Joshua Burnell: Escape From Condor Keep

Imagine the spirit of 1970s folk-rock and progressive rock, infused with folklore, fantasy and a touch of theatrical magic. Somewhere in that world you'll find **Joshua Burnell**, a York-based songwriter creating music that feels both wonderfully nostalgic and refreshingly original.

This autumn, Burnell embarks on his **Escape From Condor Keep Tour**, bringing his new album *Condor Keep & Other Stories* to the stage with a full five-piece band. It's his second album release of 2026, completing a musical chapter that began more than a decade ago, when many of the songs were first written.

Drawing inspiration from Fairport Convention, Genesis, Al Stewart and The Decemberists, Burnell blends rich folk melodies, progressive rock arrangements and storytelling to create a collection of musical worlds. Beneath the fantasy, folklore and mythology lie very human themes of love, belonging, belief, inequality and mortality.

The album also marks the return of songs that have long been favourites with audiences, including its epic title track, finally given a home on record.

On stage, the music takes on an even bigger life. Expect Hammond organ, folk instrumentation, soaring arrangements and theatrical storytelling, all delivered with the ambition and energy of a classic 1970s rock show.

Burnell has already earned a standing ovation at Fairport Convention's Cropredy Festival, while The Observer has compared his music favourably to Peter Gabriel-era Genesis.

For fans of folk-rock, vintage prog and adventurous songwriting, this is a chance to discover an artist whose music is steeped in the past but very much looking to the future.