Xavier Rudd & Mighty Oaks in Solothurn

Xavier Rudd is an Australian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, born in Torquay, Victoria, in 1978. He plays acoustic folk, blues and roots reggae, often using didgeridoo, guitar and percussion in the same arrangement. His best-known work includes “Follow the Sun” and “Let Me Be,” as well as the albums Solace, Food in the Belly and Spirit Bird. Live in Canada documented Xavier Rudd’s early solo performances before his studio albums brought sustained touring outside Australia. He later toured and recorded with the South African musicians of Izintaba around Koonyum Sun, while subsequent concerts have ranged between solo multi-instrumental sets and performances with a band. His festival appearances have included Byron Bay Bluesfest and Bonnaroo.

Mighty Oaks are an indie-folk trio formed in Berlin in 2010 by American singer and guitarist Ian Hooper, Italian guitarist and mandolin player Claudio Donzelli, and British bassist Craig Saunders. Acoustic folk, close vocal harmonies and restrained rock arrangements shape albums including Howl, Dreamers and All Things Go; “Brother” and “Just One Day” are among their best-known songs. The Howl Tour took Mighty Oaks through European clubs and theatres in 2014, and the Dreamers Tour followed in 2017 as the trio expanded its album-led concert schedule. The group performs as a band built around Hooper’s lead vocal and guitar, Donzelli’s guitar and mandolin, and Saunders’s bass. Rock am Ring and Rock im Park have both featured Mighty Oaks, placing the trio on two recurring German rock-festival programs.