David Mitchell with Sam Amidon: The Music of Utopia Avenue (2020 Event)

While the Summer of Love is about to unfold across the Atlantic,
life in 1967 isn’t so easy for a young would-be musician in
London’s shabby Charing Cross Road. Yet from this modest starting
point, David Mitchell builds a joyful fictional biography of a
band that will take the world by storm. Utopia Avenue is the
finest prog-folk band you have never heard of, and the novel of
the same name is a stylish romp through the rags-to-riches lives
of drummer Griff, singer Elf, guitarist Jasper and bass player
Dean.


Organised around the song titles of the band’s albums, Utopia
Avenue's clever structure also gives it a powerful narrative
drive – with added zest from a series of cheeky cameo appearances
by real-life rock legends including David Bowie and Leonard
Cohen.


Funny, whip-smart and occasionally veering into the fantastical,
it is one of the most compellingly entertaining reads of 2020.
Join Mitchell in this event recorded live at the 2020 Book
Festival as he shares his notes with folk singer and musician
Sam Amidon, who also plays some of his most
recent music.