Foals Announce Departure Of Keyboardist Edwin Congreave
Wednesday, 22 September 2021
Written by Jon Stickler
Foals have announced the departure of Edwin Congreave.
The keyboard player, a founding member of Foals since their formation in Oxford in 2005, has parted ways with the band to pursue his postgraduate degree studies in economics at Cambridge University.
Foals are now a studio three-piece, following the departure of former bassist Walter Gervers in 2018. They confirmed the news with a post on social media:
"We're sad to say that we played our final show with Edwin Congreave as a member of Foals at All Points East festival in London. It was a helluva way to go out…
"After 15 years of sweet music making and surfing the globe together he's decided to hang up his musical boots to pursue other avenues of life. We met at a cocktail bar one sultry night in Oxford as techno-obssesed drop outs and could never have guessed what we'd achieve and experience in the coming years. It's been a wild ride. We wish him all the best and thank him for everything, our friendship endures.
"Onwards and upwards friends. We've been writing music as a three-piece, which we cannot wait to share with you."
In response, Congreave shared his own statement with fans:
"I'd like to thank Yannis, Jimmy, Jack and Walter for inviting me into their nascent, spindly-legged band over fifteen years ago. They gave a directionless dropout a desperately needed sense of purpose and belonging. I hope it's not too melodramatic to say that Foals saved my life - really. And I've been moved over the years by messages from fans saying that our music helped shine a path through their hard times too. That will stay with me my whole life.
So what's my new purpose? Next month I'm beginning a postgraduate degree in economics at Cambridge, and I hope in the next couple of years to join others in technical efforts to mitigate the imminent climate catastrophe. The future's not what it used to be, as a good friend once sang.
Music is a balm and a light, and so I couldn't be prouder to have called myself a musician, and to have played a part in Foals' journey from indie delinquents to bona fide rock stars. I've heard the new album - it is of course brilliant. Looking forward to next year, I'm thrilled to once again be able to watch the UK's best live band from their best angle - that is, I mean, from the crowd. See you there."
Foals have rescheduled shows in the diary for April and May 2022, including four dates at London's Olympia. They also have rearranged gigs at Manchester’s Castlefield Bowl and Leeds' Millennium Square planned for next summer as part of the Sounds Of The City series.
Their most recent studio album, 'Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 1', was released in March 2019 while their sixth and immediate follow-up, 'Part 2', dropped October of that year.
Foals Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows
Wed April 20 2022 - EDINBURGH Usher Hall
Thu April 21 2022 - EDINBURGH Usher Hall
Sat April 23 2022 - BIRMINGHAM Utilita Arena
Fri April 29 2022 - LONDON Olympia
Sat April 30 2022 - LONDON Olympia
Sun May 01 2022 - LONDON Olympia
Mon May 02 2022 - LONDON Olympia
Tue May 03 2022 - LONDON Olympia London
Thu May 05 2022 - BLACKPOOL Empress Ballroom
Fri May 06 2022 - BLACKPOOL Empress Ballroom
Sun May 08 2022 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
Wed June 29 2022 - MANCHESTER Castlefield Bowl
Fri July 08 2022 - LEEDS Millenium Square
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