Category: Music

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More Things To Do in York and beyond when circuses at the double pitch up. Here’s Hutch’s List No. 39 from The York Press

Bread & Circuses, by Sarah Hall Baqai, from her exhibition at Rise@Bluebird Bakery, Acomb

FROM the terrors of Paranormal Activity to circus art and entertainment, Tony Blackburn’s Sixties’ celebration to the debut York Jazz Fest, Charles Hutchinson heads into a fruitful autumn.

Exhibition opening of the week: Sarah Hall Baqai, Bread & Circuses, Rise@Bluebird Bakery, Acomb Road, Acomb, York, until November 19

YORK artist Sarah Hall Baqai’s new collection of artworks has the theme of Bread & Circuses, a phrase taken from Roman poet Juvenal’s work Satire X, written in 100AD. In a nutshell, “give them bread and circuses and they will never revolt”, on account of being distracted.

Distraction does not come brighter and more entertaining visually than Sarah’s paintings inspired by life behind the scenes at the circus (from her work with Gifford’s Circus and Fools Delight Circus at Ham Court, Bampton), complemented by lettering and graphic work celebrating York Minster and willow lanterns in the shape of jugglers’ sticks.

Russells International Circus: Intent on delivering in-tent entertainment on Knavesmire this weekend

While on the subject of circuses: Russells International Circus, Knavesmire, York, today, 3pm and 6pm, and tomorrow, 12 noon

ROLL up, roll up, as Russells International Circus, voted Britain’s best circus six years running, brings its new show for 2026 to York. Each two-hour performance is jam-packed with mesmerising aerial displays, jaw-dropping stunts, comedy and more besides. Box office: russellscircus.co.uk.

The Jake Leg Jug Band: Songs of murder, betrayal, gambling, liquor and redemption at Kirk Theatre, Pickering 

Ragtime gig of the week: The Jake Leg Jug Band, Kirk Theatre, Pickering, tonight, 7.30pm 

THE Jake Leg Jug Band delivers the authentic sounds of 1920s and 1930s’ America – jazz, blues, ragtime and gospel – in songs of murder, betrayal, gambling, liquor and redemption.

Since self-releasing debut album Cotton Mouth, Duncan Wilcox, vocals and double bass, and Warren James,  vocals, guitar and banjo, have released a further eight albums in 12 years, among them Next Stop!, Everythin’s Jake, Break A Leg, Fifth Avenue, Goodbye Booze, Hello Central and 2024’s spirituals collection Some Glad Morning. Box office: kirktheatre.co.uk.

Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey: Heading to York Barbican tonight

Eighties’ double bill of the week: Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey and Blancmange, York Barbican, tonight, doors 6.30pm

REMEMBER the Thompson Twins, makers of such 1980s’ hits as Hold Me Now, Doctor Doctor, In the Name Of Love, Love On Your Side, If You Were Here, Lies, Lay Your Hands On Me and King For A Day? Tom Bailey, the Sheffield-founded group’s lead vocalist and instrumentalist, now performs under the name Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey, revisiting his past and showcasing debut solo album Science Fiction.

Tonight he closes his autumn tour at York Barbican, the only Yorkshire location on his 14-date itinerary, when fellow 1980s’ chart act Blancmange support. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Hannah Sinclair Robinson’s Lou and James Bye’s James on terror alert on the stairs in Paranormal Activity, on tour at Grand Opera House, York. Picture: Johan Persson Credit: Johan Persson

Psychological thriller of the week: Paranormal Activity, Grand Opera House, York, September 29 to October 3, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Wednesday and Saturday matinees

IN a new story inspired by the worldwide horror phenomenon, Paranormal Activity is directed by immersive theatre pioneer and Punchdrunk artistic director Felix Barrett and written by Levi Holloway, the playwright behind Broadway hit Grey House.

When James (James Bye) and Lou (Hannah Sinclair Robinson) move from Chicago to London to escape their past, soon they discover that places are not haunted, but people are. Can you hold your nerve in the face of this chilling production on its first British and Irish tour? Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Sounds Of The 60’s Live: Sensational Sixties show at York Barbican

Sixties’ celebration of the week: Sounds Of The 60’s Live, hosted by Tony Blackburn, York Barbican, September 29, 7.30pm

BBC Radio 2 presenter Tony Blackburn hosts an evening of stories and songs from “perhaps the most iconic ten years in music, fashion and popular culture” on the Sounds Of The 60’s tour, 62 years since his first broadcast on pirate radio station Radio Caroline South in 1964.

The Sounds Of The 60’s All Star Band and Singers perform hits by The Everly Brothers, Elvis Presley, The Drifters, Marvin Gaye, a Rolling Stones medley, The Walker Brothers, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Stevie Wonder and more besides. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Roham Bayat’s poster design for the four-day York Jazz Fest

Festival of the week: York Jazz Fest, October 1 to 4

BEPPE Lombardo, soprano saxophone player in his Italian teenage days and supremo of Trinicria Sicilian Ristorante in Bishopthorpe Road for 15 years, is running the inaugural York Jazz Fest with funding from York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Mayor David Skaith.

Angel On The Green, York Arts Barge, Young Thugs Studio, the Phoenix Inn and The Winning Post play host to concerts on the first three days, culminating in the Bishopthorpe Road Car Park Finale next Sunday, topped off by sets by Dennis Rollins’ Funky-Funk and Ian Chalk. For full listings and tickets, go to: yorkjazzfestival.com.

Katy Cawkwell in the poster for Lilith at Rise@Bluebird Bakery

“Shocking, seductive and entertaining” show of the week: Katy Cawkwell in Lilith, Rise@Bluebird Bakery, Acomb, York, October 1, 8.30pm

BEFORE Eve, there was Lilith, as revealed in Katy Cawkwell’s uplifting one-woman storytelling showin an exploration and celebration of female power through the mythological figure of Adam’s first wife.

Lilith was not prepared to lie down and accept what was given to her. Thrown out of Eden, she slithered back in to take her revenge and wake up Eve to what her body could do.

“Viewed as a demon, worshipped as a goddess, adored as the Queen of Sheba, Lilith slips out of the Bible, reclaims the narrative and is dancing with us still, forever free,” says Cawkwell, who mixes myth from Arabia, Ethiopia, Mesopotamia and Jewish tradition with a dash of feminist flavouring and a large dollop of her own wild dreaming. Box office: bluebirdbakery.co.uk/rise.

Ben Portsmouth: Presenting This Is Elvis with the Taking Care Of Elvis Band at York Barbican

Tribute gig of the week: Ben Portsmouth: This Is Elvis, York Barbican,  October 2, 7.30pm

REGARDED as the “closest living performer to the legendary Elvis Presley”, Ben Portsmouth has enjoyed success in more than 20 countries and became the first European to be crowned by Elvis Presley Enterprises as the Worldwide Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist in Memphis in 2012.

This Is Elvis takes an immersive journey through Presley’s greatest hits from his rockabilly roots to the dazzling Las Vegas years in the company of Portsmouth and the Taking Care Of Elvis Band.  Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

In Focus: Say Owt Slam, featuring Kirsty Taylor and KG, The Crescent, York, tonight, 7.30pm to 10pm

Bradford writer and educator Kirsty Taylor. Picture: Carolyn Mendelsohn

SAY Owt, York’s loveable gang of loveable gang of performance poets, brings the best working-class poets and rappers from Bradford tonight to complement the Say Owt Slam clash of the verbals.

“Since 2014, we’ve hosted high-energy nights of words and verse, bringing together poets, musicians, spoken-word artists, rappers and anyone with a story to tell,” says artistic director Henry Raby.

“We’re always proud of our line-ups, but this could be our most exciting parade of poets yet. It wouldn’t be possible without buzzy audiences showing up and being loud and demanding more and more shows! And it wouldn’t be a Say Owt season without a poetry slam!”

Henry continues: “Say Owt Slam is an energetic battle of words where judges in the audience score the poets and the top-scoring poet is crowned Say Owt Slam champion at the end of the night. Tonight, as well as a top crop of York poets, we have slammers from Glasgow, Manchester and Halifax hoping to win the competition.”

Kemmi Gill: Rapper, poet and youth worker

Tonight’s bill also features  two guests from guests from  Bradford, Kirsty Taylor and KG (Kemmi Gill). “Kirsty is a writer and educator inspired by her beloved home city of Bradford,” says Henry. “She is passionate about storytelling through poetry and has performed all over the country telling tales about people, class and the realities of Broken Britain.”

Taylor was a BBC Verb New Voice in 2017 and was awarded the Apples and Snakes & Jerwood Arts Poetry in Performance award in 2020. She is the creator of Front Room Poetry, which takes nanna-style living rooms and world-class poets to unusual settings such as car parks and housing estates.

Kirsty opened Bradford’s year as UK City of Culture 2025 in January last year when she performed her words to 20,000 people over the first weekend.

KG (Kemmi Gill) is a Bradford-born rapper, poet and youth worker, hailed by Wordplay Magazine as “one of the sharpest lyricists” in the UK rap scene. “Kemmi combines lyrical storytelling and wordplay to explore themes of struggle and hope and has contributed writing and performance work to major civic projects, such as  the open-air spectacular Rise and Common/Wealth’s sell-out show Public Interest,” says Henry.

To book tickets, go to: sayowt.co.uk

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Shed Seven add instore shows after speedy sell-outs as new single The Centre of My Everything adds strings to their bow

Selling fast: Shed Seven’s instore tour itinerary

“WE are lost for words,” say Shed Seven. “Most of our January instore shows sold out in seconds.”

Their reaction? “We’re absolutely blown away. Thank you so much to everyone who bought an album and is coming along to celebrate with us. It genuinely means the world.

“The response has been so incredible that we’ve managed to add extra matinee performances: January 8, Rough Trade, Bristol; January 10, Rough Trade East London; January 11, Rough Trade, Nottingham, and January 12, Wax & Beans, Bury.”

The York band’s statement continues: “A very small number of tickets remain for HMV in-stores in Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow. If you missed out first time around, now’s your chance…

“We loved every minute of our last record shop tour and, after that response, we already know these are going to be something special.”

Tickets for the Sheds’ instore tour of stripped-back performances and signings went on sale at 10am this morning. Entry is available by pre-ordering a copy of January 8 2027’s new album, Shed Seven, from the selected retailer hosting each event at https://s7.lnk.to/s7instores.

To coincide with the ticket launch, the Sheds have released new single The Centre Of My Everything, ahead of next year’s arrival of their self-titled seventh studio album on Cooking Vinyl. Pre-orders can be made at https://s7.lnk.to/shedseven.

This follows the album’s lead single, Stand Together, a “muscular, sky-scraping” song that was added quickly to radio playlists. Now, The Centre Of My Everything shows another side of the upcoming album, calling on sweeping strings and a rousing chorus to deliver “one of the most widescreen songs of their career”.

Lead singer Rick Witter comments on the feeling behind the song: “That feeling when love is all there is, when two are entwined as one, when nothing else matters apart from the other, when you can’t imagine a life lived alone, when you truly think of someone as being The Centre Of My Everything.” Listen to the track at https://s7.lnk.to/myeverythingPR.

The Sheds originally announced Up Close & Intimate Album Release Tour 2027 dates at: Rough Trade, Bristol, January 8; Vinolo, Southampton (matinee), January 9; Rough Trade East, London, January 10; Rough Trade, Nottingham, January 11; Wax & Beans, Bury, January 12; Jacaranda, Liverpool, January 13; HMV Vault, Birmingham, January 14; HMV, Manchester, January 15, and HMV, Glasgow, January 16. Now the new shows have been added, as highlighted above.

Matinee idols: Shed Seven are adding more shows to their instore tour

This is the state of play on Shed Seven’s 2026 shows:

A Maximum High live dates

Oct 15 – Birmingham O2 Institute

Oct 16 – Kingston Circuit – SOLD OUT

Oct 17 – London Scala – SOLD OUT

Oct  29 – Northampton Roadmender – SOLD OUT

Oct  30 – Manchester Academy 2 – SOLD OUT

Oct 31 – Glasgow Barrowland – SOLD OUT

SHEDCEMBER X 2026 live dates

Nov 12 – Nottingham Rock City – LOW TICKETS

Nov 13 – Nottingham Rock City – SOLD OUT

Nov 14 – Birmingham O2 Academy 1 – SOLD OUT

Nov 16 – Blackburn King George’s Hall

Nov 17 – Norwich The Nick Rayns LCR, UEA – LOW TICKETS

Nov 19 – Aberdeen Music Hall – LOW TICKETS

Nov 20 – Glasgow O2 Academy – SOLD OUT

Nov 21 – Edinburgh Usher Hall – LOW TICKETS

Nov 23 – Leicester O2 Academy 1

Nov 24 – Brighton Dome

Nov 26 – Cardiff University Great Hall

Nov 27 – Sheffield Octagon – SOLD OUT

Nov 28 – Newcastle O2 City Hall – SOLD OUT

Nov 30 – Cambridge Corn Exchange – LOW TICKETS

Dec 1 – Bristol Beacon – LOW TICKETS

Dec 3- Stockton Globe

Dec 4 – Liverpool Uni The Mountford Hall – LOW TICKETS

Dec 5 – Manchester O2 Apollo – SOLD OUT

Dec 7- Lincoln Engine Shed

Dec 8 – Stoke-On-Trent Victoria Hall

Dec 10 – Bournemouth O2 Academy

Dec 11 – London O2 Brixton Academy – SOLD OUT

Dec 12 – Leeds O2 Academy – SOLD OUT

Dec 13 – Leeds O2 Academy – LOW TICKETS

The track listing for Shed Seven’s Shed Seven album will be: Stand Together; The Fifth Amendment; The Centre Of My Everything; Lost In Space (featuring Lotte Witter); Winter; We Got The Love (featuring Elles Bailey); What Becomes Of The Ones You Left Behind; Can’t Help It; Let The Good Times Roll and Drifting.

The Sheds will be seeking to match their achievements in 2024, when they topped the album charts for the first time in January that year with A Matter Of Time, followed only ten months later by a second number one with Liquid Gold, placing them alongside artists such as The Beatles, Elton John and David Bowie in notching two UK number one albums within a single calendar year.

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Velma Celli finds two new homes in York for drag diva delights at JoRo and Silver Spur

Velma Celli: Heading to Joseph Rowntree Theatre on October 18

YORK vocal drag act deluxe and international multi-award winning cabaret superstar Velma Cell is on the move to a new location for her camp, spectacular song and comedy home-city shows.

“My first ever show with a dance solo as a kid was at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, so I thought it would be fun to go back there,” says Velma’s creator, actor and West End star Ian Stroughair, who will be presenting The Velma Celli Show at the JoRo on October 18 with special guest Jessica Steel and guitarists Stuart Allan and Olly Chilton.

“My last two shows at York Theatre Royal – Snow Queen and Rock Queen – had been among my favourites, so next month’s show will be a mixture of Snow Queen and Rock Queen and musical theatre material.”

Ian continues: “The first set will be musical theatre favourites, songs from my career in West End musicals – Cats, Fame, Chicago and Rent – and an homage to Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand. In the second set we’ll rock out with York. There’ll be songs by David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, Bryan Adams, Bonnie Tyler…

Velma Celli and special guest Jessica Steel

“I was supposed to be doing a cruise show with Bonnie, but that couldn’t happen [after her passing in July].”

Velma Celli’s rock repertoire also will take in Guns N’ Roses’ Sweet Child O’ Mine,  rock songs re-imagined as power ballads and a rock revamp of Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game. “There’ll be some Roxette, some Alanis Morissette, possibly Ironic, from Jagged Little Pill, which has to be one of the greatest albums ever. I’ll probably do the Alanis number as a duet with Jessica.”

October 18’s audience should expect one more ingredient. “There’ll be a Dolly Parton section too – there has to be,” says Ian.

Velma Celli has another October engagement in the diary, appearing as the master of ceremonies at the Yorktoberfest Beer Festival for the sixth successive year, this time in its new Big Top tent in the Clocktower Enclosure at York Racecourse on October 16, 17, 23 and 24.

In the pink: Velma Celli launching Country Drag Brunch at Silver Spur Saloon Bar tomorrow

“I’ll be doing six appearances,” says Ian. “I’m going to be in butch German lesbian mode as usual, singing my hit song Das Ist Gut, Ja! There’ll be plenty of sausage, lots of audience participation, and of course alcohol – and we’ll be joined by a fabulous oompah band, The Bavarian Strollers, to fill in the gaps between me.”

Velma, the only drag queen to appear in both EastEnders and Coronation Street, has found another new home too, switching the Bottomless Drag Brunch from Impossible York to The Silver Spur, the Nashville-inspired, cowboy-themed saloon bar and restaurant in Bridge Street. “We’re going country, rock, pop and bottomless [drinks], with food and Velma in pink,” says Ian, whose first brunch with a country & western theme will be at 1pm to 3pm tomorrow (26/9/2026).

“I hosted a show at the O2 in London in June last year for Flight Centre, the travel agents, with a Day-Glo Rodeo theme, so I learned a lot of country material for that. Now country music is really in, here in York, with the opening of the Silver Spur, followed by Ruby Rae’s Bar.  

“Dolly Parton’s songs will be heavily featured, along with Shania Twain, LeAnn Rimes, Kelly Clarkson, Beyonce’s country songs and Miley Cyrus.”

The Velma Celli Show, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, October 18, 6pm. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk. Yorktoberfest, yorktoberfest.co.uk/entertainment. Country Drag Brunch with Velma Celli, Silver Spur Saloon Bar, York, tomorrow, 1pm to 3pm; silver-spur.co.uk. 

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Season announcement of the week: The Old Paint Shop, York Theatre Royal Studio

Portuguese jazz singer Raquel Alvaro: Performing with The Jazzville Quintet on October 24

YORK Theatre Royal Studio will be transformed into The Old Paint Shop cabaret club once more for an autumn season of 13 shows spanning spoken word to vibraphone, burlesque to anarchic bingo from October 7 to 24.

As ever, seating will be cabaret club style and unreserved, offering a unique theatrical experience where you can “grab a drink at the bar, sit back, relax and enjoy the show in York’s most exciting nightspot”.

Here are the acts in store:

October 7, Vibe-ology

LED by John Settle’s vibraphone, underpinned by blazing Hammond Organ, soulful drums and Al Morrison’s guitar, York quartet Vibe-ology play jazz, blues, funk and Latin.   

Collectively, band members have worked Corinne Bailey, Rae, the New Mastersounds, Haggis Horns, Martina Topley-Bird, New York Brass Band, Larry Carlton, Alan Barnes, Dennis Rollins and countless others. Expect an eclectic programme from four of the north’s busiest players.

October 8, Evolution Of Fishermen

BROUGHT together by a mutual love of storytelling, harmony and original folk songs in 2021,  contemporary folk band Evolution Of have played venues such as Green Note, O2 Academy Islington, Old Blue Last in London and The Crescent in York. They have appeared at festivals such as Wilderness, Deer Shed, Gate To Southwell, LOOP Fest and Sam Lee’s The NEST stage at Medicine Festival too.

October 9, Boogaloo Stu presents Big Squiffy Bingo

BOOGALO Stu is “altogether completely ridiculous, simply fabulous and utterly idiotic” as he hosts a night of gloriously playful and anarchic bingo where utter filth, joyous fun and flashmob dances collide.

“You’ll get non-stop nonsense, outrageous antics, buttock-clenching workouts, hilarious prizes and some very ballsy bingo to boot,” promises Stu, whose gift hamper will be stuffed to the brim with all manner of exotic prizes. “So come on down and win it big!”

October 10, Beverley Beirne Quartet

JAZZ singer Beverley Beirne has performed at leading clubs throughout the UK and Europe. For this performance, she brings with her two highly regarded jazz musicians from the London scene, pianist John Crawford and double bassist Andy Hamill, along with northern drummer Steve Hanley.

October 14, Henry Raby, Hope and Anger

YORK punk poet and Say Owt supremo Henry Raby wrestles through the twin emotions of hope and anger with a spoken-word cocktail of poetry and comedy as he seeks to understand the righteous and the rotten. “Come and share in fist-clenched frustration and celebrate examples of the world, and the heartfelt people in it, at their shiniest and brightest,” says Henry.

October 15, Hannah Rowe

NORTHERN silky vocalist Hannah Rowe will be backed by her ten-piece band at The Old Paint Shop on the first stop of her autumn tour. Described as Yorkshire’s answer to Raye and Olivia Dean, she is a standout in the independent music scene, gracing stages at Tramlines, Truck, Y Not and Victorious Festival with her jazz-infused soulful sound and timeless writing.

October 16, Freida Nipples presents…The Exhibitionists

JOIN York’s own internationally award-winning burlesque artist Freida Nipples as she welcomes some of her favourite and most fabulous performance artists from across the UK and further afield to The Old Paint Shop.

“From burlesque to drag and beyond, be sure to expect the unexpected,” says Freida. “Only a few things are guaranteed: glamour, gags and giggles. Get ready to explore the world of The Exhibitionists.”

October 17, Alligator Gumbo

THE seven-piece Alligator Gumbo 7-piece play jazz from the heyday of the New Orleans swing/jazz era, in particular the “Roaring Twenties”, when music was raw and largely improvised with melodies and solos happening simultaneously.

Performing extensively for more than ten years, Alligator Gumbo have made numerous appearances at international jazz festivals and clubs throughout the country, establishing themselves as favourites on the British jazz scene.

October 20, Coming Out Scratch Night

THIS sparkling one-off night of new LGBTQ+ performances by actors, poets and writers features eight stories in various styles, each exploring the highs (and occasional lows) of coming out.

The show is produced by Yorkshire queer touring theatre company Roots, winners of an Edinburgh Fringe First award for Happy Meal, with all proceeds going towards their support of new local artists.

October 21, Pen and Stu – Folk!

MODERN folk duo Pen and Stu play original contemporary folk with BIG whistles, tenor guitars and an assortment of other instruments. Their songs, written by Pen and arranged by Stu, tell stories of famous characters from history and folklore, heroes, villains and pirate queens.

Their Folk! show comprises plenty of wonderful traditional and original tunes and songs, including unreleased tracks and favourite folk covers.

October 22, (Fool)ish Improv: About Time

YORKSHIRE improvisers Fool(ish), return to The Old Paint Shop to deliver their usual comedic chaos inspired by you, the audience. “Together, we will rewrite the history of York by travelling through time, ignoring the experts and rediscovering what really makes York tick,” they say.

“Unvictorious Vikings, Random Romans, Wandering Wizards and brand-new ghost stories (that you wish had stayed buried) all combine in this unlikely history instantly improvised in the present moment. About Time is the time-travelling improv comedy show powered by laughter and inviting you to play with our past.”

October 23, Say Owt Showcase

THE Say Owt Showcase evening of poetry, music and comedy veers from the righteous to the raucous to the heartfelt and back again, brought to you by the same gobby gang that have been proudly packing out The Crescent for years.

Veterans of the Edinburgh Fringe and highly commended in the York Culture Awards, let Hannah Davies, Stu Freestone, Jarmouse and Henry Raby entertain you.

October 24, The Jazzville Quintet with Raquel Alvaro and Alec Robinson

AFTER two sold-out shows at The Old Paint Shop, The Jazzville Quintet return for a joyful celebration of Latin, swing and haunting jazz ballads, led by the fabulous Portuguese jazz songbird, Raquel Alvaro.

A graduate of Leeds Conservatoire, Raquel is adept at many styles of singing, embracing classical, Fado and all styles of jazz. Joining Raquel is piano maestro, arranger and composer, Alec Robinson, her fellow Leeds Conservatoire graduate, alongside saxophone star, Alex Fisher, Chris Sykes on drums and Tim Murgatroyd on double bass.

All shows start at 8pm apart from Coming Out Scratch Night at 7pm. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

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National Centre for Early Music goes global for autumn season opening on Sept 27

Denys Baptiste: Teaming up with Tomorrow’s Warriors band leader and double bass player Gary Crosby in an all-star quartet for A Love Supreme on November 25

THE National Centre for Early Music’s autumn season presents a host of artists from across the world at St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York.

Opening the season on September 27 will be Irish singer and bouzouki and mandola player  Andy Irvine, “ a tradition in himself” after 60 years of telling tales and making music. Joining him on the 6.30pm bill will be the award-winning Swedish folk band Quilty, celebrating their 30th anniversary.

Described by the late Jeff Beck as “the best guitarist in the world” and by Pat Metheny as “one of the most awesome solo guitar players in history”, fingerstyle player Martin Taylor returns to the NCEM on October 4 at 6.30pm.

Six decades into his career, his new solo show, Standards, celebrates the golden age of jazz through evocative arrangements of tunes from the Great American Songbook.

Polish-Belarusian band Hajda Banda: Rural music performed on acoustic village instruments on October 9. Picture: Michal Kalita

On October 9, the NCEM teams up with Songlines to present Polish-Belarusian band Hajda Banda, who specialise in traditional dances from eastern Poland’s Podlaise region, the western provinces of Belarus and the wetlands of Polesye, a cultural crossroads on the Poland-Ukraine- Belarus border. Audience members will be encouraged to dance, if they wish, to rural music performed on acoustic village instruments.

City Of Poets’ concert on October 10 reunites musicians across the Soviet-Chinese divide through an exploration of the maqam-based classical repertoire of the Central Asian Uzbek and Uyghur peoples. A group of players from different sides of the border, led by Abror Zufarov and Saniyem Ismail, focus on the works of 17th century mystic poet and wandering dervish Baba Rahim Mashrab, whose poetry continues to inspire musicians on both sides of the divide.

Grammy Award winners Tim Garland, mezzo-soprano saxophone, and Geoffrey Keezer, piano, return to the NCEM on October 12 with their new duet album Mezzo, recorded in a single, five-hour session in New York, capturing the intensity, fearless creativity and breathtaking interplay of their 25-year musical partnership.

The concert will begin at 7.20pm with a performance by York Music Forum young jazz players  after they worked with Garland and Keezer earlier in the day.

Fiddlers at the double: Grace Smith and Sam Sweeney, playing the NCEM on October 25. Picture: Kate Griffin

Revered English folk acoustic and slide guitar player Martin Simpson plays solo on October 20, combining passion, sorrow, love, beauty, tragedy and majesty in his performance after 32 nominations over the 18 years of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. His new album, Some Kind Of Jubilee, arrives on September 25 on Topic Records, marking 50 years since the release of his debut, Golden Vanity.

Bellowhead alumnus Sam Sweeney joins fellow fiddler Grace Smith at the NCEM for the first time on October 25 at 6.30pm. Rooted in tradition, yet constantly pushing boundaries, they bring a shared passion for reimagining archive material, championing new compositions and creating music both authentic and forward-looking.

Northern Silents presents Curtis Bernhardt’s 1929 German silent film The Woman Men Yearn For with a live music score performed by pianist Jonny Best on October 28. Marlene Dietrich ignites the screen in a tale of danger and desire, wherein Henri marries a wealthy heiress to save the family business , but on the eve of his honeymoon, he glimpses a mysterious woman through a frosted train window. Once their eyes meet, a chain of  passion and betrayal hurtles towards disaster.

Based in London, She’Koyokh arrive at the NCEM on November 1 at 6.30pm with a line-up as diverse as their music-making. Their members hail from Turkey, Serbia, Spain and the UK: three are graduates from London’s Royal Academy of Music; two are esteemed jazz players; accordionist Zivorad Nikolic is among Serbia’s finest exponents of traditional folklore; singer Cigdem Aslan is a celebrity in the world of rembetiko music and Susi Evans is a queen of the klezmer clarinet. Together they perform  the folk music traditions of Jewish Eastern Europe, Turkey and the Balkans.

She’Koyokh: Performing folk music traditions of Jewish Eastern Europe, Turkey and the Balkans on November 1

Led by composer, musician and visionary James Lascelles, now returned to the Harewood estate, Talking Spirits play a blend of world-jazz, folk and Caribbean grooves on November 11. Between them, the band members have performed, recorded and collaborated with avant-garde luminary Frank Zappa, pioneering violinist L Shankar, the rock theatricality of Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel and the soulful Joan Armatrading.

Presented by Nava Arts, on November 14, the soulful voice of Samin Ghorbani, the enchanting shurangiz of composer Vahid Taremi and the electronics, clarinet and modern arrangements of Rouzbeh Esfand bring to York what the Persian trio calls “the sound of their shadows from a Trembling Land”, drawn together from three separate cities across Europe.

The Instituto Cervantes, in Manchester, and Iberian and Latin American Music Society link up with the NCEM to present a 7.30pm concert on November 17 and workshop from 1.30pm to 5.30pm on November 22. First up, Spanish soprano Lorena Paz Nieto and British-Hispanic pianist Helen Glaisher-Hernandez present The Secret Art, featuring Spanish and Latin American art song as conceived by beguiling women composers.

Then, as part of The Secret Art: Mujeres Presentes project, the inimitable Odaline de la Martinez leads a half-day Sunday workshop focusing on the sounds of 17th-century Mexican convents, Afro-Cuban beats and the rhythms of the Rio Carnival. The workshop will finish with a short run-through for family and friends at 5pm. Places must be booked by November 8.

Odaline de la Martin: Hosting workshop on November 22. Picture: Malcolm Crowther

King Kong directors Merian C Cooper and Ernest B Schoedsack’s epic 1925 silent film Grass, a documentary about the heroic annual migration of the nomadic Bakhtiari tribes of Iran, will be accompanied by a live performance by Iranian pianist and composer Peyman Yazdanivan, joined by Adib Rostami on kamancheh and tonbak, on November 24.

Mercury Prize-nominated saxophonist Denys Baptiste and Tomorrow’s Warriors band leader and co-founder, double bass player Gary Crosby, lead an all-star quartet for A Love Supreme, a 60th anniversary celebration of John Coltrane’s jazz masterpiece,  on November 25.

The 7.20pm concert will begin with a 20-minute performance by York Music Forum young players after a workshop with band members earlier in the day.

Each December since a one-off pilot in 2015, “festive folk supergroup” A Winter Union reconvene to share their joyous Christmas party around the country, complementing reimagined winter classics from both sides of the Atlantic with little-known Yuletide gems and songs direct from the pens of the songwriting quintet of Jade Rhiannon (from The Willows), Katriona Gilmore and Jamie Roberts (from Gilmore & Roberts) and Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage. On December 12, they make their NCEM debut.

National Centre for Early Music director Delma Tomlin

By way of contrast, Awake Arise make their fourth visit on December 18 to present A Christmas Show For Our Times. Lady Maisery members Hannah James, Rowan Rheingans and Hazel Askew will be joined by Jimmy Aldridge and Sid Goldsmith to celebrate winter traditions and reflect on how the hope and resilience in music and song can bring joy in the darkest season.

Looking forward to the autumn season, NCEM director Delma Tomlin says: “It’s partly serendipitous that so many are on tour, but I’m extremely pleased at the quality of the names and also by the mix of world music artists drawn from all over the globe.

“It means so much to us to continue to share this cultural world with York at this introspective time, whether from Persia or Spain, with our relationship with the Spanish Embassy bringing in acts.

“The Polish-Belarusian band Hajda Banda are a bit of a wild-card that came through a recommendation from my friends at Songlines, and so we decided to book them for the first time. They’re a dancing band, so we’ll need room at the edges because you’ll be encouraged to dance to this Polish high-energy music. Off you go!”

Tickets for the autumn season are on sale on 01904 658338 or at ncem.co.uk. Events start at 7.30pm unless stated otherwise.

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Gig announcement of the week: The Jesus And Mary Chain and The Psychedelic Furs, Leeds O2 Academy, January 19 2027

The Psychedelic Furs, left, and The Jesus And Mary Chain’s Jim and William Reid

THE Jesus And Mary Chain and The Psychedelic Furs will open their 2027 co-headline tour at Leeds O2 Academy on January 19.

Tickets for these post-punk titans’ eight-date head-to-head tour will go on sale at 10am on Friday at https://www.aegpresents.co.uk/event/the-jesus-and-mary-chain-the-psychedelic-furs/.

Masterminded by East Kilbride brothers Jim and William Reid in 1983, The Jesus And Mary Chain transformed alternative music with their noisy, feedback-heavy yet melodic sound, announced by their influential 1985 debut Psychocandy.

From their chaotic performances to their distinctive style, the Scottish siblings inspired the shoegaze genre.  Reuniting in 2007, The Jesus And Mary Chain have continued to tour and record, releasing their Top Ten-charting eighth studio album, Glasgow Eyes, in 2024.

The poster for The Jesus And Mary Chain and The Psychedelic Furs’ co-headline tour next January

Formed by brothers Richard and Tim Butler in London in 1977, The Psychedelic Furs redefined the meaning of punk and art rock. Landmark 1981 album Talk Talk Talk brought major recognition, topped by the single Pretty In Pink featuring in John Hughes’s 1986 film of the same title.

The Furs reunited after a 1990s’ hiatus and have continued touring and recording, releasing Made Of Rain in 2020.

The Jesus And Mary Chain and The Psychedelic Furs toured together previously in the United States in 2024. Their 2027 travels will take in Leeds O2 Academy, January 19; Edinburgh Usher Hall, January 20; Glasgow O2 Academy, January 22; Manchester Academy, January 23; Bristol Beacon, January 25; Birmingham O2 Academy, January 26; Brighton Dome, January 28, and London British Airways ARC, January 29.

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What’s On in Ryedale, York and beyond. Hutch’s List No. 39, from Gazette & Herald

David Essex: Playing York Barbican and Hull Connexin Live this week

FROM David Essex’s night of memories to the terrors of Paranormal Activity, Tony Blackburn’s Sixties’ celebration to Dirt Road Band’s blues, Charles Hutchinson heads into a fruitful autumn.

Still rocking on: David Essex, Thanks For The Memories, York Barbican, tomorrow, doors 7pm; Hull Connexin Live, Friday, doors 6.30pm

SINGER, composer and actor David Essex, now 79, is into the last week of his 21-date Thanks For The Memories tour, celebrating his 55-year career that began with playing Jesus in the London premiere of Godspell in 1971.

Essex has notched 19 Top 40 hits in the UK alone, such as the Grammy-nominated Rock On, Lamplight, Gonna Make You A Star, Stardust, Hold Me Close, Oh What A Circus, Silver Dream Machine, A Winter’s Tale and Tahiti. Box office: York, yorkbarbican.co.uk; Hull, connexinlivehull.com.

Dirt Road Band: “Punchy blues rock music to make your heart beat faster”

Blues gig of the week: Ryedale Blues Club presents Dirt Road Band, Milton Rooms, Malton, tomorrow, 8pm

THE Dirt Road Band’s line-up of Steve Walwyn, guitar and vocals, Horace Panter, bass, and Ted Duggan, drums, play hard, punchy blues rock music to make your heart beat faster.

Walwyn spent 32 years in Dr Feelgood; Panter was a founding member of The Specials and Duggan has played with Banco de Gaia and Badfinger. They began Dirt Road Band  as a side project five years ago, since when it has moved centre stage with the album release of Righteous in 2024. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.

Peter Brush: Quirky one-liners and original routines at Hilarity Bites Comedy Club

Ryedale comedy gig of the week: Hilarity Bites Comedy Club, Milton Rooms, Malton, Friday, 8pm

FRIDAY’S bill comprises Peter Brush, Pete Selwood and Al Stevenson. Brush,  a deft writer of finely crafted jokes, takes to the stage unassumingly with his slight, bespectacled frame and scruffy hair to deliver quirky one-liners and original routines in an amusingly awkward fashion.

Yorkshireman Selwood focuses on tales of northern life, while being born with only one hand gives him a unique experience of the world around him, as he pokes fun at having a disability in modern Britain. Stevenson is a  quick-witted Newcastle cheeky charmer who has hosted The Stand Comedy Club in his home city. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.

Mayhem, madness and muppetry of the week: Riding Lights Theatre Company presents Right Here Right Now!, Helmsley Arts Centre, Friday, 7.30pm

YORK company Riding Lights goes on the road to Helmsley with its improvised show Right Here Right Now!, promising “no script, no clue, all chaos”. You bring the ideas for the   merry band of improvisers to turn them into high-speed comedy, using witty games and gags to bring side-splitting stories to life. Cue joy-filled nonsense and feel-good fun for the family. Who wins the comedy crown? You decide! Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.

Infectious pop punk covers of the week: Captain Clap & The Burning Sensations, Milton Rooms, Malton, Saturday, 7.30pm

SOME years ago three men, all old enough to know better, decided the time was right to play pop punk, only missing the genre’s peak by a couple of decades. Since then, they have been bringing covers, bad jokes and loud, lively nights to pubs and clubs around Yorkshire, playing festivals and organising fundraisers too. “Expect pop punk classics, scene anthems and inappropriate song choices,” they say. Mooch support. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.

The Jake Leg Jug Band: Songs of murder, betrayal, gambling, liquor and redemption at Kirk Theatre, Pickering

Ragtime gig of the week: The Jake Leg Jug Band, Kirk Theatre, Pickering, Saturday, 7.30pm

THE Jake Leg Jug Band delivers the authentic sounds of 1920s and 1930s’ America – jazz, blues, ragtime and gospel – in songs of murder, betrayal, gambling, liquor and redemption.

Since self-releasing debut album Cotton Mouth, Duncan Wilcox, vocals and double bass, and Warren James,  vocals, guitar and banjo, have released a further eight albums in 12 years, among them Next Stop!, Everythin’s Jake, Break A Leg, Fifth Avenue, Goodbye Booze, Hello Central and 2024’s spirituals collection Some Glad Morning. Box office: kirktheatre.co.uk.

Eighties’ double bill of the week: Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey and Blancmange, York Barbican, Saturday, doors 6.30pm

REMEMBER the Thompson Twins, makers of such 1980s’ hits as Hold Me Now, Doctor Doctor, In the Name Of Love, Love On Your Side, If You Were Here, Lies, Lay Your Hands On Me and King For A Day. Tom Bailey, the Sheffield-founded group’s lead vocalist and instrumentalist, now performs under the name Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey, revisiting his past and showcasing debut solo album Science Fiction.

On Saturday, he closes his autumn tour at York Barbican, the only Yorkshire location on his 14-date itinerary, when fellow 1980s’ chart act Blancmange support. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Psychological thriller of the week: Paranormal Activity, Grand Opera House, York, September 29 to October 3, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Wednesday and Saturday matinees

IN a new story inspired by the worldwide horror phenomenon, Paranormal Activity is directed by immersive theatre pioneer and Punchdrunk artistic director Felix Barrett and written by Levi Holloway, the playwright behind Broadway hit Grey House.

When James and Lou move from Chicago to London to escape their past, soon they discover that places are not haunted, but people are. Can you hold your nerve in the face of this chilling production on its first British and Irish tour? Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

The poster for Sounds Of The 60’s Live at York Barbican

Sixties’ celebration of the week: Sounds Of The 60’s Live, hosted by Tony Blackburn, York Barbican, September 29, 7.30pm

BBC Radio 2 presenter Tony Blackburn hosts an evening of stories and songs from “perhaps the most iconic ten years in music, fashion and popular culture” on the Sounds Of The 60’s tour, 62 years since his first broadcast on pirate radio station Radio Caroline South in 1964.

The Sounds Of The 60’s All Star Band and Singers perform hits by The Everly Brothers, Elvis Presley, The Drifters, Marvin Gaye, a Rolling Stones medley, The Walker Brothers, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Stevie Wonder and more besides. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

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REVIEW: Steve Crowther’s verdict on York Chamber Music Festival 2026, Beethoven and Brahms String Quintets, St Olave’s Church, Marygate, York, September 13

Tim Lowe: York Chamber Music Festival director and cellist

THE closing concert of the York Chamber Music Festival 2026 programme by festival artists Charlotte Scott and Tim Crawford, violin, Simone van der Giessen and Lilli Maijala, viola, and Tim Lowe, cello, opened with a rare outing for Beethoven’s impressive String Quintet in C Major, Op 29.

Although there was much to admire, the ensemble seemed out of sorts. To be sure, the extra viola gave the middle register added warmth and the tempo was well judged, but they didn’t seem to be quite in the zone.

This was occasionally apparent in the technically demanding outer reaches of Beethoven’s writing, where intonation was less secure, particularly in the first and third movements. The players took a short tuning break after the opening Allegro moderato, and the Adagio molto espressivo which followed was much more assured.

Here, the playing had warmth, and indeed, depth. The phrasing was clean and the two violas gave the timbre a rich, velvety quality. The third-movement Scherzo: Allegro had rhythmic bite and the sudden dynamic contrasts were convincing. I enjoyed the closing Presto.

The players clearly relished the fast passages, the central five-part fugato was clearly articulated, and the call-and-response episode was beautifully played.

Brahms’s String Quintet in F major, Op. 88 was an altogether more rewarding experience. The Allegro non troppo ma con brio was notable for the expressive opening first-violin theme: fine playing by Charlotte Scott, the resonant viola solos by the impressive Lilli Maijala and the energy and clarity of the often dense contrapuntal texture. The ending was just lovely.

Contrapuntal clarity and rhythmic drive were the memorable takeaways of the Allegro energico – Presto final movement. The performers were on fire as they responded to Brahms’s accelerating contrapuntal energy. Thrilling.

However, it was their performance of the central Grave ed appassionato that provided the concert highlight. The movement itself combined and integrated elements of both the slow movement and the scherzo. The opening Grave was very dark, a timbre created by the exploitation of the two violas and cello. It really is a unique sound.

Their delivery of the lighter, dancing Allegretto vivace was spot on: crisp articulation, pizzicato exchanges and even – dare I say it – evidence that Brahms actually had a sense of fun. The return of the weighty Grave was very well judged – the changes of colour very striking.

Despite some performance uncertainties, cellist Tim Lowe not only anchored the playing but also, in doing so, provided a reassuring sense of security. His contribution was vital throughout the programme.

Review by Steve Crowther

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REVIEW: Steve Crowther’s verdict on Academy of St Olave’s, Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn Autumn Concert, St Olave’s Church, York, September 19

Violinist Jacob George

SATURDAY’S programme opened with Beethoven’s early Octet in Eb, Op. 103 scored for pairs of oboes, clarinets, horns and bassoons.

This proved to be an inspired choice as the players – with no place to hide – delivered an utterly assured performance of a showcase Beethoven work.

The first movement was notable for the excellent solo playing of the principal oboist, Alexandra Nightingale. Importantly, this being very much genuine chamber music, the interest derives from integration with the rest of the ensemble.

This resulted in delightful exchanges between the bassoon, clarinet and oboe. Even the horns had the chance to join the fun towards the end of the movement.

The following Andante came across as a touching duet between the oboe and bassoon (Isabel Dowell). Their intimate exchanges were beautifully delivered, and the rest of the ensemble had the good grace not to intrude. The balance and phrasing were spot on.

The Menuetto e Trio was full of energy and wit – the contrasting Trio delivering the change of mood and colour with the clarinet more prominent. In the Finale: Presto Beethoven gives everybody the chance to show off, and they did.

Here the clarinet takes the leading role from the earlier oboe – Lesley Schatzberger being on fine form and so too the horns. The writing here is particularly demanding and the horn players – Mark Sykes and Tim Pocock – were very good indeed.

What struck me when listening to the work was how democratic Beethoven’s writing was. The hierarchy of the ensemble constantly changed: from principal oboe to oboe and bassoon duet, then ensemble equality to clarinet and horn prominence in the finale.

The second half was given over to Haydn’s radical Symphony No.104 in D major, London. This really is a remarkable work, and I thoroughly enjoyed the Academy’s confident performance. The fortissimo opening – bare fifths (D and A) – delivered that monumental quality, reminiscent of Beethoven’s Ninth.

The atmosphere generated was tonally unsettling; there is a strings-plus-first-bassoon response before the Adagio settles in D minor. The quiet Allegro saw the strings in confident mood, providing a strong performance platform for the woodwind to join in. Indeed, the recapitulation was sung by the flute and oboe. Fascinating listening.

There was much to admire in the following Andante – the simplicity of the opening G major theme; Becky Jobling’s solo flute with delicate woodwind support; the shocking fortissimo orchestral cut-through with syncopated rhythms and agitated strings; the short flute cadenza and the gentle horn fanfare near the end of the movement.

But what really drew me in was the infectious playing which, at times, was so, so seductive. Those gorgeous lilting cadence passages were delightful.

Similarly, it was the joyous sound of the rustic third-movement Menuetto which drew you in. There were fine oboe and bassoon contributions in the contrasting, gentler, chamber-like Trio.

With its drone bass and rustic, folk-like violin theme, the finale once again seems to anticipate Beethoven and here the pastoral language of his Symphony No. 6. Again, the playing was so instinctively infectious that I saw many audience heads nodding to the beat of the music.

The success of the performance not only depended on the quality of the playing, which was pretty impressive throughout, but also on the pacing, the integration of the orchestral grandeur and chamber-music intimacy. For this, Director Alan George deserves much credit.

This leads me nicely into the central work in the programme, Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante in Eb, K. 364, where he swapped his baton for the viola to duel with Jacob George on violin.

As if to contradict this, the two players emerged out of a substantial opening orchestral introduction as partners, complementing each other rather than competing. Indeed, the subsequent exchanges follow a pattern of call and response, of imitation; they even finish each other’s sentences and act as one with passages in octaves and thirds.

They are genuine equals with distinct voices – the violin’s bright sound contrasting with the darker timbre of the viola. The extended duet cadenza was superbly judged.

I really enjoyed the fast, buoyant exchanges in the Presto conclusion. The back-and-forth exchanges between the two soloists were a bit like musical tennis. What worked here was the spontaneity of engagement.

But it was the second movement Andante, the emotional core of the work, which impacted most. Here we had – sorry to say it, gents – a love duet between the two. Exchanging long, considered phrases, so beautifully embellished. Their closing duet cadenza was one of intimacy rather than one of theatre.

Academy of St Olave’s, 19/9/2026: Alan George, director;  Claire Jowett, leader;  Jacob George,  violin; Alan George, viola.

Review by Steve Crowther

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More Things To Do in York and beyond. Hutch’s List No. 38, from The York Press

Ulysses Deriding Polyphemus – Homer’s Odyssey,  by J.M.W. Turner, 1829, on loan from National Gallery, London, for Turner, Wedgwood & Beyond: Inspired by Flaxman at York Art Gallery. Copyright: National Gallery, London

GHOSTLY sculptures in gardens, the best in class in brass bands, Mikron Theatre’s mobile library tribute and 60 years of Gilbert O’Sullivan are among Charles Hutchinson’s cultural highlights.

Exhibition opening of the week: Turner, Wedgwood & Beyond: Inspired by Flaxman, York Art Gallery, on show until running until January 17 2027

J.M.W. Turner’s masterpiece Ulysses deriding Polyphemus – Homer’s Odyssey, generously lent by the National Gallery, is making an epic journey north to go on display at York Art Gallery in the wake of the Odyssey’s comeback into popular culture in Christopher Nolan’s film.

Turner, Wedgwood  Beyond: Inspired by Flaxman features an ‘Odyssey wall’ in an exhibition that reflects on the life and legacy of York-born sculptor, illustrator and designer John Flaxman (1755 –1826). Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm. Tickets: yorkartgallery.org.uk.

 One of 70 ghosts in the Ghosts In The Gardens trail through York this autumn. Picture: Amy D’Agorne 

Trail of the week: Ghosts In The Gardens, York, September 19 to November 1

GHOSTS In The Gardens is back for its sixth haunting season and this time the ghosts are bringing even more friends as 70 ghostly sculptures appear in gardens, on balconies, along the city walls and in unexpected corners of York city centre.

Ten new ghosts join familiar faces from York’s past, each sculpture offering a snapshot of history, bringing fascinating York people, creatures or stories back to life. Some ghosts will return to old haunts, others will be found somewhere new. Admission is free.

John Bramwell: Heading for Selby Town Hall

Humble agenda of the week: John Bramwell, Selby Town Hall, September 19, 7.30pm

AS the singer in I Am Kloot from 1999 to 2014, John Bramwell achieved a Mercury Prize nomination for 2010’s The Sky At Night, a top ten chart position for 2013’s Let It All In, numerous UK and European tours and a triumphant orchestral farewell at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

Now, as a solo artist, Bramwell travels a very different path, a path that criss-crosses the length and breadth of the UK with a humble agenda of taking his heartwarming songs to the stage for his devoted fans. Box office: 01757 708449 or selbytownhall.co.uk.

York Railway Institute Band: Taking part in National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain at York Barbican. Picture: Keith Meadley Photography

Brass clashes of the week: National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain 2026, York Barbican, September 19 and 20 from 9am and 3pm each day

THE National Brass Band Championships bring more than 70 of the country’s finest brass bands to York for the Sections 1 to 4 national finals. Among the Yorkshire bands competing will be York Railway Institute Band, Wetherby Silver Band and Swinton & District Excelsior Band, all having qualified to compete for National honours. Tickets: Only available to buy in-person on the day. No advance tickets.

Piff the Magic Dragon and Penn Jillette in Piff & Pop’s Magic Shoppe at Grand Opera House, York

Magical show of the week: Piff & Pop’s Magic Shoppe, Grand Opera House, York, September 19, 7.30pm

LEGENDARY magician Penn Jillette, of Penn & Teller fame, is touring the UK for the first time without his 50-year companion Teller, teaming up instead with London-born, Las Vegas-based comedy-magician phenomenon Piff the Magic Dragon (alias John van der Put), from America’s Got Talent.

Act One feature a solo act from both Pop (Penn) and Piff along with Mr Piffles,  the world’s only magic-performing Chihuahua.. In Act Two, they blend into a one-of-a-kind double act. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Georgina Liley, left, Robert Took, Catherine Warnock and James McLean in Mikron Theatre’s Top Of The World, on tour at Clements Hall, York. Picture: Robling Photography

Touring theatre show of the week: Mikron Theatre in Top Of The World, Clements Hall, York, September 20, 2pm

MARSDEN’S travelling troupe Mikron Theatre makes its second visit of 2026 to York, this time with Maeve Larkin’s celebration of the importance of mobile libraries as sanctuaries, beacons of hope, public services that connect people and communities in a digital age where human connection is more important than ever.

Top Of The Wold invites audiences to hop aboard the charmingly quirky mobile library for a heart-warming journey via Bempton, Bridlington, Hornsea and Howden in an exploration of a region barely noticed by the nation it feeds, celebrating the forgotten, the resilient and the wonderfully eccentric. Tickets:  available from Pextons, Bishopthorpe Road, York; Clements Hall,  01904 466086; by email to [email protected] or 07974 867301.

Tim Key: Serving up Loganberry comical whimsy at York Theatre Royal

Unpredictable comedy gig of the week: Tim Key, Loganberry, York Theatre Royal, September 20, 8pm

TIM Key, from The Ballad Of Wallis Island and Tim Key’s Late Night Poetry Programme, pops his suit on again to plod about in new show Loganberry. In Key’s own words, “Bit gutted he’s old. Guzzling continental lager. Magnetic LOL. Decent reviews for previous shows. Played a pigeon in Bong Joon Ho’s latest movie. Been on Richard Herring’s podcast. Book out: “L.A. Baby!”. Met Steffi Graf in 1998/9. This show has poems in, and he’ll stamp and howl.” Who knows what else may lie in wait on Sunday! Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

Mark Thomas: “Taster menu of government and personal mayhem, jokes, rants and a state of the nation broadcast”

Comedy landmark of the week: Mark Thomas, 40 In Stand-Up Years, Leeds City Varieties Music Hall, September 20, 8pm

WHAT?! Mark Thomas has been “standing up” for 40 years? Impossible! But how old does that make you…? Alas it is true: one of our oldest-surviving alternative comics celebrates 40 years at the mic as he takes his new show on the road this autumn.

Expect a taster menu of government and personal mayhem, jokes, rants and a state of the nation broadcast as Thomas tries to turn ‘what the **** is going on?’ into a cogent night of stand-up.Box office: leedsheritagetheatres.com/whats-on/mark-thomas-2026/.

Gilbert O’Sullivan: Songs old and new at the Grand Opera House, York

Seventies’ chart topper of the week: Gilbert O’Sullivan, Celebrating 60 Years Of Music, Grand Opera House, York, September 22, 7.30pm

GILBERT O’Sullivan will celebrate 60 years of making music, revisiting his UK chart toppers, 1972’s Clair and 1973’s Get Down, as well as such O’Sullivan favourites as No Matter How I Try, We Will, Matrimony, Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day, Why, Oh Why, Oh Why  and What’s In A Kiss?, his last of 16 Top 40 entries from  August 1980. Then add further selections from his 21 studio albums, the latest, On The Record, being previewed ahead of its November 6 release. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Nish Kumar’s tour poster for Angry Humour From A Really Nice Guy

Political disquiet of the week: Nish Kumar, Angry Humour From A Really Nice Guy, Grand Opera House, York, September 23, Leeds Playhouse, October 3, Hull Truck Theatre, October 9 and Scarborough Spa Theatre, November 14

“THE world is in chaos,” laments political comedian Nish Kumar. “Inequality is widening, autocracy is rising and political parties are collapsing. In these divided times, what this country desperately needs is Angry Humour From a Really Nice Guy. (In many ways it’s actually the last thing this country needs, but it’s what it’s getting, so tough luck).”

Pod Save The UK podcast co-host and former host of axed BBC Two show The Mash Report and Late Night Mash, Kumar has entered his 40s. His mind is breaking, his body is worse, “but audiences can still expect existential angst and political disquiet from comedy’s cheekiest boy”. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Ceramics by Emily Stubbs and paintings by Di Gomery at Tinker Gallery

Last chance to view: Di Gomery & Emily Stubbs, Fracture and Flow: Conversations in Paint and Clay, Tinker Gallery, Church Street, Ilkley, until September 26

THIS exhibition by York artists Di Gomery (paintings) and Emily Stubbs (ceramics) is into its final week. Gallery owner and artist Joanne Tinker has refreshed the show since much of the work sold. Opening hours: Thursday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm; other times by appointment.

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