From scaling the heights of Everest in 2007, the acclaimed singer/guitarist (son of folk legend Roy Harper), Nick Harper comes down to ground level for The Dig On Down UK Tour, kicking off on January 31 2008.
Covering the country from Penzance to Glasgow, Chester to Norwich, Newcastle to Brighton, Nick will be showcasing his Number 1 iTunes single Blue Sky Thinking alongside other tracks from his last album Miracles For Beginners.
One of the highlights for Nick will be fulfilling a long-held wish to play in the Williamson Tunnels at Edge Hill, Liverpool. Inspired by the story of the obscure 18th-century philanthropist Joseph Williamson who hired men returning from the Napoleonic wars to dig under Edge Hill, Nick subsequently utilised the theme in the title track of his 2006 album Treasure Island.
In October 2007, Nick was part of a team of musicians - including Glenn Tilbrook and Mike Peters of The Alarm - who, on October 21 2007, entered the Guinness Book of World Records by performing the highest ever gig in the world - at 18,500 ft at Base Camp, Mt Everest. Over £200,000 was raised by the trek (organised by the Love Hope Strength Foundation, a charitable cancer group co-founded by Peters) which will go to the only charitable cancer hospital in Nepal, situated at Bhaktapur.
Says Nick: "The experiences I had in Nepal will stay with me for the rest of my life. The trek for me personally was all about mum [his mother Monica succumbed to breast cancer in 2000] and paying tribute to her. The trek was hard, I was weary at the end of it, but was glad I chose to go. I have been lucky enough to have had quite a few unforgettable moments on a stage, and standing singing 'Imaginary Friend' at the second concert we did in Kathmandu has to be right up there. It was an incredible moment - indescribable feelings welled up in me, mostly sheer joy. The achievement, and the fulfillment of standing there in honour of my mum....it won't ever get better than that..will it?"
In September 2008, Nick will again work with the LHSF - this time in a trek to Machu Picchu, Peru, to raise further funds for local cancer hospitals.
JANUARY
Thu 31 Mr Kyps Poole 01202 748945
FEBRUARY
Fri 1 Boardwalk Sheffield 0114 279 9090
Sat 2 City Varieties Leeds 08456 441881
Sun 3 Academy 3 Manchester 0161 275 2930
Thu 7 The Musician Leicester 0116 283 5533
Fri 8 Trades Club Hebden Bridge 01422 845265
Sat 9 Williamson Tunnels Liverpool 0151 709 6868
Sun 10 The Citadel St. Helens 01744 735436
Mon 11 Telford's Warehouse Chester 01244 390090
Thu 14 The Cluny Newcastle 0191 2304474
Fri 15 ABC2 Glasgow 0870 4000 818
Sat 16 The Maze Nottingham 0115 947 5650
Fri 22 West End Centre Aldershot 01252 330040
Sat 23 100 Club London 0207 636 0933
Sun 24 Komedia Brighton 01273 647100
Thu 28 The Fleece Bristol 0117 945 0996
Fri 29 Hazlewood House Kingsbridge 01548 821232
MARCH
Sat 1 Acorn Theatre Penzance 01736 365520
Sun 2 Kino Exeter 01392 281000
Thu 6 The Stables Milton Keynes
Fri 7 The Brindley Runcorn 0151 907 8360
Sat 8 Abingdon Arts Festival Abingdon tba
Wed 12 Glee Club Birmingham 0870 241 5093
Fri 14 Norwich Arts Norwich 01603 660352
Sat 15 Headgate Theatre Colchester 01206 366000
Sun 16 The Junction Cambridge 01223 511 511
