OYSTERBAND, the veteran British folk band, are to play Pocklington Arts Centre on Wednesday night at 8pm.

Since 1978, they have toured 35 countries, playing festivals, concert halls, bars, rallies, even jails, en route to winning five BBC Radio 2 folk awards, as well as making 12 studio albums and one DVD, The 25th anniversary concert.

In 2012, Ragged Kingdom, Oysterband’s reunion collaboration with English folk singer June Tabor, was fROOTS Critics’ Poll album of the year and Mojo magazine’s folk album of the year.

Tabor and the band also performed on BBC2s Later… With Jools Holland.

After two years of touring that project, Oysterband announced a new studio album of their own, Diamonds On The Water.

Released in February last year, it marks their first new collection of original songs in seven years.

“It was time to get back to some of the other things we do best: make new music and get out there on the road,” says fiddler Ian Telfer, reflecting on the first Oysterband recordings since the departure of Ray “Chopper” Cooper to pursue a solo career.

Al Scott, the band’s long-time producer, has stepped in on bass and mandolin.

“Now, with the power and inventiveness of Dil Davies’s drumming, our sound has become simpler and punchier, as it was in the early days,” says lead singer John Jones.

“Over a summer of great festivals, including Glastonbury, we stripped the sound down and went for it, with Al and Ian singing more to support guitarist Alan Prosser’s backing vocals.

“We all had to dig deep to make something new and it’s had a great reaction.”

Tickets cost £22 on 01759-301547 or at pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk