Ben Howard set for autumn 2011 album and UK tour - tickets on sale Friday 1st July

Ben Howard

Legend has it that Devon singer-songwriter Ben Howard was signed to Island Records after an A&R man was impressed by the response of the crowd at a London gig. It was his movie moment and he has not looked back.

With his distinct left-handed guitar playing, a haunting vocal and a heart full of dusky, rootsy folk, he has released two singles to date - 'The Wolves' and 'Old Pine'. There's an echo of Bon Iver here, and a hint of his Island idol Nick Drake there, but Ben Howard has his own voice and it comes over in well-crafted and engaging songs that evoke warm buttery sunlit autumn evenings.

His first LP, also called 'The Wolves', is scheduled for release in early October following which Ben Howard and his band will be taking the record on the road with an autumn headline tour.

A dozen or so dates have been announced, from 9th to 31st October, beginning in Exeter and ending at Glasgow's King Tut's. In between, Ben visits Falmouth, Brighton, Manchester, Oxford and London's Scala, among others.

Tickets for most dates go on sale on Friday 1st July at 9AM, priced £9 (£10 for Falmouth). Tickets for the London show are available now, priced £12.

Ahead of that, Ben Howard has a busy summer of festivals, playing Wakestock 2011 (8th July), Latitude 2011 (16th July) Newcastle's Ignition Festival 2011 (7th August), Edinburgh's Edge Festival 2011 (8th August), the Summer Sundae Weekender 2011 in Leicester (14th August) and Bestival 2011 on the Isle of Wight on 11th September, among others.

Stewart Darkin