Last summer I saw a young woman playing live and was very, very impressed, she clearly had something special so I contacted her and arranged for her to come and play for us in Durham City. Sadly, FAYE FANTARROW became ill and was unable to perform. Many will be aware of her story, but some may not…..
Faye Fantarrow is a talented young singer/songwriter from Sunderland. She was the winner of the Alan Hull award for songwriting in 2021 and was recently signed to Dave Stewart’s Bay Street Records label.
Faye was just 8 years old when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia and she underwent two and half years of invasive, gruelling chemotherapy that robbed her of her childhood; but she fought. However, in August 2015 when Faye was 13 the leukaemia returned. She endured long stays in hospital fighting the infections her body was prone to and the chemotherapy and radiotherapy completely eradicated Faye’s bone marrow. The solution was a bone marrow transplant.
In September 2022, aged just 20, Faye started to feel unwell again. She was diagnosed with an aggressive Glioma brain tumour, believed to be a very rare consequence of the radiotherapy she had prior to her bone marrow transplant and was told her life was coming to an end.
There is no treatment available for her here in the UK. However, Faye has been accepted onto a cell trial at the City of Hope Hospital in Duarte, California, USA at a cost of £450,000. This is to pay for the clinical trial along with medical procedures, hospital stays, scans and medication.
We cannot stand back and let Faye’s life end here. She is strong, independent and a talented musician. All of the ticket sales from our March 11 gig at Claypath Deli in Durham City will be donated to the Fight for Faye appeal.
Headlining and making a rare outing as a solo performer will be composer/songwriter BRIDIE JACKSON. Her extraordinary voice and highly evocative musicianship will be a treat for those lucky enough to attend.
Her music and voice are described as beguiling, quirky, unique and baroque, and Jackson, even with sparse accompaniment, enchants and electrifies in equal measure. No doubt she’ll also exhibit her easy, self-deprecating rapport as she spirits listeners away into her otherworldly aural creations.
Having long held a special place in the hearts of musicians and audiences alike, both solo and as Bridie Jackson And The Arbour, the esteem with which she’s held speaks volumes to her songwriting skills. Innumerable radio sessions, sold-out live shows and national recognition continue to fill up her CV.
SAM NIX is a multi-instrumentalist with underlying acoustic tones. His lyrics are deeply connected with his fascination for stories. Over the last 4 years Sam has had airplay across a number of radio stations, including BBC Introducing, won a local songwriting award with his band and performed live in multiple venues from Newcastle to Manchester. Notably, in 2022 he supported famous cult songwriter John Otway.
Please come out and support this event and in doing so you will be helping Faye fight on. Tickets here > FIGHT FOR FAYE
DownByTheRiver 