Richard Hawley

We’re delighted to welcome Richard Hawley to the closing weekend of CQAF. 2019 has been a landmark year for Richard with his ninth studio album, Further, slamming into the UK album charts at No.3 in the same year he celebrates his twentieth anniversary as a solo artist.

In the two decades that have elapsed since Hawley jettisoned band life, first with The Longpigs and then as Pulp’s guitarist, the 52-year-old songwriter has forged one of the most singular and diverse careers in modern music.

His ability to cut across styles, time and, in some instances, place, is down to Hawley’s deep and intuitive understanding of music itself, his grounding stemming back to his childhood when his father, a musician himself, introduced Richard to country, blues and rock’n’roll.

Talk to him about his blues heroes, and he is likely to list Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters, Arthur ‘Big Boy’ Crudup (“the master!”) and Freddie King as personal favourites.

At heart, though, Hawley remains in love with rock’n’roll in its purest form and he sports the quiff to prove it. “People often ask me why I still have a quiff. I always tell them it’s because I still can,” he deadpans.

His appearance in Belfast promises to be a special show from a musician that has a knack for creating poignant and powerful songs like Tonight the Streets are Ours and The Ocean.