Touchstone + Heather Findlay Duo
URL: http://theduchessyork.co.uk/whats-on/detail/859
"this album is so beautifully crafted...The City Sleeps is a wholly satisfying outing from one of our best new acts"
Holly Wright - The City Sleeps review in Classic Rock Presents Prog, Oct 2011
"For Touchstone, the Premier League of Prog surely beckons,"
Geoff Barton - The City Sleeps review in Classic Rock Magazine, Feb 2012 (rated 9/10)
"simultaneously gripping and epic...decent if not spectacular hard rock. Impressive."
Steve Beebee - The City Sleeps review in Kerrang! Magazine, Jan 2012 (rated 3/5 K!'s)
Rapidly rising effervescent British progressive / modern melodic metal rock five-piece Touchstone released their much anticipated third studio album, ‘The City Sleeps' on October 10 through an exclusive long term deal with SPV / Steamhammer. The album, which has garnered critical acclaim across UK and European press, went straight into the UK Top 40 Rock Charts at No. 36 week ending Sunday October 16 and was also included amongst the best albums of 2011 in the latest Classic Rock Magazine and Classic Rock Presents Prog Magazine Critic's Choice. ‘The City Sleeps' boasts select sweeping, classic ‘Touchstone Rock' trademark dynamic moving epics such as ‘The City Sleeps' and ‘When Shadows Fall', but also ventures into more melodic rock areas than before. Anna-Marie Wayne, actress and daughter of ‘War Of The Worlds' composer Jeff Wayne, adds her substantial voice-over talent to the title track.
Touchstone were formed in 2003 by keyboard player / vocalist Rob Cottingham and guitarist Adam Hodgson. In 2006 after the band's first warmly received ‘Mad Hatter's EP', incredible young vocalist Kim Seviour joined the band and they recorded their debut album ‘Discordant Dreams' with John Mitchell (Kino, It Bites, Arena, Frost*) mixing and Tim Turan (Motorhead, Marilyn Manson, Frost*) mastering the LP. After winning ‘Best New Band' at the Classic Rock Society Awards in 2008, the band toured with It Bites. Their second album ‘Wintercoast', featuring Oscar winning actor Jeremy Irons performing the prelude narration won them a series of prestigious appearances at such major American Festivals as the Rites of Spring in Philadelphia in Spring 2009 and CalProg in California in October 2009.
2010 saw the release of the live double album ‘Live In The USA', which received glowing reviews. Touchstone opened the first ever High Voltage Festival in London's Victoria Park in July 2010, prior to the likes of ELP, ZZ Top, and Black Label Society, whose main man Zakk Wylde commented, "Great set - you guys will never be 1st on again!"
The last year alone has seen the band headline the "Classic Rock Presents Prog - Progression 2.0 New Breed" tour, appear on the main stage at Poland's Seven Festival, complete a mini UK tour in October to support the new album and support prog stalwarts Arena on their only UK date of 2011.
"The vocal interplay between Kim and Robert is sublime, and certainly the centrepiece of the Touchstone Sound as well as its secret weapon...Not a single note is wasted with their tunes...These are the early days of one of the genre's future icons"
Andrew Haunt - Live in The USA Review in Powerplay, 2010 (rated 10/10)
"The quality of the songwriting always shines through...In fact, ‘Joker In The Pack' and ‘Strange Days' might just be the two best commercial-sounding prog tunes written in the last ten years. No Kidding."
Geoff Barton - Live In The USA Review in Classic Rock Magazine 2010 (rated 8/10)
"Touchstone's blend of prog, pomp and metal is absolutely delightful. In addition to owing a strong voice, Kim Seviour is a down-to-earth and likeable frontwoman..."
Dave Ling - Cambridge Rock festival review in Classic Rock Presents Prog, 2009.
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