Doors 7.30pm | Tickets £24.00 + Booking Fee | Theatre

 

Named after the old Northumbrian word for twilight, ‘The Darkening’ is made up of four North-East England-based members: Kathryn Tickell (Northumbrian smallpipes, fiddle, vocals), Amy Thatcher (accordion, synth, clogs, vocals), Kieran Szifris (octave mandolin), Joe Truswell (drums, percussion);  with Josie Duncan from the Isle of Lewis (vocals, clarsach). Together these dazzling musicians create musical magic; dynamic and unique “Ancient Northumbrian Futurism”.

 

Based in the shadow of Hadrian’s Wall yet reaching out to the wider world, Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening explore the connecting threads of music, landscape and people over a period of almost 2000 years. Songs range from themes of freedom, nature and venturing out into the world after times of darkness, to a Roman inscription with links to Libya and Syria magnetically pulled into the 21st century with glorious vocal harmonies and the wildest of piping.

 

Praise for the new album ‘Cloud Horizons’:

 

“...wildly thrilling” The Guardian

 

“…unexpectedly cosmic” MOJO

 

“…vital and assured, folk stomp” Americana-UK

 

“…this is a blinder! …just fantastic” Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 6 Music