Back in 2014 Craig Sutton aka The Flamenco Thief emailed me to ask if he could play a gig in our house. I had often spoken of having a “Music in the Kitchen” night, as often opened in the Ireland of not so long ago. So, I jumped at the chance. Craig had met our son at a house gig in Leiden, Holland, and Tom passed on our details for his Irish tour. It turned out to be a great night, Craig played in our sitting room and the house was jointed. Empty bottles of wine everywhere the next day!
Earlier this year Craig emailed to say he would be in Ireland again this April and could I organise a Kinsale gig. We decided against another house gig as our new neighbours have young children but Simon at Prim’s Bookshop on Main Street was keen. We fixed the gig for a Sunday afternoon as Craig had another performance booked for Killarney at 7. I emailed friends and posted on Facebook and we managed to drum up a nice, appreciative crowd.
I sat at the front so I could watch closely, he is a phenomenal player. There are strong flamenco elements, but very much with his own twist. He uses pedals to record and re-play loops and then plays over and with these. There was a lovely piece inspired by his trip to Brazil and specifically the Rio carnival. Craig has travelled all over Europe and beyond, playing in bars, shops and houses. He is living the life of the itinerant musician but all the time learning from the places he visits and honing his skills. Check out the links below for a flavour of his work:
Craig Sutton, the Flamenco Thief, plays Spanish acoustic guitar with a loop pedal to blend modern rhythms with time-honored Flamenco techniques.
Western, Eastern and African rhythms has allowed him to connect and build long lasting friendships with people all over the world.He has entertained crowds in Turkish parks, German kitchens, Serbian living rooms, Dutch hospitals, French chapels and so many more wonderfully unique locations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CUpKfL5nnk
“The music is a blend of upbeat, danceable Gypsy-swing guitar blended with Rumba and Balkan-beats using Flamenco techniques.”
Recent performance highlights: Glastonbury (Back Stage West Holts Bar) | Farmfestival | Bath International Music Festival | Boomtown | Lestailleurs Festival (BE) | Zorofest (DE)
On the Move 