Kansas Smitty’s Basement Tapes Tour

Kansas Smitty’s House Band are touring London’s Basement Bars to mark the launch of their debut record. The Basement Tapes Tour will travel round London’s best subterranean cocktail joints, filling them with their distinctive brand of jazz and julep.

Basement Tapes, Kansas Smitty’s immensely popular in-house weekly event, showcases some of the UK’s most talented musicians, each week featuring members of the band playing with some of the finest jazz musicians from London and beyond. With the popularity of these evenings clear from numerous sell-outs, Smitty’s have decided to take Basement Tapes on tour, connecting London’s coolest underground bars with sensational live music performances on Tuesdays throughout the autumn months. Coinciding with the launch of their debut album, this tour is a chance for Londoners to experience this exciting release live, in person, and in an electric and intimate environment.

When Smitty’s eight members get together, the vibe is incredible. A sour mash of jazz genres, the Kansas Smitty’s gritty style is influenced by the sounds of New York, New Orleans, Paris, and Havana, and now with this new musical tour, the band will be bringing their aurally and visually stunning performances all over the city.

At the heart of Smitty’s identity is another true American classic; the Julep. As part of the Basement Tapes Tour, the band will be inviting each resident bar to create their own unique julep for the evening, using whatever method and garnishes they fancy. Whether the new Juleps are in the Kansas Smitty’s style, created by Sean Fennelly (Milk & Honey) or using new techniques and ingredients, the end result will be a bespoke Julep reflecting the evening’s sonic experience. This will be served for one night only, in one of Smitty’s signature ‘monty cups’.

From jazz enthusiasts to complete newcomers, this exciting tour will allow Londoners to be able to enjoy each bar’s unique take on the Julep, whilst discovering new sounds and spaces they might otherwise never have found.

At a time when an increasing number of live music venues across the Capital are being closed down, Kansas Smitty’s want to encourage people to continue to flock to these basement bars, where live music and dancing until the early hours continue to take place under the streets of London.