Over the past two decades of British folk music, Jim Moray has marked himself out as having a singular, idiosyncratic vision that has rarely wavered in style and substance. The cinematic vision of albums such as Skulk (2012), Upcetera (2016), and his game-changing debut Sweet England (2003) show just how far the old songs can be taken. As Moray embarks on his third decade as a professional musician, he finds himself as one of the most celebrated interpreters of folk song in the UK. And never satisfied with staying still, there’s a sense that he has only just begun.
Described as “a landmark artist” by Mojo and “the most significant musician since Bob Dylan to decide that the folk idiom is the perfect vehicle for his musical adventures” by the Sydney Morning Herald, Jim Moray has been a leading figure in the cutting edge of English Folk Music since his game-changing debut Sweet England in 2003. As Moray embarks on his third decade as a professional musician he finds himself as one of the most celebrated interpreters of folk song in the UK, and a key influence on a new generation of folk singers and producers. And in a genre where musicians reach their peak the older they get, there’s a sense that he has only just begun.
Amelia Coburn is darkness and light. From tales of vengeful widows and moonlit stream-of-consciousness to songs filled with whimsical romance, she has a knack for making the unusual sound timeless. Her work is populated with the characters she meets in the dark shadows of literature, film noir and travels in unfamiliar lands. Amelia threads Tin Pan Alley melodies through European folk music and torchlit jazz with a blur of psychedelia and baroque pop.
Musical heroes and heroines include Serge Gainsbourg, Scott Walker, Joni Mitchell, Neil Hannon, Rufus Wainwright, Liza Minelli and David Bowie. From early musical epiphanies pilfering songs from her dad’s record collection which have infused her original work with a playful, punkish spirit that remains highly melodic and distinctive, in no small part, due to her unique, cut-glass delivery which betrays a love of the golden age of musicals and can pierce and melt even the most well-armoured heart.
A finalist in the BBC Folk Awards, Amelia’s live performances are captivating, dynamic and leave audiences stunned and walking away with a major new musical crush. Her natural, North Eastern stage presence disarms and beguiles in equal measure. It is art without artifice: The wild, theatrical characterisations of Jacques Brel pinned to the unforgettable melodic ability of McCartney.
Her debut studio album 'Between the Moon and the Milkman', produced by Bill Ryder-Jones, is out now.
Event: Saturday 25 January, 7.30pm
Bar Opens: 6.30pm
Tickets:£16 Advance, £18 On The Door
