Kathryn Tickell and the Darkening to light up Sunderland's Fire Station

A favourite Fire Station artist is returning to the venue this month.

Folk musician and composer Kathryn Tickell and her band The Darkening were one of the opening acts at The Fire Station when it opened in December 2021.

They returned in October 2022 and will appear again on Wednesday, April 17 as part of a tour for their new album, Cloud Horizons.

The music is: "Based in the shadow of Hadrian’s Wall yet reaching out to the wider world, Kathryn Tickell and The Darkening explore the connecting threads of music, landscape and people over a period of almost 2,000 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 pulled into the 21st century with glorious vocal harmonies and Kathryn’s legendary piping."

The Darkening has four members who between them provide vocals, Northumbrian smallpipes, fiddle, accordion, synth, clogs, mandolin, drums, percussion and clarsach (Celtic harp).

Cloud Horizons is the band’s second studio album.

As well as being a musician and composer, Kathryn is an educator and broadcaster. She is a presenter for BBC Radio 3’s Music Planet. Her work is deeply rooted in the landscape and people of Northumbria and she has released 15 solo albums.

She has also recorded and performed with Sting, The Chieftains, The Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Evelyn Glennie, Jon Lord, Royal Northern Sinfonia and many others.

She has twice been named as Musician of the Year at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Andrew Dipper of The Fire Station said: “Kathryn and The Darkening love playing here - and we love having them. They’re a real favourite with Fire Station audiences.

“Their electrifying new album Cloud Horizons was launched last September and has been very well received by audiences, as well as being critically acclaimed.

“We’re thrilled to be welcoming Kathryn and her amazing band back to The Fire Station and it will be another night to remember at the venue.”

Tickets for the evening are £18. For more information or to book, go to www.thefirestation.org.uk.