Blues, folk and beyond at The Vale for 2024

The Vale arts centre has announced its live music programme for the first quarter of 2024 and it includes familiar faces as well as extraterrestrial ones.

The Mossley venue, which has recently stepped up its live music offer, will be welcoming back Kyla Brox and Ríoghnach Connolly and Honeyfeet. While intergalactic travellers and festival favourites Henge and acclaimed folk duo The Brothers Gillespie will be taking to its stage for the first time.

Getting the new year off to angood start the Kyla Brox Band, is at The Vale on Saturday, January  27, 2024 and tickets are already selling fast.

The blues singer cut her teeth in her late father Victor Brox's band.

Described as 'the finest female blues singer of her generation', Kyla was named best female vocalist at the European Blues Awards. Her 2019 album Pain and Glory was nominated for best album in both the European and UK Blues Awards and her new album, Live at Köniz Castle, was released in September and is available to buy at The Vale.

In February, Henge land at The Vale, bringing their unique and extraterrestrial fusion of electronic dance music, prog and psychedelia. Playing a self-titled whole new genre of music - called cosmic dross -  the band promises the night will be a wild, sci-fi themed rave on Saturday, February 17.

Taking to the stage in March are The Brothers Gillespie. Described by Folk Radio UK as ‘weaving an especially compelling magic’, and 'showing British acoustic music in its best possible light’, brothers James and Sam Gillespie found their sound growing up in the fells and valleys of Northumberland.

The brothers have travelled far and wide with their music and have played at Cambridge and Sidmouth Folk Festivals and opened for Lankum and Sam Lee. They are at The Vale on Saturday, March 16.

And in April, The Vale welcomes back Ríoghnach Connolly and Honeyfeet, who last played at the venue in 2021. BBC Radio 2 Folk Singer of the Year winner Ríoghnach Connolly’s taste for musical adventure is eclectic.

Along with her companion players, as Honeyfeet, they collectively drive a broad terrain of musical textures from esoteric protest songs to foot tapping, and floor thumping, dance rhythms. Known for her broad smiling on-stage banter, she often describes the delight of her multicultural voyage of discovery while pushing aside life’s banality in favour of mischievous energy and creative joy. They are at The Vale on Saturday 27 April 2024.

Johnny Clifford, programming manager, The Vale, said: "Four shows, four very different acts. What unites them is The Vale guarantee of quality, excellence and musicianship.