Lighting the Dark, ‘an honest tale about Christmas and its traditions’, heads to the Cambridge Junction
Lighting the Dark is an honest tale about Christmas and its traditions, told through folk music, jazz and some seasonal tunes.
Written by award-winning composer and accordionist Martin Green, a member of English/Scottish folk band Lau, the piece delves into the darker corners of Christmas through live storytelling and music.
The accordion and electronics of Martin Green are joined by the fiddle and storytelling of Ultan O'Brien (Slow Moving Clouds) and the jazz tones of Mercury-nominated Laura Jurd on trumpet.
Green explores the new traditions that help us bring joy to what can be a difficult time of year. O’Brien reflects on his childhood traditions with the story of the Wrenboys, the Irish folk music that surrounds the tradition, and how those (often quite dark) traditions have been assimilated into modern festivities.
O’Brien's fiddle playing is both virtuosic and lyrical, while Laura Jurd's brass brings a stunning richness and power to the sound. The result is a performance that is both exhilarating and moving.
Lighting the Dark is recommended for fans of folk music, classical music, and jazz alike. It is a unique and unforgettable experience that was initially developed with Opera North, and was performed to sold-out audiences during a short tour in 2022.
As a member of Lau, Martin has won four BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards for Best Group an unprecedented four times.
In 2014, he received a Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award for Artists in recognition of his talent as a composer, and in 2019 he won the Ivor Novello award for his large scale installation Aeons that was part of The Great Exhibition of the North.
Most recently, Martin has gone on to work for BBC Radio 4 exploring different communities all over the UK and their relationship with music.
These have reached millions of listeners and been highly commended by the Association of International Broadcasters.
Lighting the Dark is on tomorrow (Wednesday, December 13) at the Cambridge Junction (J1). Tickets, priced £27.50, are available from junction.co.uk.
