Music 2021

O'Hooley and Tidow

Celebrating their 10th year of performing together, much loved Yorkshire folk duo Belinda O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow have been propelled into newfound fame for penning the theme tune for Sally Wainwright’s hit BBC1/HBO drama ‘Gentleman Jack’, earning them global admiration, appearances on TV, Radio 4 Woman’s Hour and concerts that sell out months in advance.

Belinda and Heidi’s boundless songwriting has been described by The Guardian as ‘exceptional’ and The Independent as ‘defiant, robust, northern, poetical, political folk music for the times we live in.’ From an emotionally charged song about an elephant orphanage in Nairobi, to a joyous celebration of the Leeds cycling champion Beryl Burton, they explore, consider and connect subjects and stories in a distinctive, inventive and memorable way.

Having the originality and skill to invite comparison with the most celebrated harmony duos, from early Simon and Garfunkel to the iconic Kate and Anna McGarrigle, 6 Music’s Tom Robinson says ‘They sing together in the way families do. Normally, you only get that closeness in the voices with family bands like The Coppers or The Watersons.’

Bob Fox

For more than 40 years BOB FOX has been regarded as one of “the iconic voices” of British folk song. HIs career began during the vibrant “folk revival” of the 60s and 70s and he has become one of the most highly rated and best loved singer/guitarists both in the UK and beyond.

Masterful interpretation of traditional and contemporary song combined with an outstanding guitar technique has earned him countless nominations in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards over the years.

Bob played the role of Songman for over four years in The National Theatre’s West End production of WarHorse and in two subsequent touring versions.

He can also be heard singing extensively on the new Radio Ballads commisioned by the BBC and most recently completed a sell out UK tour as one of the Pitmen Poets.

Don’t miss the chance to see and hear one of our finest exponents of story telling through song, expect to hear of love, joy, work and humour all accompanied by a wonderful guitar style that can both drive or embellish his supreme singing

The Magpies

It has only been a short space of time since The Magpies burst onto the UK folk scene, but they have already made a huge impression with their fresh brand of transatlantic neo-folk and have been ‘making waves wherever they play’ (Phil Beer, Show of Hands).

Three accomplished musicians in their own right, The Magpies is a combination far greater than the sum of its parts. Celtic Connections Danny Kyle Award winning guitarist, banjo-player and singer Bella Gaffney, clawhammer banjo player and singer Kate Griffin and acclaimed fiddle-player and tunesmith Holly Brandon draw on their wide-ranging influences to create a unique blend of transatlantic folk.

In their live performances The Magpies have been exceptionally well-received. 2018 saw them perform at festivals such as Cambridge Folk Festival and on main stages at Wickham Festival, Towersey Festival and Deer Shed Festival. 2019 saw their first international shows, with performances at Folk Alliance International in Montreal, a successful tour in Ireland and performances at Costa del Folk in Portugal. And the summer saw many more festival performances including Glastonbury, Larmer Tree, Warwick and Shambala.

Harp and a Monkey

Award-winning experimental song and storytelling trio Harp and a Monkey specialise in poignant, humorous and melodic short stories (traditional and original) about life, love and remembrance. Their work has been described as “bold and brilliant” by the likes of The Observer, “fantastic” and “fascinating” by Mark Radcliffe on BBC Radio 2, “inventive” by Mojo, “excellent” by The
Guardian, and “rousing” by The Daily Telegraph.

The trio have appeared “in-session” on BBC Radio 2 with the likes of Mark Radcliffe and Clare Balding and are a regular feature for national and international broadcasters and publications.

Their recordings won critical acclaim from the outset, and such is Harp & a Monkey’s reputation as a quality live act, they regularly tour the country to huge public and critical acclaim. Indeed, the outfit (who have been friends for decades) enjoy a wonderful rapport with their audiences.

Formed in 2008, the trio have remained true to their original vision to tell compelling short stories (some original and some traditional) and present them in a way that seamlessly blends the ancient and the modern, the organic and the electronic.

The Hayes Sisters

The Hayes Sisters are a sibling singer-songwriter acoustic trio from Greater Manchester with three guitars, three voices, a banjo, a kazoo and a focus on close familial harmonies.

As teenagers, they played regularly on the folk circuit, breaking to go further afield to study; in teaching, nursing, and and then to have families.

Forward 20 years… they decide to “have another go”, are spotted by the talented Clive Gregson, and The Hayes Sisters soon had a producer, and a debut album, “Another Man’s Shoes” featuring the musical talents of Andy Dinan, Andy Seward, Fiona Lander, Simon Whitbread, and Clive himself.

Their influences come from the music they grew up listening to - traditional music of England and Ireland, and songs where harmonies and vocals dominate. Their songs are borne from personal experiences and emotions, inspired by history, politics and literature.

PlumHall

Michelle Plum and Nick B Hall are Plumhall, an electrifying duo from Yorkshire whose award winning original songs are earning them well deserved plaudits from the likes of Miles Hunt (The Wonder Stuff), Phil Beer and Steve Knightley (Show of Hands), R2 Magazine and many more. Plumhall pack a punch with powerful acoustic (and occasional electric) guitar and luscious harmony-driven textures of original contemporary folk rock.

Plumhall were thrilled to have been invited to perform at The London Palladium with the legendary Al Stewart, cementing their fierce reputation on the UK live circuit. They have also written music for, and appeared in, a major British cinematic release called The Runaways, starring Mark Addy, Tara Fitzgerald & BAFTA winner Mollie Windsor.

Plumhall have been joined on stage by Bob Dylan's legendary guitarist Larry Campbell for a scintillating performance of Dylan’s ‘Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)’, which had a capacity crowd on its feet. They have also performed with Peter Tork, Phil Beer, Ian McNabb, Chris Leslie, Dave Nachmanoff, Ranagri and many more.