Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys

Having been honing his song-writing craft and live performances over the past decade, George Boomsma has been quietly gaining some well-earnt attention and acclaim. Based in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, George's pure voice and tumbling guitar make for a bewitching combination – warm and melancholy, melodic yet forceful, he exhibits a maturity and poetic lyricism that have left audiences around the country entranced. He has been invited to play alongside many impressive and established artists such as Paul Smith (Maximo Park), Neill Maccoll, Kathryn Williams, Michele Stodart (Magic Numbers), The Travelling Band, Skinny Lister, Chloe Foy, Jefferson Hamer, Emma Langford, Martha Tilston and Katherine Priddy. On top of these live performances, his music been featured on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 6 Music.

Whilst 2020 saw much of the world grind to a halt, George Boomsma got busy, using the time to write and record an exciting new 4 track EP. 'Chinatown' was recorded live to tape at Echo Zoo Studios and features not only George’s effortless vocals and masterful acoustic guitar, but also the addition of a string quartet, adding an extra warmth and movement to his transporting songs. The production process has carefully maintained the characteristic saturation and crunch of tape recording, giving the tracks an exquisitely vintage sound not often heard in modern releases. 'Chinatown' is undoubtedly a step up from George Boomsma’s previous releases, both in terms of songwriting and production, solidifying his place as one to watch in 2021.

Back in 2014 George had been championed by BBC Tees' Bob Fischer after a live session on the Introducing show and also grabbed the attention of Tom Robinson, who remarked upon George’s "Heartfelt writing, heart-stopping vocals and a perfect poised performance”. George was chosen for the Longlist on Glastonbury's 2014 Emerging Talent Competition, which subsequently saw him set off on his first full tour in 2015, travelling the length of the UK with Old-time fiddle virtuoso and good friend, Kieran Towers. This further validated a continuing, steady rise in his reputation. Indeed, it led to an introduction from BBC Radio 2's Bob Harris on the BBC Introducing stage at Latitude Festival 2016.

After spending the majority of 2017 extensively touring the UK and The Netherlands alongside Leeds troubadour People Poems, the autumn of that year saw the release of his debut single 'Streets Paved With Gold' which exhibited a more produced and modern aesthetic to his sound with added instrumentation. This release was followed by another tour of the UK with piano extraordinaire Ridley Woof early 2018, ending with the opportunity to perform for a series of sold out concerts celebrating the music of Nick Drake at The Georgian Theatre, Stockton and Cluny 2, Newcastle. He finished off 2018 with a tour of Ireland and the UK with Irish singer/songwriter Hubert Murray, ending with a sold out show at the reputable Greennote folk club in London.

2019 continued to see George’s reputation grow with a Spring tour, travelling the length and breadth of the country performing for up and coming indie-folk singer, Chloe Foy, on her national tour. This lead to a headline show on the BBC Introducing stage at Hardwick Live in the Summer. He also managed to squeeze in a musical appearance on UKTV’s 'Taskmaster' alongside comedians such as Rhod Gilbert and James Acaster. Autumn followed with a support tour with Mercury Prize nominee, Kathryn Williams, on her Anthology tour of the UK with a notable show at The Sage, Newcastle. He then finished the year sharing the stage with rising folk star, Katherine Priddy on her debut national tour.