPR, National Public Radio, American Tiny Desk Contest. He has subsequently won three Grammies in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category, most recently in 2021 with the album Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?, which came out in 2020. Rolling Stone magazine wrote about the album, "Modern electric blues the way Prince and George Clinton like it." Fantastic Negrito has been busy putting out music; his latest album is White Jesus Black Problems from 2022, fetching inspiration from his family history in Virginia in the 1750s, in a love story between a white woman and a black enslaved man. Fantastic Negrito appears with his band in their only Danish festival in 2025. www.fantasticnegrito.com

Adeem The Artist (USA)

Adeem the Artist, also known as Adeem Maria or Adeem Bingham, is an American songwriter and country musician. Adeem the Artist identifies as non-binary, using the pronouns they/them/theirs. Adeem the Artist was born in 1988 in North Carolina, moved to Syracuse, New York then to Knoxville, Tennessee. Adeem the Artist has released nine albums, four EPs and a number of singles. The first album, The Living Room Tapes, came out in 2011, and the latest, Anniversary is from 2024. In 2020, Adeem The Artist joined the Country Queer magazine as editor and columnist. Country Queer is an on-line magazine focusing on LGBTQ+ country and americana artists. The album White Trash Revelry from 2022 attracted a good deal of attention, with one critic writing that it dives deep into the culture of the US deep south, with its racism, religion and sexuality, as experienced by non-binary Adeem The Artist. Adeem The Artist will be accompanied by their band at their only Danish festival in 2025.

Tønder Festival 2025 – so far:
Elephant Sessions (SCO), Oysterband (ENG), Rikke Thomsen (DK), Melissa Carper (USA), Fantastic Negrito (USA), Adeem The Artist (USA).

Tønder Festival August 27, 28, 29, 30, 2025
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Tickets available at www.tf.dk