Joshua Burnell - Escape from Condor Keep - Skipton Town Hall

Like an intergalactic troubadour who crash-landed last century, Joshua Burnell makes retro chamber pop for the modern world. Fresh off the back of a UK tour including a growing number of sold out dates, Burnell is unleashing his second tour and album this year:Condor Keep & Other Stories.

Born in France, but raised on the move, including years in Linlithgow, Kendal and Yorkshire, the eclecticism of Joshuas influences mirrors this restless movement. There are shades of 70s rock, singer-songwriter folk and classical sophistication drawn together with a bookish edge. His music has been compared to The Decemberists, Al Stewart andThe Observer wrote: much of it would fit comfortably in a Peter Gabriel-era Genesis set. His show feels like poring over an anthology of otherworldly tales yet with the flamboyance and emotion of a stadium rock show.

Sensitive to the social challenges we all face in todays age, Joshua creates universes to offer both a temporary escape but also to reflect todays injustices through his characters and stories with the understanding that bringing people together is the remedy. The standing ovation he received atFairports Cropredy Convention amongst numerous festivals is testament that people are starting to connect with this relentlessly creative artist.

The Escape From Condor Keep Tour spans across the UK and Europe, with some dates already sold out - one of them (aptly) a medieval keep in the Netherlands. Having received the thumbs up fromBBC Radio 2s Mark Radcliffe, and backed by a stellar 5-piece band, Joshua Burnell is not one to miss.