After a few years in revolutionary eastern Europe, Paul Armfield returned to his beloved Isle of Wight in the early 90’s to get married, have children, sell books and write songs. His first album Songs Without Words was released in 2003 to wide critical acclaim, his voice being compared to the likes of Cat Stevens, Tim Hardin and Nick Drake and the music being described as Folk Noir. A big fan of Scott Walker Paul was likewise applauded for his renditions of Jacques Brel chansons as well as his own lovelorn, poetic songs.

Running a bookstore by day Paul nevertheless managed to release six more albums including an album of Tennyson’s Poetry set to music, 2013’s ‘Up Here’ which found fans such as Lauren Laverne and Caitlin Moran, and 2015’s ‘Found’: a selection of songs written around a collection of photographs gathered from the flea markets of Berlin; Radio Eins declared it ‘The best Berlin album of all time’.

With a strong fan-base on the continent, Paul’s latest album ‘Domestic’ was recorded in Germany with a pan European cast of musicians and explored the concept of ‘home’, be it the house you live or the country you grew up in. Foreshadowing Brexit and the subsequent pandemic, the album was a crowd-funded success and became a firm favourite of Mark Radcliffe.

Although seldom found on UK stages, now in his mid 50s Paul is a veteran performer with a warm, relaxed stage presence. A songwriter’s songwriter, he has picked up plaudits from the likes of Guy Garvey and Chris Difford. Still selling books by day he is also an occasional funeral celebrant, a lino-cut artist, and a double bassist whose playing can be heard on the best-selling Michael Kiwanuka single ‘I’m Getting Ready’ as well as collaborations with jazz pianist Greg Foat. An accomplished musical-saw player, he has a busking alter-ego called the Stranger On The Saw.