Gigs

Classical music from across the region...

Classical

Ex Cathedra: Summer Music By Candlelight

Hereford Cathedral, Wed 15 June; St Paul’s Church, Birmingham, Tues 21 & Wed 22 June

Jeffrey Skidmore (pictured) once again picks up the baton to conduct Birmingham’s highly rated early music ensemble, on this occasion in a concert that Ex Cathedra confidently predict will see people heading for home singing of summertime. The programmes for these annual gettogethers, presented by candlelight as dusk falls, move seamlessly from seasonal favourites to rare, rediscovered, contemporary and lighter repertoire.

The London Concertante: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons

Coventry Cathedral, Fri 17 June; Worcester Cathedral, Fri 24 June

While it’s a given that they take the business of musicmaking extremely seriously, there’s certainly nothing stuffy about the London Concertante. Indeed, 50 percent of people who attend a performance by this 31-year-old chamber orchestra are first-time classical music concert-goers - a statistic which speaks volumes for the ensemble’s commitment to remaining at all times light-of-touch and refreshingly accessible. Although most readily associated with the music of Mozart, Beethoven and Bach, the Concertante here turn their attention to Italian Baroque composer Antonio Vivaldi and his most famous work... Portraying both dramatic and serene scenes of spring, summer, autumn and winter in a pastoral setting, The Four Seasons’ concertos are nowadays familiar not only to classical music afficionados but also the wider public, thanks to regularly featuring in popular culture. In fact, according to IMDb, the composition has been used, to one degree or another, in at least 100 different films and television shows.

Armonico Consort

Malvern Theatres, Wed 22 June; The Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick, Thurs 30 June

Now here’s an absolute treat for royalists and/or people of a certain vintage... the ever-brilliant and hugely talented Armonico Consort pay their respects to Her Majesty The Queen on the occasion of her platinum jubilee by recreating the highlights of her 1953 coronation service. Featuring works by Parry, Handel, Walton and Vaughan Williams, the concert is narrated by former ITV News royal correspondent Nicholas Owen. Christopher Monks conducts.

CBSO: Handel’s Messiah

Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Wed 8 June

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Chorus here gets its teeth into the challenge of performing Handel’s magnificent choral masterpiece for the very first time. A work which tells the story of Christ's Nativity, Passion, Resurrection and Ascension, the Messiah features the rousing Hallelujah Chorus and is one of classical music’s best-known works. Baroque specialist Richard Egarr is the conductor while Mary Bevan (pictured) showcases her skills as soprano.

The Sixteen: The Choral Pilgrimage 2022

St Mary’s Church, Warwick, Sat 4 June

The Sixteen were formed by conductor Harry Christophers more than 40 years ago with the aim of providing a fresh insight into Baroque, early classical and more contemporary music. With over 100 recordings under their belt and numerous accolades to their name, they return to the Midlands this month to perform a concert comprising Hubert Parry’s Songs Of Farewell, three short pieces by Thomas Campion, a new work by Cecilia McDowall and a selection of medieval carols.

Live music from across the region...

Rammstein

Coventry Building Society Arena, Sun 26 June

Rammstein are a Berlin-formed pyromaniac nu-metal band whose trademark stage show includes flames, lasers and gimmicks galore. Fronted by lead vocalist Till Lindemann, the band’s line-up has remained unchanged throughout their 28-year history. Something else which has also stood the test of time is their approach to songwriting, with Lindemann writing and singing the lyrics over instrumental pieces the rest of the band have completed beforehand.

Abel Selaocoe

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Fri 17 June

Genre-busting South African cellist Abel Selaocoe moves seamlessly across a plethora of genres and styles, from collaborations with world musicians and beatboxers, to concerto performances and solo classical recitals. Combining virtuosic performance with improvisation, singing and body percussion, Abel is the co-founder of both the Kabantu ensemble and the Chesaba trio, both of which have performed with partners from a variety of musical backgrounds.

Gigs

James Bay

Worcester Racecourse, Sat 11 June

For the best part of a decade, Hertfordshireborn James Bay has been one of the nation’s finest young singer-songwriters. The hit-maker behind multi-million-selling singles Hold Back The River and Let It Go has also enjoyed top-five album success with Chaos And The Calm and Electric Light. Headlining this Live After Racing event, James will be performing songs from his much-anticipated third album.

The Beat

hmv Empire, Coventry, Fri 17 June

Along with their contemporaries, The Specials, Madness and The Selecter, The Beat became an overnight sensation following the release of their debut single, an infectious cover of the Smokey Robinson classic Tears Of A Clown, which went straight into the UK national charts at number six. Having toured alongside artists such as The Clash, The Police and David Bowie, the legendary 2-Tone, ska and reggae group, led by vocalist Dave Wakeling, are here celebrating their 40th anniversary.

The Rezillos

The Assembly, Leamington Spa, Fri 10 June

Following their inception in 1976, The Rezillos ripped into the music scene through a shared love of ’60s garage rock. Although emerging at the same time as other punk rock groups, the band didn’t share the nihilism of their contemporaries, choosing instead to take a more lighthearted approach to their songs. Despite still touring, they’ve only ever released two albums - Can’t Stand The Rezillos in 1978 and Zero in 2015.

Sari Schorr

Huntingdon Hall, Worcester, Wed 29 June

Coming from humble beginnings working the music scene in the legendary South Bronx of New York and on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Sari Schorr first burst onto the blues rock scene in 2016 with critically acclaimed debut offering A Force Of Nature, an album which was produced by iconic British blues pioneer Mike Vernon, who’s worked with the likes of David Bowie, Eric Clapton and Fleetwood Mac. With a career that’s going from strength to strength, the operatically trained tornado visits Worcester having recently been inducted into the New York Blues Hall of Fame.

The man who would be king