A Midsummer Celebration of the Sun with The Memory Band (Liza Bec, Olie Brice, Hannah Caughlin and Stephen Cracknell), Lisa Knapp + Lucine Musaelian.
The midsummer solstice, the longest of days and the shortest of nights. A time of congregation and celebration.
Since the release of their first EP in 2003 The Memory Band been navigating their own path through the folk music landscape of the digital age. Led by producer Stephen Cracknell with a fluid cast of collaborators, they blend the traditional with the modern, the sacred with the profane and over two decades their adventure has produced six studio albums. They have a long history of performing music from Paul Giovanni’s soundtrack to The Wicker Man as well as other film and archive related projects. In 2024 The Memory Band released ‘Never The Same Way Twice and ‘A Common Treasury’ – two volumes of unreleased archive recordings on their own Hungry Hill label – and in 2025 make their return to live performance
BBC Folk Award winning folk-singer, songwriter & multi-instrumentalist Lisa Knapp’s solo career began back in 2007 with her remarkable debut, Wild & Undaunted (2017), which marked her out as one of the most innovative figures of a newly invigorated British folk movement. Till April is Dead – A Garland of May (2017), was the result of her long-held fascination with the traditional practices erupting across the UK during the month of May. Lisa’s most recent release, Hinterland is as part of a duo with her partner, Gerry Diver, has garnered 5* reviews in Songlines and Guardian. “Folk at its most exalted” Observer, “ A marvel” MOJO.
Lucine Musaelian is a viola da gamba player, singer, and songwriter who will perform a programme of self-accompanied music. Her practice is inspired by Armenian ashugh storytelling traditions and by women of the 16th Century Ferrarese court, who accompanied themselves on instruments like the viola da gamba. The programme will combine these traditions to tell a story about love, loss and redemption.
Arctic Circle’s Daylight Music has, for over sixteen years, become an important part of London’s live music scene, with a weird and wonderful mix of musicians presenting ideas and storytelling in music and sound, alongside delicious cake, in some of the most splendid and iconic venues.
Further event details: Cafe is open. An event for all ages. Pay-What-You-Can entry in advance or on the door (£12 per adult suggestion, children free), subject to availability/capacity.