The Folk by the Oak festival team, who commissioned the incredible Spell Songs project, are excited to announce a unique opportunity to enjoy Spell Songs at their best by tuning in to an exclusive online broadcast of a full live performance. This show was filmed earlier this year during their Winter Tour at Birmingham Symphony Hall, one of the UK’s most prestigious concert venues, and will be broadcast on Saturday, 9th April. Tickets are available from 9th March by Folk by the Oak on Side Door here.
Featuring the multifaceted talents and collaborative genius of Karine Polwart, Julie Fowlis, Seckou Keita, Kris Drever, Rachel Newton, Beth Porter and Jim Molyneux, Spell Songs is a musical evolution of the captivating art and poetry found within the pages of The Lost Words & The Lost Spells books by acclaimed author Robert Macfarlane and award-winning illustrator Jackie Morris, where ‘lost’ nature words are conjured back into being.
Incorporating music from both their eponymous first album (2019) and the recently released Spell Songs II: Let The Light In, the concert blends a diverse array of instruments including the kora, electroharp, cello and Indian harmonium with uplifting vocals that incorporate musical and linguistic influences spanning from Orkney to Senegal.
Those lucky enough to catch Spell Songs live during their recent Winter Tour will know that Jackie Morris, The Kate Greenaway award-winning illustrator, artist and co-author of The Lost Words and The Lost Spells, joins the supergroup of musicians on stage for a unique and powerful multi-artform performance where music and art interconnect and a little bit of magic is created!
In his review of the album for Folk Radio UK, Billy Rough described the album as a “beguiling listen. Perhaps because of its organic and thoughtful nature, the album is at its best in the intimate and reflective listens. It is a collection to share and reflect upon. So, gather round, cherish the songs, Macfarlane’s words and Morris’s imagery and steep yourself deep in the natural world that surrounds us and prepare to be spellbound.” That magic and intimacy is multiplied in a live setting so don’t miss this opportunity.
In an additional introductory bonus feature, Jackie will join Robert Macfarlane in conversation with eco-author Nicola Davis to give a deeper insight into ‘The Lost Words movement’ and how Spell Songs came into being.
Tickets cost £16 for the full performance and will be available from 9 March via Folk by the Oak on Side Door:
https://sidedooraccess.com/hosts/FolkByTheOak
Watch a preview below:
Vinyl Released 20 May, pre-orders now open!
And for vinyl devotees the band has more good news – their hugely successful second album will soon be available
as a beautifully presented gatefold double LP. As with Spell Songs’ previous CDs and vinyl releases, this promises to
be a thing of rare beauty, adorned with the extraordinary illustrations of Jackie Morris, exceptional photography of
Elly Lucas and insightful musings of the 7 incredible musicians that make up Spell Songs.
Pre-orders are available at https://ffm.to/spellsongsii-eu with the physical release on 20 May.