Legendary folk-rock outfit Fairport Convention will welcome the return of long-serving member Dave Pegg on bass guitar when the band hits the road this spring. Earlier in the year, his son Matt had to stand in as bassist when Pegg senior badly injured his hand in a kitchen accident.

"In January, I severed a tendon in the first finger of my left hand while I was emptying the dishwasher," Dave recalls. "The irony is I'd just spent two days chain-sawing firewood without incident."

"My hand was in a splint for six weeks so I couldn't play bass or mandolin on Fairport's winter tour. Luckily, Matt is a bass player too - like father like son - and he was available to deputise for me. Now I'm raring to get back on the road and really looking forward to playing with the band again."

Fairport Convention's semi-acoustic spring tour will have an intimate feel and will visit thirty-odd venues and festivals between Thursday 1 May and Saturday 7 June. The concerts will feature a mix of new songs and long-established favourites from the Fairport repertoire.

The band's line-up features Simon Nicol (vocals, guitar), Dave Pegg (bass guitar), Ric Sanders (violin), Chris Leslie (mandolin, fiddle, vocals) and Gerry Conway (percussion).

Hailed as the originators of British folk-rock music, Oxfordshire-based Fairport Convention has been playing for nearly fifty years yet remains as vibrant and inventive as ever.

After the spring tour, Fairport will be preparing for their annual open-air music festival at Cropredy in Oxfordshire which takes place on 7, 8 and 9 August.

May/June 2014 tour dates and venues:

May

1  Hastings, St Mary In The Castle   01323 841414

2  Brighton, The Concorde 2   01273 673311

3  Chatham, Central Theatre   01634 338338

4  Bristol, Bristol Folk Festival   0845 402 4001

7  Hebden Bridge, The Trades Club   01422 845265

8  Pocklington, The Arts Centre   01759 301547

9  Kendal, The Brewery Arts Centre   01539 725133

10  St Helens, The Citadel   01744 735436

12  Nettlebed, Folk Song Club   01628 636 620

13  Ipswich, Cameo,

15  Leek, The Foxlowe Arts Centre   01538 385260

16  London, The Borderline   0844 847 2465

17  Malpass, Malfest   01948 820549

18  Cardiff, The Globe   0871 220 0260

20  Lytham St Annes, The Lowther Pavilion   01253 794221

21  Ilkley, Kings Hall   01274 432000

22  Bury, The Met   0161 761 2216

23  Worcester, Huntingdon Hall   01905 611427

24  Broseley, The Birchmeadow Centre   07890 057832

25  Looe, Millendreath Festival   01503 262028

26  Nottingham, Lowdham Village Hall   0115 966 3596

29  Spalding, South Holland Centre   01775 764777

30  Didcot, Cornerstone Arts Centre   01235 515144

31  Uttoxeter, Acoustic Festival Of Great Britain   0333 9000 919

June

1  Chipping Norton, The Theatre   01608 642349

3  Cambridge, The Junction   01223 511511

4  Norwich, Open   01603 763111

5  Clacton, West Cliff Theatre   01255 433344

6  Wimborne, The Tivoli Theatre   01202 885566

7  Beckenham, St Georges Arts Festival   0208 663 6996

More Details: Fairport and Cropredy