CANCELLED! Very sadly, as has become increasingly obvious in light of recent developments, I must cancel my upcoming tour to Sweden and Norway.

I would like to thank all the venues, promoters and followers in both countries for their patience and understanding at this time, it has been difficult for me to make this decision and I fear there are many more difficult decisions for me, like many others in the music and wider entertainment industry, to make in the days, weeks and months ahead.  Very fortunately and with even more gratitude extended to those involved, I have managed to rearrange the Sweden/Norway tour for Spring 2021 and the updated tour dates are now available here.

It does look increasingly likely that the Scottish dates I had planned in both Edinburgh and Islay will also require cancellation, and looking further ahead the April/May tour of Luxembourg, Germany and Switzerland also.  For my part, I shall continue to follow the instruction and advice of the relevant health authorities and will not travel or tour until it is permitted to do so.  Once I have news concerning any upcoming concert or tour over the following two months (and perhaps, thereafter) I shall be sure to let you know here and on Facebook.

I look forward to hopefully meeting you all once this horrendous crisis is over, please do have a browse in my shop here during the many long hours in confinement ahead, although nothing can or will replace the loss of my livelihood for the foreseeable future, every little helps, believe me.

Until then, stay safe and healthy, folks, and I hope to see you all on the road somewhere once they reopen.

SK x

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Hello All,

My last tour was awash with adventure, and that’s saying something as I draw near to completing eight years of full-time musicianship on the road!

My first visit to Serbia was particularly inspiring, I was based in Nis, the third city of Serbia and the largest settlement in the south of the country. I was hosted by talented filmmaker Milos Itic, of whose work you can see more here, and the fruits of our collaborative music video will be released in due course.

I’m currently enjoying a couple of weeks at home and am hard at work in the studio. My parts for the upcoming album are mostly finished and I’m looking forward to welcoming Robbie Greig into the studio next week. It is intended to have all the music recorded by the end of April such that the album can be ready for the summer. My hectic summer schedule means that it will no doubt arrive when I’m on the continent, but I’ll make allowances to have it delivered to me wherever I am as soon as I can, fear not!

The next tour shall see me perform for the first ever time in Italy, about which I’m very excited – Forza Italia – :-). Wonderful times, as an artist who spends a lot of time on the road it’s so important to visit new territories and build on the bank of experience from which you come to draw on in the writing process.

Finally, thanks again for your support with regards to ‘Onwards She Travels’, it has more than justified my decision to pursue this side of my music. I shall be touring a solely instrumental guitar act based largely upon the album from May 2018 – anyone interested in booking this act, please contact me here. It’s ideal for house concerts!

More to follow next month, I promise, thanks again for reading, as always.

SK x

Alas, I have sinned, ladies and gentlemen, and confess that my updates to this blog have not been as frequent as they should – please hold me to my monthly update, pester me, berate me, ensure that I keep all of those interested in my music regularly posted.

As the title alludes, I have laid down the guitar tracks for the next album, and can enthusiastically comment that my new Taran Guitar is sounding excellent in the studio, I’m absolutely delighted with how it is responding to the very different demand of recording. Later this week, and into next week, I shall be laying down the vocal tracks, always a highlight, and following that I shall be reviewing everything before determining which tracks to take forward and what additional instrumentation will be required. I anticipate this release should be ready for the summer, but as ever this could depend slightly on both time and budget constraints.

The response to my guitar instrumental concept album ‘Onwards She Travels‘ has been fantastic, a huge thank you to each and every one of you who purchased a copy. It was released with more than a little trepidation, as the previous two instrumental releases were strictly limited edition only, but the positive response has more than justified the faith shown in me by Nexus 24 more of whose work you can see, by clicking the link. Rest assured, I will write more instrumental music in due course, but for now have to put my singer-songwriter hat back on!

The touring year is shaping up well with visits to Germany, Serbia (first time!), Ireland, Italy (first time!), Switzerland, Belgium, England, Poland, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Canada, France, The Netherlands, and of course Scotland to come! As always, there are often gaps in the schedule and if you or anyone you know may be interested in hosting a house concert upon a free date, please do not hesitate to contact me.

2019 may see me travel even further afield, more to follow as and when I receive confirmation.

Thanks for reading, as always.

SK x

I am proud and delighted to announce the arrival of my new instrumental guitar album ‘Onwards She Travels.’

This is now available to purchase here and at selected upcoming shows.

The text from the insert I include below:

‘Onwards She Travels’ is a love story told through the medium of instrumental guitar music.  The restless desire to travel beats within a young, beautiful woman and she leaves behind all the trappings of her previous existence in pursuit of new adventures.  Initially traumatised by her decision, her now estranged love sets out in earnest to find her, with no knowledge of where she is, guided only by his instincts and his intimate knowledge of her mind.  The long and fruitless search yields nothing, until at the point of conceding defeat in his quest, he finally finds her, and after long and heartfelt discussion they agree to continue their journey together, reunited and as one again.

How, where and when this happens is for you, the listener, to decide, using the music to set the soundscape whilst your imagination sets the landscape.

Simon Kempston, 2017.

See you soon on the road, I hope, and thanks in advance for reading.

SK x

This is just a short note to thank Maurice Golden MSP for recommending my video ‘A City Beautiful’ to the Scottish Parliament in his speech backing Dundee’s bid to be the European City of Culture in 2023.

This is the one – here, edited and filmed by Simon P Biggs.

More soon….

SK x

Hello All,

Blog readers, thank you for bearing with me as I continually break my monthly promise to update you on all my latest activities. I shall not attempt to make any further promises as this will only lead to more disappointment on both my and your part.

The long-awaited guitar instrumental album ‘Onwards She Travels’ has been mastered, and the artwork is currently in development. I anticipate that this shall be ready at the earliest for my Canadian tour, and if not then in October. Unlike the previous guitar instrumental albums ‘Estranged’ and ‘The Loss of an Unknown’, this shall be receiving a full release, I’m now hoping that there is sufficient demand out there to justify the ambition I’ve shown for this oeuvre of my work!

For a guitarist, the search for a new instrument can often be a fruitless one. Especially once you have spent years developing your own style and approach to the instrument. On a return from a tour in December 2015 as an early Christmas present to myself I met with renowned Scottish guitar luthier Rory Dowling to discuss the possibility of making an instrument to my own personal specifications. After two in-depth and fascinating consultations we reached an agreement on how the instrument was going to look, and more importantly sound, and now, I am finally the proud owner of a custom-made Taran Tirga Beag guitar, a picture of which can be seen here Guitar enthusiasts reading this, please take the time to look at Rory’s site here, you will not be disappointed. And keep an eye out for my new pride and joy at my upcoming shows!

After two months of hard touring across the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Estonia and England I’m now back in my native Scotland about to perform 26 straight nights at the Fringe. For those you who have seen me before, the show is much-changed with many songs from the new album, previewing material from the new instrumental album and of course, a new guitar – ;-). Tickets are available to purchase here

And the day after the Festival finishes I shall fly to Canada to tour over there, no rest for the wicked, but I can’t wait to get back to one of my favourite parts of the world. The dates are listed on my gigs page.

Oh, and lest you were worried, I shall be in the studio soon with songs almost ready for the next album, it’s good to be busy – ;-).

Thanks for reading, more soon, I promise.

SK s

Hello All,

Really enjoying the year of touring so far, and the reception that you’ve all given to ‘Vanishing Act’ has been very much appreciated.

I’m just back from a wonderful show in Shropshire in a beautiful town called Bishop’s Castle on the eve of my annual TradFest show at the Royal Oak.

A busy year lies ahead once more with highlights including a visit to Estonia and Finland in June and a return to my beloved Canada in September.

I’m writing songs in earnest for the next album and hope to be in the studio over the summer working on my next recording. Final masters are also being reviewed for a new instrumental suite of acoustic guitar pieces, this will be released in time for the summer.

A life in song flies by but it’s one incredible adventure.

Hope to see you all on the road soon.

SK x

Hello all,

Thanking you for the reaction to my new album ‘Vanishing Act’, I’ve been delighted by how it’s been received by critics and listeners alike. Last week there was a brilliant review in The Herald which you can read here.

Furthermore, as many of you have been asking, some even demanding, I have finally managed to release most of my material, six albums including the recently released ‘Vanishing Act’, and the instrumental album ‘Estranged’ on iTunes. These can all be found here and also on Amazon.

My gig dates are changing all the time but I can confirm I shall definitely be appearing in Scotland, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Finland, Estonia and Canada this year.

Thanks, as always, for reading, more from me in due course.

SK x

Hello all,

I’m proud, privileged and delighted to share with you all on this cold January day my latest album ‘Vanishing Act’.

It is without doubt my most complete album to date, and I do hope that those of you who take the time to purchase a copy, and listen to the album, agree.

The album is available to purchase from this website, and in due course, shall also be available on iTunes etc.

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you all soon.

SK x

Copies of my brand new album ‘Vanishing Act’ will be available at selected upcoming 2016 shows. The album was produced by Ian McCalman and in addition to myself, also features Adam Sutherland on fiddle, Bob Miller on double bass and William Archibald on percussion.

A full release is scheduled for January the 16th 2017, and a pre-order facility will be available on the website before that.

Exciting times, as always!! A Happy St Andrew’s Day to everyone from Rotterdam – :-).

SK x