How crispy are you and your precious things?

It’s been full bake mode here in Underdale, Shrewsbury, UK, for what now seems like months. The back garden resembles a discarded lorry load of crisps and tortillas, and I’ve developed a whole new set of muscles from carrying watering cans in an attempt to provide critical care to the more precious plants at home and at the allotment.

Despite some horribly humid nights and the constant background chorus of climate doom-mongering, I’ve actually really enjoyed the summer. I hope you’ve found some time to relax, and that you’ve arrived here looking forward to another dose of music, nature and mental health from the small inner world of SY.Gigs.

This is a summer newsletter before we reconvene for music this autumn at the Darwin Room at Shrewsbury Library. In future full Newsletters will be quarterly with mini editions ahead of gigs.

It’s been a good few months at SY.Gigs HQ. Ticket sales have been incredibly robust, there have been some wonderfully positive collaborative conversations, and I’m feeling relatively optimistic. More than anything, I’m full of gratitude for the support I’ve received and for the way SY.Gigs has been sustained. Opportunities keep appearing that I could never have imagined when this all began, and that’s entirely down to the community that has gathered around these events and supported me personally.

Call it serendipity, but I’m rather grateful that we decided to defer the Turn on the Sunlight concert until 2027. It had been scheduled for 11 July, which would have coincided with England’s quarter-final against Norway. Competing with football on that scale would almost certainly have been an own goal!

Perhaps the most encouraging development has been the number of artists and agents reaching out to explore opportunities to work with SY.Gigs. It really is humbling. To think that something which started as a small, curious idea in a small church in Shrewsbury is now finding its way onto the radar of musicians from across the UK and beyond is both exciting and deeply rewarding.

Castlefield’s Park footbridge, Shrewsbury

Event 4.0 - September 13 Haiku Salut + Osgled + Matt Sewell

This gig sold out some time ago and will be our first of the autumn season.

It will be lovely to welcome back Gemma, Sophie and Louise. They last played an early pre SY.Gigs event for me in 2018.

This is Matinee event in the The Darwin Room, Shrewsbury Library, with support from Osgled and Matt Sewell.

Doors open at 2:30pm with Matt Sewell opening up with a DJ set on arrival.

If you have a ticket and are unable to come please let me know. There is a waiting list for tickets which will increase as the event looms.

Event 5.0 - Oct 4 Juni Habel + Nick Jonah Davis

There are around 20 tickets left for this event so I’m hoping this will sell out very soon.

This gig is slightly later than the Matinee. It is a late afternoon/early evening Sunday gig, with doors opening at 4:30pm. The perfect time for a piece of cake. Watcvh this space!

Performances beginning at 5:15pm.

The event is likely to conclude before 9:30pm.

Juni Habels fragile finger-picked lullabies warm themselves by the open fire with her rich intimate voice atop twinkling arrangements and strange percussive instrumentation. Like glowing embers in the dark, these songs are odes to life and death, the beauty of belonging and human kinship with nature.

The Norwegian’s first album in three-years ‘Evergreen In Your Mind’ came out in Spring on Basin Rock, follows the breakthrough success of her ‘Carvings’ LP. The songs remain delicate, Habel’s voice playing an elegant lead role - but there are fluctuations too. The small shifts in Habel’s sound mark a notable stride forward, with more focus on the groove. Playfulness was embraced and, perhaps most importantly, patience played a fundamental role in shaping every element of this incredible set of torch folk songs. Brushed with the gentle touch of pastoral psychedelia, these are songs that sit in half-light, in the gas between where we are and where we might be.

“one of the finest folk albums in recent memory” Bandcamp ‘Album of the Day’

“life affirming songs that establish Habel as a distinctive, modern folk voice.” Uncut

“Sharing the same dusky light as Jessica Pratt’s records” The Guardian

Tickets - Oct 4 Juni Habel

Event 6.0 - Oct 25 midori jaeger + Iris

There are now around 15 tickets left for this event, which is another early evening Sunday gig with same timings as event 5.0.

Originally from Japan and now based in London, cellist, singer and composer midori jaeger brings her (Re)planted EP Launch to Shrewsbury with her full band.

Drawing on influences from jazz, folk, contemporary classical music and electronics, midori creates immersive and deeply personal songs exploring themes of identity, belonging and place.

Her new double EP, (Re)planted, reflects on a childhood spent across multiple continents and the challenge of establishing roots in unfamiliar landscapes. Written at the cello, an instrument crafted from a once-living tree, the songs draw poignant parallels between the natural world and the human search for home, connection and self.

A genre-defying artist and collaborator, midori has performed with Imogen Heap, Courtney Pine, Daughter, Patrick Watson, Jessie Ware and Tanita Tikaram. Alongside her work as a performer, she also composes for film, dance and theatre.

Opening the evening is Iris, whose distinctive contemporary sound and emerging creative voice make them a perfect complement to an evening centred on exploration, connection and discovery.

Tickets - Oct 25 midori jaeger

Event 7.0 - Nov 29 Momen + rhubiqs

25% of these tickets are sold so still lots of capacity for this event that will conclude Season 4.0.

Momen is the London-based duo of Iván Muela (piano/guitar/electronics) and Nat Philipps (saxophone/electronics), who balance poise and catharsis throughout the eight movements of their début album, Sympathetic Resonance. Equally inspired by Bach, Sakamoto, and time spent in post-punk bands, their world of jazz-influenced experimentation and spacious ambient textures thrives on the subtle transformations embedded within apparent stillness.

Support comes from rhubiqs, the solo project of London-based composer and sound designer Tom Squires.

Squires’ music creates a world where Actress meets Kranky, with a side dose of Aphex Twin’s Selected Ambient Works for good measure. These are far-reaching electronic and ambient sounds that provide immersive soundscapes for listeners to lose themselves in amidst thought-provoking textures, samples and field recordings.

Tickets - Momen + Rhubiqs Nov 29

Mentally unpacking

I’m finally beginning to feel genuinely decompressed from what, in hindsight, was an undeniable weight of expectation, responsibility, grief and constant demand following my retirement from the public sector.

This December marks three years since I walked away from the Control Centre at the Shirehall, home to Shropshire Council. Time moved incredibly quickly during those first two years of retirement. They became a period of adjustment, recovery and quiet mental recalibration. I’ve learned that stress and anxiety don’t simply stop the moment you leave the building. They come with you. It takes time to unlearn decades of urgency and to realise that not every moment has to be filled.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, on retiring, I immediately backfilled the empty space with other demands that I felt I had time for. The most important of those was Mum. Anneliese became my priority, and I’m deeply grateful that retirement allowed me to spend that precious time caring for her and simply being alongside her during the final chapter of her life.

Tez and Anneliese

Since her passing last August, something has shifted again. Time has gradually revealed itself in a different way. There has been more space to sit quietly with my thoughts, without guilt, without deadlines and without feeling that I should always be doing something productive.

I’d almost forgotten the pleasure of stillness. Of uncomplicated thoughts. Of limited demands. Of allowing an afternoon to drift wherever it chooses. There is something wonderfully restorative about rediscovering that kind of space. I must also admit to a daily habit that feels luxurious. The snooze is an underrated support mechanism that recalibrates and restores. A time to drift into a snooze with some music is nothing more than glorious. Better than any other kind of club stimulant.

Perhaps the greatest lesson of these past three years has simply been learning how to be.

I know that probably sounds a little nebulous, but if you’ve ever experienced it, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Its a moment that you just feel everything is how it should be.

We can change just like the climate

Without question, we need to adapt to our changing climate and play our part in addressing the challenges ahead. It’s easy to become frustrated by the pace of action from large corporations and the limitations of national and international governments. Those conversations matter, but I’ve come to realise that perhaps our greatest contributions are those within our immediate gift: being thoughtful, caring and willing to adapt in the places where we can genuinely make a difference.

This summer has certainly reminded me that there is more I can do to support nature at home. Last year we added a wildlife pond in the garden, and it’s been a joy to watch it slowly mature into its own little ecosystem. A handful of frogs have now taken a leap of faith from the old pond into their new home, along with an ever-growing cast of dragonflies, pond skaters and other welcome visitors. There is also some regular appearances of blanket weed which I’m currently trying to manage.

This autumn I’m hoping to take things a little further by allowing parts of the garden to become a little wilder. I’ll be replacing some of the more demanding plants, if they survive the summer, with species that are better suited to warmer, drier conditions while also providing food and shelter for bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

It won’t change the world overnight, but perhaps that’s the point. Positive change often begins in small, ordinary places. A garden. A pond. A tree. A conversation.

I’ll keep you updated as the little ecosystem continues to evolve.

At the pond side with a Chaser

Poster in the Wild

One of the things that’s made this season feel so special is that every concert has been accompanied by its own bespoke piece of artwork, created by a different local artist as a lasting memento of the event.

A heartfelt thank you to this season’s brilliant artists:

Matt Sewell
Kirsty Worrow (One Crow Left)
Cherie Jerrard
Liz Mellor
David Hand (Faster Than a Galloping Horse)
Dan Catt

Their creativity has become such an important part of the SY.Gigs story, giving each concert its own visual identity long after the gig has faded.

You may already have spotted some of the posters out in the wild at a handful of locations around Shrewsbury. There are four key gorilla sites displaying them this summer, I wonder if you can find them all?

If you’d like to see the complete collection together, every poster from Season 4 is on display throughout this month at The Groundskeeper Café on Castle Street.

The Riso prints are available to purchase for £15 each or three for £40, with every print being a little unique thanks to the nature of the printing process. It also helps SY and the artist.

Finally, a huge thank you to Swan Hill Studio and for producing such beautiful Riso prints. His care for detail and exceptional service have been exceptional as was his poster design. ✌️❤️SY Recommends

If you are an artist and want to support us please get in touch.

Music Shorts

Anton Pearson - Driving through Belgium - This has been my afternoon snooze soundtrack on most days since it was released. The debut solo album from Anton Pearson, best known as a member of post-punk outfit Squid, is a beautiful collection of ambient drones and slowly evolving textures.

There’s a wonderful sense of movement throughout the record—as though you’re watching the landscape gently unfold through a train or car window. Unhurried, immersive and quietly restorative, it’s become one of my favourite listens of the summer.

Miles David - Big Fun - I‘ve been revisiting Big Fun this summer. Released in April 1974, the album draws together recordings made between 1969 and 1972, capturing Miles Davis continuing the fearless musical explorations that followed the groundbreaking Bitches Brew.

Built from extended studio sessions, it’s a wonderfully immersive listen, full of deep textures, atmospheric electric keyboards, restrained solos and subtle influences from Indian instrumentation. It asks for patience, but rewards close listening, revealing new details each time it finds its way onto the turntable.

Jessica Roch - Human Music: Live Improvisations - One of the most rewarding discoveries of my summer has been Human Music: Live Improvisations by . This collection of live, improvised performances is a beautiful reminder of the value of spontaneity, vulnerability and genuine human expression.

At a time when AI is becoming an ever more pervasive presence within the music industry, these recordings quietly celebrate the imperfect, unrepeatable magic of music made in the moment. There is warmth, intimacy and honesty in every piece.

There’s an awful lot to love here.

Keep on Keeping on!

Cx

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I know it wasn’t long ago and yes, I promised not to spam you, but this is important news rather than a regular update from SY.

This is your final chance to grab early bird tickets for the final gig of Season 4.0. And perhaps... the final SY.Gigs? Who knows. My inner demons are still arguing with the good voices of reason. We’ll see who wins before I decide whether there’s another season in 2027. That’s something to ponder over the months ahead.

For now, while I still have the energy, enthusiasm and momentum, tickets are selling well across the season, so I’m delighted to launch the pre-public sale for our final event.

I hope you’re managing to stay in one piece while everything around us slowly turns into a crisp. For those of us who love our gardens and wildlife, it’s been hard work. Most days I’m either watering at home or at the allotment as these relentless temperatures give us a glimpse of what the future may hold. I’ve resisted the temptation to use the hose, even though every water butt is now empty. A watering can, a bit of exercise and plenty of patience seem to be the only way forward.

Terence, meanwhile, is definitely not a fan of the heat. Evening walks and cooling off in the river have become the daily routine.

However you’re spending these hot days, take care, keep cool, and I hope to see you at one of the remaining concerts.

Nov 29th - Event 7.0 Momen + Rhubiqs

Momen is the London-based duo of Iván Muela (piano/guitar/electronics) and Nat Philipps (saxophone/electronics), who balance poise and catharsis throughout the eight movements of their début album, Sympathetic Resonance. Equally inspired by Bach, Sakamoto, and time spent in post-punk bands, their world of jazz-influenced experimentation and spacious ambient textures thrives on the subtle transformations embedded within apparent stillness.

Support comes from Rhubiqs, the solo project of London-based composer and sound designer Tom Squires.

Squires’ music creates a world where Actress meets Kranky, with a side dose of Aphex Twin’s Selected Ambient Works for good measure. These are far-reaching electronic and ambient sounds that provide immersive soundscapes for listeners to lose themselves in amidst thought-provoking textures, samples and field recordings.

Tickets - Momen + Rhubiqs Nov 29

For the Curious this Autumn

We have some extraordinary events still to come as we bring Season 4.0 to a close this autumn. Haiku Salut sold out some time ago, Midori Jaeger is now down to the last 20 tickets, and Juni Habel is already over 50% sold. These are unique performances, shared in some of Shrewsbury's most beautiful and historic spaces, inviting you to slow down, reset and leave feeling just a little more hopeful. If you're thinking of joining us, don't leave it too long.

SY Gigs Tickets

Keep on Keeping on!

Cx

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This one isn’t going to take long. A lot shorter than the cooking-pot weather we endured last week, with far less stickiness than the jam I have on the go inbetween typing this up.

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a fellow promoter from the cultural epicentre of the rural North: Todmorden. A place that really should already hold the title of Town of Culture. There is so much wonderful music in and around this part of West Yorkshire, and I’ve been lucky enough to develop some lovely friendships with people there.

The reason I’m telling you this is because that promoter also manages the UK tours for Norwegian artist Juni Habel.

Juni makes music touched with pastoral psychedelia, inviting audiences into a spellbinding world of reflection, tenderness and wonder. The first time I heard her I immediately thought, Shrewsbury would be a perfect place for this.

I was too late to squeeze into her current UK tour, but she’ll be returning in October.

I debated with myself whether I could really cope with the anxiety of putting on two events in the same month. Given the tone of my last few newsletters, you’ll know that’s a genuine consideration. But with fewer than 25 tickets now remaining for Midori Jaeger’s EP launch on 25 October, I thought... hell yeah. Let’s keep moving forward whle I have some positive energy.

So here’s your early heads-up.

There will now be two SY.Gigs events in October, both on Sunday evenings. Doors will open at around 4.30pm, with the music finishing by approximately 9.30pm, making them accessible for those travelling by public transport.

As always, subscribers get first access to the new show. Tickets are now on sale via the private link below with a limited Early Bird tickets available too. The remaining tickets will go on sale on Thursday morning at 10 am.

Thank you, as always, for supporting these slightly ambitious ideas. I have no idea whether putting on two shows in one month is sensible... but I do know that artists like Juni Habel deserve to be heard. See below for a little more detail and some samples.

Oct 4th - Event 5.0

Juni Habels fragile finger-picked lullabies warm themselves by the open fire with her rich intimate voice atop twinkling arrangements and strange percussive instrumentation. Like glowing embers in the dark, these songs are odes to life and death, the beauty of belonging and human kinship with nature.

The Norwegian’s first album in three-years ‘Evergreen In Your Mind’ came out in Spring on Basin Rock, follows the breakthrough success of her ‘Carvings’ LP. The songs remain delicate, Habel’s voice playing an elegant lead role - but there are fluctuations too. The small shifts in Habel’s sound mark a notable stride forward, with more focus on the groove. Playfulness was embraced and, perhaps most importantly, patience played a fundamental role in shaping every element of this incredible set of torch folk songs. Brushed with the gentle touch of pastoral psychedelia, these are songs that sit in half-light, in the gas between where we are and where we might be.

“one of the finest folk albums in recent memory” Bandcamp ‘Album of the Day’

“life affirming songs that establish Habel as a distinctive, modern folk voice.” Uncut

“Sharing the same dusky light as Jessica Pratt’s records” The Guardian

Juni was live in session with Gideon Coe and Mark Riley last Monday on Radio 6 music. Definitetly worth a listen

Tickets - Oct 4 Juni Habel

Oct 25th - event 6.0

midori jaeger – (Re)planted EP Launch
with support from Iris

Only 30 tickets left.

Originally from Japan and now based in London, cellist, singer and composer midori jaeger brings her (Re)planted EP Launch to Shrewsbury with her full band.

Drawing on influences from jazz, folk, contemporary classical music and electronics, midori creates immersive and deeply personal songs exploring themes of identity, belonging and place.

Her new double EP, (Re)planted, reflects on a childhood spent across multiple continents and the challenge of establishing roots in unfamiliar landscapes. Written at the cello—an instrument crafted from a once-living tree—the songs draw poignant parallels between the natural world and the human search for home, connection and self.

A genre-defying artist and collaborator, midori has performed with Imogen Heap, Courtney Pine, Daughter, Patrick Watson, Jessie Ware and Tanita Tikaram. Alongside her work as a performer, she also composes for film, dance and theatre.

Opening the evening is Iris, whose distinctive contemporary sound and emerging creative voice make them a perfect complement to an evening centred on exploration, connection and discovery.

Tickets - Oct 25 midori jaeger

Keep on Keeping on!

Cx

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I hope the start of summer is being kind to you and that you’ve been finding time to enjoy some of the gifts that come with this wonderful season of growth.

This newsletter is a little shorter than usual in some respects and rather longer in others. There are a few headlines about upcoming gigs, alongside a longer passage of reflection.

Sorry about that.

As many of you will know, these newsletters occasionally become a form of public journaling. Writing them helps me process things and, perhaps, may resonate with some of you too.

If reflections on mental wellbeing, self-doubt and the occasional wander through my inner landscape aren’t quite your bag, and I completely respect that they won’t be for everyone, please feel free to skip ahead and land on the recommendations and gig news section instead.

Early sell out - Event 4.0

First off, there are only a couple of tickets remaining for Event 4.0 on September 13th, a special matinee performance with Haiku Salut, Osgeld and Matt Sewell.

Being on the verge of an early sell-out is a welcome surprise. It’s been quite a while since that happened, and I’m genuinely grateful.

Moments like this are a reminder that there are people who continue to value these shared experiences and the opportunity to discover something a little different. Music that sits outside the mainstream. Music for the curious.

It’s also a reminder that community matters.

Behind every ticket sale is someone choosing to support independent artists, volunteer-led events, historic spaces and the idea that quality niche culture doesn’t only belong in cities or large venues.

To everyone who has already booked a ticket, shared a post, mentioned the event to a friend, or supported SY.Gigs in any way over the years, thank you. Your continued support never goes unnoticed.

If you’ve been meaning to join us in September, now would be a good time.

Tickets - Sept 13 Haiku Salut

Event 5.0, Season 4.0 - Oct 25th

midori jaeger – (Re)planted EP Launch
with support from Iris

I’m delighted to announce that our next event will take place in October in the beautiful Darwin Room.

This time we’ll be gathering for an early evening Sunday concert, beginning around 4:30pm and concluding before 9:30pm. A little later than our usual matinees, but still allowing plenty of time to ease gently into the working week ahead.

There’s something rather special about Sunday evenings. The weekend begins to slow, the pace softens, and there’s an opportunity to pause before the demands of Monday arrive. It feels like the perfect setting for the music we have planned.

I’m particularly excited about this one and delighted to finally share the details with newsletter subscribers before the public announcement tomorrow.

Originally from Japan and now based in London, cellist, singer and composer midori jaeger brings her (Re)planted EP Launch to Shrewsbury with her full band.

Drawing on influences from jazz, folk, contemporary classical music and electronics, midori creates immersive and deeply personal songs exploring themes of identity, belonging and place.

Her new double EP, (Re)planted, reflects on a childhood spent across multiple continents and the challenge of establishing roots in unfamiliar landscapes. Written at the cello—an instrument crafted from a once-living tree—the songs draw poignant parallels between the natural world and the human search for home, connection and self.

A genre-defying artist and collaborator, midori has performed with Imogen Heap, Courtney Pine, Daughter, Patrick Watson, Jessie Ware and Tanita Tikaram. Alongside her work as a performer, she also composes for film, dance and theatre.

Opening the evening is Iris, whose distinctive contemporary sound and emerging creative voice make them a perfect complement to an evening centred on exploration, connection and discovery.

Now is a good time to grab an early bird ticket before the announcement tomorrow at midday.

Tickets - Oct 25 midori jaeger

Reflections

The longer days, particularly the early morning light accompanied by the effervescent birdsong, are always a highlight. We are keen early risers, as is Terry, who is equally happy to be out on the streets while the town is still waking. It’s prime time for scent placement! This time is always a special time, my favourite time, when the world seems so much more gentile and calm.

We have our little route: along the river, over and under the many bridges that span the River Severn here in Shrewsbury. The town is almost encircled by the river, creating a natural boundary and a haven for wildlife. These walks, which include a significant number of stops for sniffs and social updates, are deeply restorative for both me and Terence, who has his own social hang-ups to navigate.

Mornings are when I feel at my most lucid and creative. Ideas seem to arrive naturally in those post-sleep hours, without force or deep deliberation. Thoughts and possibilities appear abundant and unconstrained, carrying a clarity that becomes harder to access later in the day.

By 10:30am, like a foraging honey bee returning to the hive, the moment has usually passed. Having fed on that brief period of abundance, I happily drift into a more autonomous, muscle-memory mode. That’s perfectly fine. I’m fortunate that I can afford myself that kindness. I appreciate it isn’t a luxury available to everyone, particularly those whose working lives demand constant concentration, decision-making and responsibility. That chapter of my life has passed, and I remain enormously grateful that I somehow navigated it and emerged on the other side.

As we shuffled along the riverside paths this past week, I found myself reflecting on those bridges that link our town together, both physically and metaphorically. They became a prompt for a familiar bout of self-reflection.

If you’ve read a few of these newsletters, you’ll know there is a recurring theme. I make no apology for that. I’ve said many times that writing these SY.Gigs newsletters is, in some ways, a public journal of my mental state.

From an early age, and particularly throughout my teenage years, I lacked confidence socially and doubted my own intelligence. Failing the 11-plus felt like a defining moment. At the time, it felt like a failure in my own eyes and, perhaps more painfully, in my father’s too. The resulting insecurity was exhausting and debilitating. Looking back now, I can see many of the signs that pointed towards the sensitivity and self-questioning that would accompany me throughout life.

In the 1970s and 80s, acknowledging these perceived weaknesses wasn’t encouraged. The easier route was often to mask anxieties and insecurities. I was fortunate that the coping mechanisms I adopted never took complete hold, but they did allow me to present a version of myself that wasn’t entirely authentic. More confident perhaps. More assertive. Maybe even a little arrogant at times. But it wasn’t really me.

Eventually, I sought help and learned that there was far greater value in being present, open and honest about my vulnerabilities than there was in concealing them. What I once saw as weaknesses, I now recognise as part of who I am.

Running SY.Gigs brings immense satisfaction, but it also triggers many of those old patterns of self-doubt.

There are times when I wonder whether enough people will come to an event. Why more people don’t seem to value these experiences. Whether the emotional investment is worth it. Whether SY.Gigs can continue in the way I’ve always hoped it might.

I can’t hide behind false platitudes and pretend these thoughts don’t arise. They do, repeatedly and will continue.

The challenge is not their existence, but learning how to live alongside them without allowing them to become the dominant voice.

And yet, despite all of that, there are moments that remind me why the effort remains worthwhile. The journey continues for now with planning ahead for one final gig in November.

Special thanks as always to the sponsors, partners, volunteers, venues, artists, and the wider community who continue to support this not-for-profit project.

Your support makes it possible to bring remarkable music into beautiful spaces and create moments of connection, curiosity, and wellbeing.

Poster Art on Sale

I still have some beautiful A3 riso prints from the last three gigs. These are inexpensive and support both SY.gigs and the artists who helped. All are signed, numbered and limited editions and make a nice piece of personal art.

I’m very grateful to Cherie Jerrard, Matt Sewell and Kirsty Worrow (One Crow Left) for collaborating on these.

Please get in touch if you would like to support. Just email me or message me via facebook or instagram. They are £15 eack or £40 for all three in the collection to date.

Recommendations

Music

Baden Powell - Canto On Guitar - For anyone who joined us for Fabiano do Nascimento back in Season 2.0, you’ll immediately hear the connection.

Baden Powell was one of the great architects of Brazilian guitar music and a huge influence on Fabiano’s playing. Across Canto On Guitar you’ll find those beautiful bossa nova rhythms, Afro-Brazilian influences, rich harmonies and melodic lines that seem to drift effortlessly between jazz, folk and classical traditions.

It’s a record full of warmth, virtuosity and atmosphere; perfect listening for long summer evenings.

And with Brazil seeking another World Cup, it feels like the perfect moment to revisit one of the country’s true musical masters.

Rhythm & Sound (Mark Ernestus and Moritz von Oswald) - The versions - A record that doesn’t so much ask for your attention as slowly absorb it.

On The Versions, Mark Ernestus and Moritz von Oswald strip things back to deep, spacious dub instrumentals, where bass becomes architecture and silence is as important as sound.

Patient, hypnotic and endlessly immersive, these are mixes that reveal new details with every listen. Music for late evenings, long journeys and moments when the world feels a little too hurried.

Fair warning: this is also the sort of album that may finally justify investing in that heavyweight sound system you’ve been promising yourself since 1979.

Tara Clerkin Trio - Somewhere Good - There was something special about Tara Clerkin Trio when they joined us back in Season 2.0, and it’s been a pleasure watching their journey since.

With two-thirds of the trio having local roots, Somewhere Good feels like a record worth celebrating. It’s a beautifully crafted and quietly sophisticated album that draws together elements of dub, trip-hop, jazz, folk and electronic music into something entirely its own.

The record has deservedly attracted a wealth of positive reviews, and it feels as though this could prove to be a significant step forward for the trio.

If you’re looking for a place to start, try “Slow Island”. It has that same haunting sense of place and understated social observation that made Ghost Town such a classic, reimagined for a different era and landscape.

A quietly remarkable album from a quietly remarkable band.

Keep on Keeping on!

Cx

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This Saturday’s gathering with Dylan Henner and Ibukun Sunday will be the final SY.Gig before the autumn, and therefore the last opportunity for a while to support us.

Sadly, We’ve had to cancel and reschedule the planned July concert Turn on the Sunlight with Miles Spilbury, Mia Doi Todd and Aisha Vaughan, which makes this weekend feel even more significant.

It’s been a strangely quiet lead-up to Event 3.0 and, I’ll admit, quieter sales periods often stir that familiar cycle of self-doubt in me. Perhaps it’s the difficult economy, the endless distractions we are faced with, or the wider sense of uncertainty and discontent that seems to sit across every horizon at the moment. Whatever the reasons, I genuinely believe that spaces like these, intimate moments of focused listening and shared presence, are more valuable than ever.

I truly believe the combination of these artists and the setting will make for an exceptionally immersive and beautiful night, and I encourage you to come if you’re able to.

If cost makes attending difficult, please get in touch. I’d be very happy to help with a free or discounted ticket. And if you’re thinking of coming with friends, anyone buying four tickets can receive one free of charge, just buy three and then DM me so I can issue a free one.

One of the ongoing challenges with independent community events like this is reaching beyond the immediate circles that naturally see the promotion. At times it can feel as though I’m speaking into the same small rooms again and again, which is why collective support matters so much to DIY ventures like SY.Gigs.

If you’re able, I’d be hugely grateful if you considered buying a ticket or helping to share the event, whether through a post, a story, a restack, a message to a friend, or simply mentioning it in conversation. Every small act of support genuinely helps SY.Gigs to continue to exist.

Tickets - Dylan Henner + Ibukun Sunday

Since receiving grant funding from Shrewsbury Town Council, the pressure is less about financial survival, though the events must always remain viable. More than anything, my hope is simply to create a full and welcoming room to every event, an atmosphere worthy of the artists who have travelled considerable distances and placed their trust in me by committing their time to create these unique events in Shrewsbury.

Meet the upcoming artists

As many of you know, this season has been focused around trusting your curiosity. You may not know either artist, but both are exceptional musicians whose work has been shaped through years of thoughtful exploration and composition. Their music creates space to reflect, drift, feel, and reconnect, something that at this time seems more important than ever.

Dylan Henner, quietly emerged in 2020 through releases on labels such as Phantom Limb, Dauw, and AD93. He rarely promotes himself conventionally, instead communicating through poetic song titles and releases that carefully construct electronic sonic worlds that are ambient and deeply personal. This event is rare outing by Dylan who came to SY.Gigs via a personal recommendation from Hinako Omori, who played in Season 3.0 for us.

Joining him for this evening is Ibukun Sunday, also releasing music on Phantom Limb. I first approached Ibukun several years ago as a potential headliner, so it’s a genuine joy to now have both him and the incredible Dylan sharing the same bill.

He is a Lagos-based composer and violist whose work blends ambient music, West African traditions, field recordings, and improvisation into something fluid, expansive, and deeply human.

Provisional timings for those planning transport are as follows:

Doors - 6:45pm

Ibukun Sunday - 7:30pm

Dylan Henner - 8:40pm

End - 9:45pm

Poster Art on Sale

I will have some beautiful A3 riso prints on sale on Saturday. These are inexpensive and support both SY.gigs and the artist. I’m very grateful to Cherie Jerrard for collaborating on this design. All are signed, numbered and limited to 10 copies.

I will also have some of the remaining A3 riso prints from the last two events also. Thanks again to Matt Sewell and Kirsty Worrow (One Crow Left) for collaborating on these.

Recommendations

Music

Sulah Jordan - Lady Bug EP has recently been reissued by Test Pressing after being out of print, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. It was part of the listening orbit around SY.Gigs back in Season 1.0 and has remained one of those quietly enduring records for me ever since.

Jordan has also remained on the SY.Gigs radar for several years, having once come very close to performing for us.

The music itself feels organic and dreamlike, beautiful percussion, drifting rhythms and ethereal vocals that seem to dissolve into the landscape around them. At times it feels less like listening to an album and more like wandering through a wood in a dream state.

Ana Roxanne - Poem 1 feels like a beautiful deviation from her more familiar instrumental drone worlds. Stripped back almost entirely to piano and voice, it carries an extraordinary sense of intimacy and vulnerability.

There’s something deeply personal and exposed within the recordings, yet they retain the same suspended, transcendent quality that makes her work so affecting. The piano is delicate and spacious, while the vocals feel almost weightless and emotionally disarming.

Truly very special. We absolutely must try to bring her to SY.Gigs one day.

Marc Leclair - Musique pour 3 femmes encenties originally released in 2005 and finally available on vinyl for the first time, feels like one of those quietly haunting records that exists slightly outside of time.

The music moves with an eeriness, fragile melodies, distant textures and submerged emotional currents that drift in and out. There’s a cinematic quality to it, but also something deeply intimate and human beneath the abstraction.

A record that lingers long after it ends and then deserves to be played again.

Out and About

Running from yesterday to Sunday 23 August, there is a FREE Summer of Music series in the Quarry park. Set in the picturesque backdrop of the Quarry, audiences can look forward to a diverse programme of performances, including brass bands, an accordion band, a male voice choir, a military band and a saxophone quartet, all in one of my favourite spaces. Maybe Season 5.0 should have a gig there!

Reading

Boomerang Press - Roy continues the humorous and dark inner city psychodramas that inhabit PJ Smith’s sub conscious. Glorious stuff. Roy continues to carve out a niche appeal to his storytelling. Perhaps we should think of inviting him along to a gig sometime?

Science and Magic - periodic dispatches from Violette Records who had a big hand in getting Mr Michael Head (The pale Fountains & Shack) back releasing beautiful music. Some great writers, and articles that cover a gambit of social, music and culture, all delivered with an expert eye and a nice twist of humour.

Watching

Storyville - Speechless - Ric Esther Bienstock’s two-part investigation into the ideological battles unfolding across US college campuses. Utterly riveting viewing. Rather than reducing the subject into simple binaries, the documentary patiently explores the increasingly fractured debates around free speech and which institutes cultivate the environments to enable them.

Keep on Keeping on!

Cx

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This is an earlier than usual newsletter and in shorter format. Think of it as a tasty mini spring roll that makes you yearn for those more tasty treats!

As spring begins to open up around us, with longer days, more light, and daily natural spectacles for our eyes to feast on there’s a quiet sense of renewal in the air. The rhythm of life gently shifts gears, and with it comes a feeling of possibility. It’s a season that invites us to step outside, to notice more, and perhaps to reconnect, to pause and find a little space. In many ways, it feels like a swing and counterbalance to last month’s newsletter, which reflected on the challenges and expectations that run alongside it. My own mental health perfectly juxtaposed over two successive newsletters.

It’s why I’ve been reflecting on our last gathering and looking ahead to our next event.

The stillness in the room for the last event with Awen and Peiriant, the attentiveness of each musician, the shared sense of focus between artists and audience alike all felt quietly powerful and symbiotic within the beautiful subtle light of St Alkmund’s.

As one reviewer so beautifully observed, “there’s an intensity in that kind of listening; a space where subtle textures are given the time they deserve, and where music can truly unfold.”

This remains at the heart of SY Gigs, a listening experience. Not background noise or distraction, but a chance to step out of the rush for a while. To sit with sound, to reflect, and to leave feeling just a little more grounded, away from the constant media noise and the catalogue of heavy news that surrounds us at the moment.

If you want to see more pictures and a review please follow the link.

Mysterious Radio

Looking ahead to May 16th with Dylan Henner and Ibukun Sunday, I feel that same extraordinary potential again. Their music lives in intimate, reflective spaces, deeply personal and quietly profound, and I truly believe this could be one of those special evenings that becomes a highlight. This will be the only gig before the autumn as we have had to cancel the July event, which is now postponed until 2027.

Tickets - Dylan Henner + Ibukun Sunday

This is currently our only event planned at the Unitarian this year, as we continue to invest in the Darwin Room at the Library. The Unitarian remain close to my heart as the spiritual home of SY Gigs, and the place where the journey all began.

A mysterious radio station broadcasting your own memories…

That is the mythology behind Star Dream FM, the acclaimed ambient work of Dylan Henner, who quietly emerged in 2020 through releases on labels such as Phantom Limb, Dauw, and AD93. Rarely promoting himself in a conventional sense, Henner instead communicates through poetic titles and carefully constructed sonic worlds that feel both distant and deeply personal. We are very lucky to have Dylan in Shrewsbury for a rare performance.

Joining him for this evening is Ibukun Sunday, also releasing on Phantom Limb. I first approached Ibukun several years ago as a potential headliner, so it’s a genuine joy to now have both him and the incredible Dylan sharing the same bill.

He is a Lagos-based composer and violist whose work blends ambient music, West African traditions, field recordings, and improvisation into something fluid, expansive, and deeply human.

Together, they create a rare kind of listening space, one that feels perfectly at home within SY.Gigs.

Artwork for this event comes from the lovely Cherie Jerrard. I’m very proud to be collaborating with our local artists this year. If you want to participate please get in touch.

A riso print of this poster will be on sale at the event.

If you missed out on the Riso prints from the last two events (Jonny Nash - Matt Sewell or Awen Ensemble - Kirsty Worrow) please get in touch. There are still a few available on request.

Funding - Community Grant

I am delighted to announce SY.Gigs has been awarded a £1,400 grant from Shrewsbury Town Council’s Communities & Environment Committee.

The £1,400 grant will help subsidise production costs, marketing, venue hire, and artist fees for the remainder of Season 4, ensuring ticket prices remain affordable, including concessions for those under 25.

This latest support builds on the continued backing of key partners and funders including Opus Media Productions, Berrys, Glou Glou, Launch Return, and Creation Group, whose contributions have been instrumental in sustaining SY.Gigs’ programme this year.

I am incredibly grateful to Shrewsbury Town Council for their support. Without regular grants and the support of our existing funders and sponsors, these events simply would not be sustainable.

I’ll also say, honestly and openly, that these events rely on the community around them. They might appear effortless from the outside, but every ticket, every share, every conversation you can have, plays a huge part in making them possible.

If it resonates, I’d really appreciate you spreading the word, or inviting someone along. And, if you’d like any flyers to share locally in your community, just let me know, I’d be very grateful.

Tickets - Dylan Henner + Ibukun Sunday

Thank you, as always, for being part of this. It truly means a lot.

With gratitude,

Chris

Addendum - Listening Party Tonight @ 8pm

Our dear friend Adam Scrimshire has a listening party tonight (Wednesday) at 8pm on Youtube for a new single that is unconventional in that it runs at 11mins. In the current world of immediacy and short soundbites it is so encouraging to see artists turning their back on the algorithm routes, at commercial risk, in pursuit of their art form. I’ll be there and encourage you to do the same. If you recall his ‘Music for Autumn Lovers’ performance from a few years ago was a highlight of Season 2.0.

Adam Scrimshire performing in Season 2.0 - Event 10.0. Pic by Oliver Wilkins.

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Thank you to the new subscribers, and welcome to the second newsletter of Season 4.

These periodic encounters continue to arrive in your mailbox carrying a blend of music, nature, and wellbeing, gently shaped by my own experiences of navigating mental health and anxiety, the key drivers to setting up SY.Gigs.

When I first set out to publish a newsletter ahead of each event, I suspected I might just about limp into double figures. To my surprise, subscriptions have grown, and the feedback has remained warmly positive.

These reflections arrive ahead of each event and have become the main way of sharing what’s been and whats to come.

I hope that alongside the reason you signed up, the music, you might find something else here that quietly piques your interest. If something resonates, I’d genuinely love to hear from you.

If you do find the newsletter worth sharing, please pass it on to friends and help spread the word about these unique events for the curious!

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Pic credit - Thomas Potter

Soup to Sunshine

It’s early Sunday, a pristine spring morning.

The air is cool and crisp, a gentle frost still clinging as dew lifts the blossom into a heightened glisten, almost lacquered. At last, we’ve emerged from the grey soup of early March and we have a crystal blue ceiling above us. It’s not quite t-shirt or short weather for me, but it feels temperate, and promising.

Just past dawn, the birds are in full voice. Everything is calm and still.

It is, without question, my favourite time of year. The spring equinox has arrived, and something in the energy has naturally shifted.

And yet, with it comes expectation.

My mind feels alert at this time, alive to possibility, but also to pressure. It becomes a moment where things feel as though they should be optimised, delivered, made the most of while the conditions are right. There’s a delicate balance between enjoying the change in season mindfully, and quietly assembling long lists of tasks, expectations that are often difficult to fulfil, and deflating when they’re not.

Spring has always been a time of rebirth, of quiet growth, of the earth stirring itself awake. But this year it feels more complicated. It carries markers of time and memory, and is threaded with the absence of my mother, Anneliese.

When the snowdrops first emerged in February, I immediately thought of our pilgrimages to Cound Valley, near Shrewsbury, where the brook runs through a valley blanketed in an arctic carpet of white. Even as recently as last year, when she was no longer in the best of health, we still made the trip. That determination feels incredibly precious to me now.

The memories arrive in waves, joy, certainly, but also guilt, woven through the grief. I miss her deeply, though I don’t miss the weight of responsibility that could at times feel so heavy to carry. That truth brings with it a complexity I am still learning to hold. Writing here helps enormously. It is how I share my thoughts, and manage the grief with honest reflection.

I am beginning, slowly, to see beyond the guilt. I know, both rationally and in my heart, that I did the very best I could. And yet, it still lingers.

The beauty of the season feels sharper somehow because she is not here to see it. It feels important to celebrate it and enjoy it, to honour the pleasure she took in these small, fleeting moments.

This time, the beauty, it can’t be wasted, but needs to be carefully balanced to not not overbear.

Wars to left of me, Jokers to the right

From the outside, SY.Gigs can appear as though it’s thriving, needing little support. But that’s often the illusion shaped by social media and presentation. The reality is more delicate. While the model works, it requires constant effort and is sustained by community.

As the world continues to feel increasingly unstable, thanks to competing megalomaniacs, the effects ripple outward, into our psychology, our sense of ease, and our economy. Inevitably, this reaches spaces like ours too, where small, independent events sit within the fragile edges of leisure, the nighttime economy and choice.

I personally find the act of selling difficult. It takes effort and perseverance. The constant push to promote, to balance everything, it can feel at odds with why I created the model in the first place. There’s an irony in creating something intended to support wellbeing, while feeling the strain of sustaining it.

Beyond myself and a small group of volunteers, we are only ever as strong as the last event. Without an audience, without people sharing in and supporting these experiences, the future always carries a degree of uncertainty. It also came sap energy levels on occasions and question the longevity of the model.

If you feel inclined to help, whether by sharing the newsletter, telling a friend about the events, or proactively putting up a poster or flyer in your local area, it would mean a great deal.

Please do get in touch if you would like to help or come say hello at a gig.

Questionnaire - Season 3

A reminder. The Feedback from our 2025 questionnaire findings is out in the wild. It is an interesting read so please take the time to learn some more.

FEEDBACK SURVEY COMMUNITY REPORT

Barry White & Todgers

Pond Update

I missed the move deadline!

The Barry White express arrived back with the frog groove armada that had the ladies in the pond spinning. I had hoped to have got the new pond in the garden up and running in time, but the weather earlier in the year was so unkind. I decided not to stress over it and am slowly getting close to allow a calmer voyage to the new destination later in the year.

Old Man Todgers Sold Out

A few weeks ago my good friend Matthew and I embarked on the rather unique annual pilgrimage, to Wattlesborough Potato Fair, a kind of seasonal rite of spring.

It’s an unusual gathering: an extraordinary array of potato varieties alongside an equally unusual crowd, all marking the quiet beginning of the growing season. By 9:30am, the car park was already full, and inside it felt something like a supermarket sweep, everyone intent on securing the finest and rarest tubers.

Despite the bustle, we were fortunate this year, managing to collect a promising selection for what we hope will be a diverse harvest.

My only real disappointment was the absence of the beloved Pink Fir Apple or, as it’s affectionately known, “Old Man’s Todgers.” It’s a variety I’ve grown particularly fond of, and one I haven’t been able to get hold of for a couple of seasons now!

Still, we came away with a good spread. And now comes the quieter, more patient part, preparing the ground, planting, and watching them grow.

Last Gig - Event 1.0 Feb 1 @ Shrewsbury Library

Jonny Nash (ft Tomo Katsurada) + C.Haddow + M.Sewell

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon, illuminated by beautiful music in the extraordinary setting of the old Shrewsbury School Chapel at Shrewsbury Library.

Jonny and Tomo flew in on the morning of the event. It is always an anxious time with so many dependences, but thanks to many volunteers and partners we staged what was of the very best events I’ve been involved in. There were so many beautiful moments and kind comments. It really was a very magical afternoon with the space was distilled into hushed tones, gentle guitar washes, and immersive, hypnotic soundscapes.

Video courtesy of Tristan Copeland and Nicole Eveleigh

This was our first comprehensive event in the Library, having worked with the Council to increase the capacity that allowed us an attendance that covered costs. I’m looking at hosting at least another two events this year at the library and I think the feedback received was very enthusiastically supportive of more matinee’s. It’s a nice time and matches the rhythm of music we are hosting in many cases.

Thanks to Tom Proctor for some beautiful pics. All up on the website.

A wonderful gig review here from Ian Mann

Huge thanks to Tom, Spencer, and Rob from @creationgroupuk who crafted a light backdrop that, like a sunset, grew more stunning as the afternoon faded into evening. From the street side, it looked like a glowing light box, a truly magical touch.

Next Gig - Event 2.0 March 28 @ St Alkmunds Church

Awen Ensemble + Peiriant

Awen Ensemble are a 7 piece alternative folk-jazz collective from Leeds. Meaning ‘poetic inspiration‘ in Welsh, the name Awen outlines the band’s intention to explore folkloric heritage, landscape and emotional processes through music, inspiring audiences to connect with and reflect on these elements.

Playing both vocal led and instrumental works, Awen Ensemble take inspiration from modal and spiritual jazz traditions as well as British and Irish folk music, creating compositions that are expansive and expressive. Featuring thoughtful musicianship, shimmering instrumentation and a Celtic mystique, Awen Ensemble will bring a unique offering to St Alkmund’s Church in the spring.

“The folk-jazz revival is most definitely on.” - UNCUT Magazine

“Absolutely stunning” - Jamz Supernova, BBC Radio 6

“an expansive folk-jazz workout.” - CLASH Magazine

Support comes from Peiriant who are a Welsh duo playing violin and electric guitar, with pedals and affects. They play with melody and tonality to create atmosphere and soundscapes of the place they love, Wales. They have a new album releasing next month.

“iridescent soundscapes summon spirit of the mountains.” - Folk Album of the Month - The Guardian

Event 2.0 Tickets

New Events Added

Two new dates have now been added to Season 4.0

May 16 at The Unitarian - Dylan Henner + Ibuken Sunday

Artwork by Cherie Jerrard — proud to collaborate with such talented local artists.

A mysterious radio station broadcasting your own memories…

This is the mythology behind Star Dream FM, the acclaimed ambient work by Dylan Henner, who quietly emerged in 2020 through releases on Phantom Limb, Dauw, and AD93.

Rarely promoting himself, Henner instead communicates through poetic titles and carefully crafted sonic worlds.

Joining the evening is Ibukun Sunday, also on Phantom Limb, a Lagos-based composer and violist blending ambient music, West African traditions, field recordings, and improvisation.

Another evening of deep listening, for the curious, within one of Shrewsbury’s most historic and resonant spaces.

Event 3.0 Tickets

September 13 at The Darwin Room - Haiku Salut + Osgled + Matt Sewell

September 13 — Early Birds have sold out via Newsletter subscribers. Limited full price tickets available for what will be another beautiful matinee later this year.

I am thrilled to welcome back @haikusalut to Shrewsbury.

The last time they joined us was November 2018 at St Alkmund's Church, an evening show that was supported by our friend @tinyleavesmusic.

This time, Haiku return in a different light at our new space, The Darwin Room, Shrewsbury Library, presenting a special afternoon matinee, with support from @osgled_

For those discovering them afresh, Haiku Salut are the Derbyshire-born trio of Gemma Barkerwood, Sophie Barkerwood and Louise Croft. Self-described as “instrumental dream-pop-post-folk-neo-everything,” their music is intricate, cinematic and entirely wordless, glockenspiel, accordion, piano, electronics and found sounds woven into something both playful and profound.

Drawing inspiration from composers such as Yann Tiersen and Benoît Charest, alongside the delicate experimentalism of Múm, they create immersive soundscapes that feel like miniature films unfolding in real time.

Osgled (Welsh for amplitude) draws on a rich blend of experimental sounds, combines ethereal, atmospheric layers woven together with dreamy and evocative vocals.

The Matinee will be bookended by a DJ set by friend and local artist @mattsewell.

Expect lounge-inspired cinematic textures, expect quiet euphoria, expect that gentle shift in atmosphere that only certain artists can bring.

It will be an afternoon to sink into those beanbags again.

Event 5.0 Tickets

SY Recommends

Music Shorts

Soyuz - Krok - Enthralling lush Belarusian Brazilian melodies!

Fabiano Do Nascimento - Vila - An SY friend with the Vitor Santos Orchestra.

Midori Jaegar - (Unplanted) - Dream like cello and vocals hinge some beautiful arrangements.

Reading

Finding Albion - Zakia Sewell - the quest for a hidden Britain seen through myth, folkore and custom.

Leave a comment

Keep on Keeping on!

Cx

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I hope you all had a beautiful weekend and enjoyed the splendour of some sunshire (!) amongst the St David’s Day treasures.

First and foremost, a huge thank you to everyone who attended the first event of the year at Shrewsbury Library. It went beyond my hopes, creating the intended magical, slow Sunday experience on the beanbags. Huge gratitude to our venue host Katherine Berry at the Museum and our lighting partners Creation Group for making the event such a success. Sometimes it’s the little extra details, beyond the beautiful music, that make an event truly memorable. The later part of Jonny and Tomo’s set, as dusk set in, will always stay with me. A beautiful memory to hold onto!

Pic by Tom Potter (@iamthestorm)

Following this first event, I was keen to secure a couple more events at the library. The first is now confirmed and on sale, and I wanted to let you know first.

Event 4.0 - September 13th - Haiku Salut + Osgled + Matt Sewell

A new delicious afternoon matinee for your diaries.

September 13 — Early Bird tickets are now on sale. There are only a small number owing to capacity of venue.

I am really thrilled to welcome back @haikusalut to Shrewsbury.

The last time Haiku Salut joined us was in November 2018 at St Alkmund’s Church, an evening show beautifully supported by my friend Joel (@tinyleavesmusic).

This time, they return in a different light at our new venue, The Darwin Room, Shrewsbury Library, presenting a special afternoon matinee, with support from Osgled and Matt Sewell.

For those discovering them afresh, Haiku Salut are the Derbyshire-born trio of Gemma Barkerwood, Sophie Barkerwood and Louise Croft. Self-described as “instrumental dream-pop-post-folk-neo-everything,” their music is intricate, cinematic and entirely wordless, glockenspiel, accordion, piano, electronics and found sounds woven into something both playful and profound.

Drawing inspiration from composers such as Yann Tiersen and Benoît Charest, alongside the delicate experimentalism of Múm, they create immersive soundscapes that feel like miniature films unfolding in real time.

Osgled (Welsh for amplitude ) draws on a rich blend of experimental sounds, combines ethereal, atmospheric layers with poignant, melancholy synths, all woven together with dreamy and evocative vocals. The result is a soundscape that feels both otherworldly and deeply emotional, transporting listeners into a space of reflection and feeling.

The Matinee will be bookended again by dear friend and Shrewsbury polymath @mattsewell.

Expect lounge-inspired cinematic textures.

Expect quiet euphoria.

Expect that gentle shift in atmosphere that only certain artists can bring.

An afternoon to sink into those beanbags again.

An afternoon to drift.

Something for the Curious.

Haiku Salut Tickets

Next Gig - Event 2.0 of Season 4.0

A quick reminder that our next concert, featuring Awen Ensemble and Peirant, will be held at the St Alkmund’s Church on the 28th March.

Poster Art by Kirsty Worrow (@onecrowleft)

Awen Ensemble are a 7 piece alternative folk-jazz outfit from Leeds. Meaning ‘poetic inspiration‘ in Welsh, the name Awen outlines the band’s intention to explore folkloric heritage, landscape and emotional processes through music, inspiring audiences to connect with and reflect on these elements.

Playing both vocal led and instrumental works, Awen Ensemble take inspiration from modal and spiritual jazz traditions as well as British and Irish folk music, creating compositions that are expansive and expressive. Featuring thoughtful musicianship, shimmering instrumentation and a Celtic mystique, Awen Ensemble will bring a unique offering to St Alkmund’s Church in the spring.

“The folk-jazz revival is most definitely on.” - UNCUT Magazine

“Absolutely stunning” - Jamz Supernova, BBC Radio 6

“an expansive folk-jazz workout.” - CLASH Magazine

Support comes from Peiriant who are a Welsh duo playing violin and electric guitar, with pedals and affects. They play with melody and tonality to create atmosphere and soundscapes of the place they love, Wales. They have a new album releasing next month.

“iridescent soundscapes summon spirit of the mountains.” - Folk Album of the Month - The Guardian

Awen Ensemble Tickets

Thank you for the continued support.

Best

C x

To new adopters, and old friends alike, welcome to the first SY.Gigs newsletter of 2026, splendidly timed for full effect on this Blue Monday, no less.

This is a personal newsletter, a space for quiet rumination on the values that sit at the heart of SY.Gigs, shared at leisurely intervals and in chime with incoming gatherings. These digests consider music, nature, mental well-being, and culture, and how these intrinsic threads can quietly, yet powerfully, add value to our lives.

Whether you’re new here or have been part of the journey for some time, I wish you a heartfelt and hopeful New Year ahead. The Year of the Horse feels particularly fitting, associated with movement, exploration, and forward momentum, very much in keeping with the SY.Gigs ethos.

Reflections

As I approach the end of my 60th year, I find myself reflecting more consciously on the journey of ageing. While age can bring challenges and moments of contemplation around longevity and mortality, it also offers a deepening sense of perspective. There is real beauty in the maturity we grow into, in the experiences accumulated, and in a heightened appreciation for things once taken for granted, the wildlife that surrounds our communities, the gift of seeing those little details, and the music that has quietly accompanied us along the way.

In the spirit of SY.Gigs, this reflection is not about looking back alone, but about remaining open and curious. My younger years were shaped by many music genres, drifting through soul, two tone, reggae, punk and indie, each leaving its own imprint. Today, I find myself increasingly drawn to quieter, more reflective music, sound that invites stillness, attention, and presence. The past is not lost, it lives with us and shaped us, but the path ahead continues to offer new experiences, new connections, and new value, if we choose to stay open to them.

The back catologue

The Questionnaire Findings and Raffle Winners

A huge thank you to everyone who supported SY.Gigs during our ‘13 Days of Christmas’ Prize Draw.

Huge congratulations to our 13 lucky Raffle winners. Here’s who won what:

✨ The Groundskeeper Oil & Vinegar Set: Freddie Evans
✨ Minimise Wholefoods Voucher: Katherine Garner
✨ Dough & Oil Voucher: James Drever
✨ Iron & Rose (Glou Glou) Voucher: Jon Guntrip
✨ Left for Dead Voucher: Adele Mills
✨ Albert’s Favourites Discount: Alexander M. Law
✨ Live Well with Lowri Wellness Retreat: Joanna Wallace
✨ Opus Media Recording Experience: B. O’Faolain
✨ Caroline True & SY.Gigs Records Vinyl Bundle: John Foster
✨ Breathing Project Online Package: Jancis Vaughan
✨ Launch Return Digital Marketing Consultation: Irvine Peacock
✨ Matt Sewell/Silverstick Artwork & Apparel: Diane Stonehouse
✨ SY.Gigs 2026 Season Tickets: Dave Mansfield

A huge note of gratitude to all the incredible local businesses and partners who donated prizes. We are so lucky to have such a generous community who continue to see the value in what we do, and support us.

Thank you to all of you who took the time to complete the questionnaire and share your thoughts on the SY.Gigs experience. I am truly humbled by the responses. Not only did you respond in record numbers, but you shared many kind words and also provided some excellent suggestions and helpful critique. I have my home work to explore some of the music suggestions!

Here is a look at some of the headlines:
What is absolutely clear is that you really value SY.Gigs!

High Value: You gave the overall SY.Gigs experience an average of 4.8 out of 5 stars. Thank you!

A Growing Family: While 35% of you joined us for the first time in Season 3.0, nearly 20% of the audience are "Super-loyal" and have attended 9 or more gigs! Big up to you all!!

Quality First: 98% of you rated your experience as "Good" or "Excellent."

We had lots of positive feedback. My absolute favourite thought was this from a super loyal follower….

"I travel from Folkestone, Kent to attend the shows so you're clearly ticking all my boxes... You're doing such amazing work."

Knowing that people are prepared to travel across the country, or simply walking down the street in Shrewsbury, to find a community around alternative music is why small promoters like myself do this. Whether you came for the "lights and smoke" at the Unitarian or the "pristine acoustics" of the Library, thank you for being part of this journey and supporting.

We have published a full report on the questionnaire findings that you can find here. It is an interesting read.

FEEDBACK SURVEY COMMUNITY REPORT

A huge thank you to Krishan from launch Return who has helped bring this whole piece together. He’s been an absolute legend and a wonderful asset to the community since coming on board to support SY.Gigs pro bono. Thank you, genuinely, from the bottom of my heart.

The thread of the Seasons

From the outside, SY Gigs might feel like a series of gigs. But from the core, each season has marked a moment of my personal emotional thinking, feeling, and listening. I thought I would share that insight. Interestingly a few people asked for more insights in the Questionnaire.

The first season was titled ‘Letting the Light In’, which came from a very real place. Music was carrying me through some genuinely dark periods at that time, supporting my own mental and emotional well-being when I needed it most. It was a time of immense stress and anxiety in my life. Those early events were about acknowledging the quiet power of music, not as background noise or entertainment, but as something restorative. At the same time, it felt important to start the journey of SY events with a focus on letting the light in on some alternative and lesser-heard music that we had been starved of in Shrewsbury, and to place it within historic, underused buildings in the town. These spaces already held a sense of stillness and reflection, and music allowed them to breathe again. It seemed a good fit!

As the community responded and seemed supportive of the early events we moved to Season 2.0, confidence grew, and the theme focus shifted. Whilst the illumination remained there felt a need to widen the scope. I became intrigued on how narrowly we often define what music should sound like, and how quickly we categorise all experiences as “normal” or “not for us”. How we get conditioned through radio and past experiences and friends recommendations. That questioning gradually evolved into a phrase that seemed appropriate ‘Nothing is Ordinary’.

By Season 3.0, Nothing is Ordinary became embedded. It was an attempt to gently challenge the comfort of normality, in music and society, and in how we relate to people and experiences. There’s a tendency to gravitate toward what feels familiar and easily digestible, while overlooking things that sit outside of that framework but can add so much value. Individuality, difference, and alternative expression aren’t problems to be solved, they’re things to be noticed, explored, and valued. Too often society makes people uncomfortable to consider the alternative. We lack the confidence to explore with curiosty for the fear on how we will be perceived by others and our peers. This season therefore set an intention of creating space for those experiences, and asking a very simple question beneath it all: what exactly is normal”?

As we approached the end of Season Three, that questioning naturally opened into something far more inquisitive, and is exactly how Season Four has arrived, with a clear message of embracing Curiosity. This year’s season continues the rejection of the ordinary, but with a softer, more exploratory energy. The Curious is an invitation, to lean into uncertainty, to trust, to listen without expectation, and to engage with music and genres that do not immediately feel comfortable. It’s about staying open, speculative, and receptive to new experiences, in new spaces and making new friends.

The lineage is clear: from light, to acceptance, to curiosity. A slow progression rooted in well-being, empathy, and the belief that by listening more openly to music, to spaces, and to one another we might find something quietly transformative that helps us all.

We can but hope and continue the journey!

The Pond dilemma

I have a pond just off my back deck that was installed when we moved into the house. Each spring it becomes a regular playpen for the frogs. It regularly sounds like Barry White has arrived in town in the early part of spring. The upside or downside, whichever way you look at it is that the population explosion is a regular food supply for the local crow family who call by for huge helpings. It’s often a hard watch, but that is the reality of the food chain. At one point I thought of disrupting this natural process but now I accept nature for its best intentions.

In summer, the pond also attracts the occasional dragonfly and damselfly, adding moments of quiet beauty, a real pleasure that always provides seasonal highlights.

The issue with the pond itself is, that is frankly, very ugly. It was installed by the previous owner using a mix of materials that remain visible to the keen eye, and it’s also impossible for mammals to safely access and exit the water. For some time now we’ve known it needed to be moved, replaced or removed. So, perhaps in a mood of quiet optimism, I conceived the idea to move the pond and offer a fresh start for a more diverse wildlife feature.

With limited enthusiasm, if I’m brutally honest, I finally took a shovel to it in early November and started manually digging. Over weeks the shape emerged and by December the hole was complete. The materials to line the pond have now arrived. If all goes to plan, it will become an ideal habitat for a wider variety of wildlife. I just need to finish it before spring arrives and have a dry spell. I’ll keep you updated!

Stage 1 - the pond dig. Thanks to Joel @ Wild your Garden for all the advice to date

Next Gig - Event 1.0 Feb 1 at Shrewsbury Library

Jonny Nash (ft Tomo Katsurada) + C.Haddow + M.Sewell

There are less than 5 tickets available for the first gig, a Sunday Matinee (Doors open at 2:30pm) in the intimate space of the Darwin Room at Shrewsbury Library.

Event 1.0 Tickets

Jonny Nash is the perfect artist to open Season 4.0 at Shrewsbury Library’s Darwin Room. His music is spacious, comforting, and profoundly human, holding listeners close while gently inviting inward reflection. He will be joined by his close friend Tomo Katsurada, and together you can expect drifting, swelling, transportive soundscapes that will pull you into subtle, immersive worlds.

Jonny has spent a lifetime travelling the globe in search of new experiences and inspiration. His musical journey has been equally winding and nomadic, from early explorations in cosmic disco to deeper atmospheric excursions inspired by his love of enveloping soundscapes, acoustic music, and the sonic possibilities of the humble guitar. Today, he is recognized as one of the most distinctive voices on the ambient and new age scene.

Support comes from Glasgow-born guitarist and composer Christopher Haddow, who experiments with guitar, field recordings, and tape loops. His minimal, layered approach embraces the serendipity of sound-on-sound looping, creating evolving atmospheres that feel alive, unpredictable, and compelling.

The matinee will be bookended by our dear friend, supporter, and local polymath Matt Sewell, whose unique DJ sonic palette will complete what promises to be a truly beautiful afternoon.

Event 2.0 March 28

Awen Ensemble + Peiriant

Awen Ensemble are a 7 piece alternative folk-jazz outfit from Leeds. Meaning ‘poetic inspiration‘ in Welsh, the name Awen outlines the band’s intention to explore folkloric heritage, landscape and emotional processes through music, inspiring audiences to connect with and reflect on these elements.

Playing both vocal led and instrumental works, Awen Ensemble take inspiration from modal and spiritual jazz traditions as well as British and Irish folk music, creating compositions that are expansive and expressive. Featuring thoughtful musicianship, shimmering instrumentation and a Celtic mystique, Awen Ensemble will bring a unique offering to St Alkmund’s Church in the spring.

“The folk-jazz revival is most definitely on.” - UNCUT Magazine

“Absolutely stunning” - Jamz Supernova, BBC Radio 6

“an expansive folk-jazz workout.” - CLASH Magazine

Support comes from Peiriant who are a Welsh duo playing violin and electric guitar, with pedals and affects. They play with melody and tonality to create atmosphere and soundscapes of the place they love, Wales. They have a new album releasing next month.

“iridescent soundscapes summon spirit of the mountains.” - Folk Album of the Month - The Guardian

There are only a few early bird tickets left.

Event 2.0 Tickets

SY Recommends

Radio

I’ve mentioned her shows before, but this week felt particularly special, as Zakia Sewell welcomed much-loved SY.Gigs favourite Mary Lattimore onto Dreamtime. It’s a beautiful meeting of voices and strings, an invitation to slow down and drift through Mary’s luminous harpscapes. If you’ve not yet explored her work, this is a perfect place to begin.

Photography

I went across to Birmingham last week with some friends to see a wonderful small exhibition by Ronnie Ackling, someone i have followed for some time on Instagram. His work explores the quiet tension that exists between structure and emptiness. His work is atmospheric and is captured mostly in the early hours of the day across the West Midland urban landscape. His exhibition finishes this month.

Music

Andy Hay - Apple Pie

A beautiful spiritual jazz release from North Wales drummer and painter Andy Hay. Warm, searching and deeply human, Apple Pie unfolds with a quiet confidence and generosity of spirit. An absolute stunner.

Ann Annie - El Prado

Eli Goldberg is a prolific multi-instrumentalist whose work gently weaves together ambient, folk, classical and new age traditions. His compositions are deeply shaped by the vast, open beauty of Oregon. Spacious, patient and grounded in landscape.

Floating Points - Elaenia

Now ten years old and newly reissued with added extras, Elaenia still feels remarkably alive. Beats, clicks and analogue sweeps glide effortlessly across the dance floor or the kitchen, wherever you may find yourself listening. Sam Shepherd at his very best.

Thanks to all of the comments and recommendations in the Questionnaire feedback. I’ll be working my way through them.

Leave a comment

Keep on Keeping on!

Cx

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So far, around 70 people have completed the questionnaire, which is genuinely brilliant, but I know there are still a few of you who could add some valuable insights based on your attendances.

Tomorrow we announce perhaps the biggest and most valuable prize of all: two Season Tickets to all SY Gigs events. Surely that’s worth 6–7 minutes of your time.

You’re eligible to enter the raffle if:

• you’ve ever attended an SY Gigs event, or

• you’re holding a ticket for any Season 4.0 events. Two are on sale.

The winners will be drawn after Christmas on Blue Monday, 19th January.

You can look through the prizes and conditions [HERE].

To fill out the survey, simply click the button below.

QUESTIONNAIRE AND RAFFLE

Season 4.0 - Event 1.0 - 50 % sold

Feb 1 @ The Darwin Room, Jonny Nash + C.Haddow + M.Sewell

There are still tickets available for this intimate venue, but numbers are limited due to its size.

Ticket prices for Season 4.0 have increased by £2.

Event 1.0 Tickets

Physical tickets will still be available at Glou Glou (Castle Gates and The Market Hall), which remains the most cost-effective way to purchase without incurring booking fees.

Jonny Nash is the perfect artist to open Season 4.0 at Shrewsbury Library’s Darwin Room. His music is spacious, comforting, and profoundly human, holding listeners close while gently inviting inward reflection. He will be joined by his close friend Tomo Katsurada, and together you can expect drifting, swelling, transportive soundscapes that pull you into subtle, immersive worlds.

Jonny has spent a lifetime travelling the globe in search of new experiences and inspiration. His musical journey has been equally winding and nomadic, from early explorations in cosmic disco to deeper atmospheric excursions inspired by his love of enveloping soundscapes, acoustic music, and the sonic possibilities of the humble guitar. Today, he is recognized as one of the most distinctive voices on the ambient and new age scene.

Support comes from Glasgow-born guitarist and composer Christopher Haddow, who experiments with guitar, field recordings, and tape loops. His minimal, layered approach embraces the serendipity of sound-on-sound looping, creating evolving atmospheres that feel alive, unpredictable, and compelling.

The matinee will be bookended by our dear friend, supporter, and local polymath Matt Sewell, whose unique DJ sonic palette will complete what promises to be a truly memorable afternoon.

Best of luck in the raffle and see you on the other side, where the crumbs will be…

Cx

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Season 3.0 Reflections

Pic Credit - Marysia Osu + Hanakiv by Jonny Mo

We recently completed another eclectic season of events, full of variety and held within some of the town’s most beautiful and resonant spaces. There were so many highlights and memorable moments, from the swing and swagger of Matters Unknown’s global grooves in January, through the exquisite collaborative harp and piano double-header from Marysia Osu and Hanakiv, to the closing event with Merope and M. Haiux at the Unitarian, which offered something close to collective healing.

So many of these moments felt truly transcendental, allowing us to slow down, listen deeply, and reflect, experiencing music without the usual outside distractions. These emotional outcomes are exactly why these events exist, especially in a world that feels increasingly reckless, economically driven, and transient through our growing reliance on technological connection. Creating abstract, attentive spaces for music, and welcoming a growing community into them, has become more meaningful to me than anything I previously valued in my professional career.

While I was fortunate to experience success delivering projects in public service, nothing compares to this journey, it is a different, deeply rewarding form of public service. I feel I’ve found my purpose, and it’s a beautiful thing to be part of.

As mentioned at the final event, I’m committed to continuing into another season, though with fewer, more considered events. Season 4.0 will begin on 1st February at the Library, with Jonny Nash featuring Tomo Katsurada plus support from Christopher Haddow and Matt Sewell.

Season 4.0 will place a greater emphasis on matinee performances, alongside a special day-into-evening summer event in July at St Alkmund’s, welcoming friends from Hawaii and Europe. As always, we’ll continue to explore a palette of music I love and feel compelled to share with the Shrewsbury community.

Gratitude

This year has been made significantly easier for me thanks to the support of some truly wonderful volunteers, who stepped forward and added real value to the events you’ve experienced. Whether welcoming people on the door, helping to share messages and flyers, assisting artists as they settle into the town, building the stage to create the atmosphere we value, or taking care of the more mundane task of decommissioning the space after you’ve left, every contribution matters and my heartfelt thanks to those that know!

There is always room to get involved, and that will continue into Season 4.0, so please do get in touch if you’d like to be part of it.

Our community continues to grow, and we now have a wider following, which has made selling events a little easier. That said, it can still feel like I’m constantly pushing ticket sales, and I apologise if this sometimes comes across as repetitive or overly insistent. The reality is that events need to sell out, or come very close for the concept to remain viable.

I’ve secured a small amount of sponsorship for Season 4.0 and, thanks to the generosity of this year’s sponsors and partners, we’re able to carry a positive bank balance forward. In particular, I’d like to thank Robin at Glou Glou, who continues to share bar profits with us, a gesture that makes a meaningful difference. Supporting and buying drinks at events really has an impact!

If there are any potential sponsors reading this or you know any who would like to get involved, please do reach out. There are always opportunities to support the project. Another way to help is by subscribing with a financial pledge to this Substack, if that’s something you value and feel able to do.

Questionnaire Reminder - Deadline Dec 24 to Win Win Win

I’m really looking forward to reading the outcomes from the questionnaires. We’ve had a strong initial response already, around 60 submissions, and there’s still plenty of time to take part and be automatically entered into the prize raffle.

I’m incredibly grateful to the partners who have generously supported this venture, offering an inspiring range of prizes. These include vouchers (wine, wholefoods, pizza, and books), music merchandise and vinyl, a wellness experience, a professional recording session (for any artists reading), a beautiful Matt Sewell package of art, vinyl and a sweatshirt, an online meditative breathing course, a digital marketing consultation, and perhaps most exciting and valuable of all, two Season Tickets to all SY Gigs events in 2026.

The deadline for completing the questionnaire is 24th December, so there’s still plenty of time.

You’re eligible to enter the raffle if you’ve ever attended an SY Gigs event, and there have now been 29 gigs to date, or if you’re holding a ticket for any Season 4.0 events.

The winners will be drawn after Christmas on Blue Monday, 19th January.

Please take a moment to look through the prizes and conditions [HERE].

To fill out the survey, simply click the button below and help us shape the future of SY Gigs.

QUESTIONNAIRE AND RAFFLE

Event 8.0 - Saturday Dec 6th

Merope + M.Haiux

A deeply still, healing evening, two years in the making. Like many of these events, it took time to come to fruition. There is never any doubt in my mind that the people I invite are good people, who share values I hold close. When we finally meet, it often feels like reconnecting with old friends.

Bert and Indrė were genuine beautiful souls, who immediately connected with the community and the wider aspirations we’re nurturing here as part of the SY culture. The Unitarian was held in quietness that evening, a deeply distilled space. The audience opening themselves to music that invited us to slow down and listen differently, away from the constant noise of everyday life.

Matthew (M.Haiux) joined us from Liverpool and opened the evening with beautifully subtle, immersive primitive guitar work. His playing gently guided us into his world and influences, each composition introduced like a small doorway into a personal memory or landscape.

Merope then presented a continuous uninterrupted soundscape, a journey that unfolded with great sensitivity and depth. It felt less like a performance and more like a collective experience. Many people shared afterwards how emotionally moved they felt, how necessary this kind of stillness was, and how something healing had taken place. These may sound like grand claims, but perhaps this is precisely the underlying power of these events.

For a full review of the evening’S proceedings please see Ian Mann’s review on his Jazzmann webite.

Huge thanks to Emma for creating the beautiful backdrop on stage, which quietly held the space throughout the evening. These little touches take time which I know are appreciated.

Pic Credit - Merope by Jonny Mo

Season 4.0 - Event 1.0

Feb 1 @ The Darwin Room, Jonny Nash + C.Haddow + M.Sewell

There are still tickets available for this intimate venue, but numbers are limited due to its size. All Adult Early Bird tickets have now sold out.

Ticket prices for Season 4.0 have increased by £2.

Physical tickets will still be available at Glou Glou (Castle Gates and The Market Hall), which remains the most cost-effective way to purchase without incurring booking fees.

Jonny Nash is the perfect artist to open Season 4.0 at Shrewsbury Library’s Darwin Room. His music is spacious, comforting, and profoundly human, holding listeners close while gently inviting inward reflection. He will be joined by his close friend Tomo Katsurada, and together you can expect drifting, swelling, transportive soundscapes that pull you into subtle, immersive worlds.

Jonny has spent a lifetime travelling the globe in search of new experiences and inspiration. His musical journey has been equally winding and nomadic, from early explorations in cosmic disco to deeper atmospheric excursions inspired by his love of enveloping soundscapes, acoustic music, and the sonic possibilities of the humble guitar. Today, he is recognized as one of the most distinctive voices on the ambient and new age scene.

Support comes from Glasgow-born guitarist and composer Christopher Haddow, who experiments with guitar, field recordings, and tape loops. His minimal, layered approach embraces the serendipity of sound-on-sound looping, creating evolving atmospheres that feel alive, unpredictable, and compelling.

The matinee will be bookended by our dear friend, supporter, and local polymath Matt Sewell, whose unique DJ sonic palette will complete what promises to be a truly memorable afternoon.

Please see a lovely feature on this upcoming event in a new, locally focused online publication called Shrewsbury Scoop. Many thanks to Will for the coverage!

Keep on keeping on, people! As the world turns and twists, kindness and courtesy remain the most valuable gifts this Christmas.

— Cx

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So here we are at the end of another Season. Eight unique events, each memorable in their own way. We moved between our favourite venues and dipped our toes into a new historical space, the beautiful Darwin Room at Shrewsbury Library, where we trialled our first matinee show. Along the way, we welcomed volunteers and made new friends, whether artists, partners, or attendees.

This year’s programme was far less hectic for me personally, and seemed to unfold with enough space between events to keep things enjoyable, and hopefully to keep your interest too.

I keep learning, and I’m trying to be kinder to myself by planning fewer events for Season 4.0 and adding space for my personal wellbeing.

The community and the opportunities continue to grow, but it still feels important to stay humble, to pause, and to check in with ourselves, to remember why we, why I, do this.

And that’s where I need a little help.

Complete the Questionnaire and WIN via a unique raffle!

A significant part of this newsletter is focused on a little SY homework for those who are the most important part of this whole community initiative. Without you attending, and returning, the model is simply unsustainable.

We’ve already made good progress shaping Season 4.0, but we still need your invaluable input to help guide SY.Gigs as it moves forward.

We’ve put together a quick survey. It should only take you 5–7 minutes to complete, less time than you’ll probably spend browsing Facebook or Instagram this evening, or re-reading the same news headlines hoping something has changed since five minutes ago!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on everything: your favourite venues, the best concert times, the genres you most enjoy, and even any ideas you have for improving this newsletter.

To say thank you for investing your time, everyone who completes the questionnaire and has been to at least one SY.Gigs event will automatically be entered into a prize raffle for a chance to win some beautiful things. The prizes are so good I’m half-tempted to enter myself.

The raffle features 13 fantastic prizes, generously offered by our independent collaborators, partners, artists, and friends of SY Gigs. These include vouchers (wine, wholefood, pizza, and books), music merchandise and plenty of vinyl, a wellness experience, a professional recording session for any artist out there, a beautiful Matt Sewell package of art, vinyl and a sweatshirt, an online meditative breathing package, a digital marketing consultation, and perhaps most exciting of all, two Season Tickets to all SY Gigs events in 2026. Not a bad haul at all.

The deadline for completing the questionnaire is December 24.

We will check email addresses against tickets issued, so please use the same one you used when you received or booked tickets. The winners will be drawn after Christmas on Blue Monday, January 19th. A day now to look forward to!!

Please take a look at the prizes and conditions HERE.

To fill out the survey, simply click the button below and help us make SY.Gigs even better.

Your thoughts genuinely shape how SY Gigs evolves. Every piece of feedback helps us to keep building something that is beautiful, uncommercial and meaningful for the community.

QUESTIONNAIRE AND RAFFLE

Winter reflections!

Pic credit - Mark Walters

As we move toward Christmas, I’ve found myself reflecting on my mental health again. I’m sorry, but that’s the deal with these newsletters: a little self-reflection woven in, which has always been one of SY’s core themes. And hopefully, somewhere in all this, there’s a bit of learning too.

I’ve been anxious for a while, and I think I’ve been suppressing some of the grief of losing Anneliese. This time of year has a way of amplifying whatever lives quietly beneath the day-to-day, the joy, yes, but also the emptiness that becomes more noticeable when you don’t have a large or close family. After losing Mum, that feeling is sharper, more present, and I know many people carry their own version of this. It’s a reminder that melancholy isn’t something to push away; it’s part of of the human condition, especially during seasons so strongly tied to family and memory. I’m trying to welcome it with a sense of gratitude.

Alongside that, I’ve noticed how scattered my mind can feel at times, wonderful ideas appearing out of nowhere, but also negative ones, all firing in different directions. Thoughts half-formed, overlapping, that sense of internal chaos that can be oddly unnerving even when some of the ideas are positive. But there’s also something reassuring in that chaos. A busy mind means things are still moving, still curious, still alive. I’m learning to embrace it rather than feel overwhelmed by it.

And maybe that’s tied to ageing too: learning to sift through the things that worry us, letting them sit without letting them dominate, and deliberately pulling the positives back into focus. Amid the negative noise, there are still small, grounding moments of clarity and gratitude, and those are worth holding onto.

I reached a sober state in 2020. It was a deliberate decision, partly connected to giving up casual smoking years earlier, two things that had always been intertwined and habit. Whenever I socialised they were so difficult to separate. There was also the endless tiredness that followed even the smallest drink, that feeling of being worn down before the day had even begun. I never had what you’d call “a problem” with alcohol, but I can see now that it stirred up deeper demons, feeding my self-consciousness and anxiety in ways I didn’t recognise at the time.

I’m genuinely happy I made the change, and grateful for the support I’ve had from so many friends. I’ve lost a few along the way, but that feels like part of the natural disruption that comes with choosing a different path. For anyone considering the shift in the new year, don’t be frightened. Some will insist you couldn’t possibly enjoy yourself without drinking, but it simply isn’t true. Life can be calmer, clearer, far more fulfilling… and definitely cheaper on the other side of that decision. And for those who do enjoy a drink and continue to do so, I raise a glass of Ginger Beer to you and wish you the most important gift of the season - kindness and good health!

Event 7.0 - Friday Oct 24th

Hinako Omori + Kit Grill + Innerkey @ St Alkmunds

Thank you for those that attended the penultimate concert of Season 3.0 at St. Alkmund’s. We had what can only be described as a transcendental, and ethereal experience with Hinako Omori, Kit Grill, and Innerkey.

Pic credit - Jacob Santana

If a cloud made a noise, it would sound like Hinako, gentle, enveloping, and utterly otherworldly. Her shimmering synths, piano, and delicate voice drifted through the church like the light mist we were enveloped in.

Pic credit - Lily Ford

Kit weaved a soundscape that felt like we were drifting through the foggy Baltic Sea, catching brief glimpses of the landscape as we journeyed further north to explore. A deeply resonant and immersive performance. You can catch Kit on his NTS show monthly and also find his new album here.

Pic credit - Jacob Santana

Huge thanks to Rob (Innerkey), who grounded us and set the tone for the evening with a deeply emotive selection. Rob continues to explore the more immersive and quieter shadows of his musical palette, which presented the perfect opening chapter to the evening. Rob will be playing out a few more times before the end of the year via his ‘Dead Centre’ residency at Blind Tiger.

For a beautiful independent review of the concert please read the full article HERE by Charlie Hopson-VandenBos.

“It really does feel like such a good community,” she said of Shrewsbury. “With everything going on in the world, it feels really important to find.”

Final Gig - Event 7.0 October 24th

Event 8.0 - December 6th @ The Unitarian - Merope + M.Haiux

This is the final event of Season 3.0 and one that I have been most excited about shaping Season 3.0, having chased Merope for a booking for several years. It is beautiful way to finish the year.

Merope’s roots lie deep in the soil of Lithuania’s folk tradition, brought vividly to life by Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė’s ethereal vocals and kanklės (a traditional Lithuanian string instrument). These are interwoven with the ornate, exploratory guitar and electronics of Belgian multi-instrumentalist Bert Cools. Together, they create an intimate sound world, a celestial, contemporary reimagining of ancient Baltic music.

Pic credit - Alfiescruff

I travelled to Liverpool the other week to see Indrė perform an improvised set with Lonnie Holley and Lee Bains. It was another reminder of why music continues to inspire me. Across two sets, I was carried across continents and landscapes, through historical tragedies, and into visions of futuristic automation. They painted a palette created in the moment through close connection. I didn’t need to see an image in front of me, it unfolded entirely in my mind’s eye.

I would definitely recommend looking up the polymath that is Lonnie Holley.

Listen to Merope here:

Support on the Dec 6th comes from M.Haiux, the solo project of Liverpool-based guitarist Matthew McPartlan.

M.Haiux crafts melodic soundscapes steeped in emotional depth and quiet power. If you loved Gwenifer Raymond at the Library you’ll love M.Haiux.

If you Listen to M.Haiux here:

Merope Tickets

SY Recommendation Shorts

Exhibitions

David. E.Gillespie - Now Frying

Another gem at Swan Hill Studios running up to Dec 4 — crispy nostalgia served with a side of mushy peas, perfectly captured through the lens.

Books

Elizabeth Alker - Everthing we do is Music

With a title like that, it immediately drew me in. As the host of the fabulous Unclassified show on Radio 3, I’m already familiar with Elizabeth’s wonderfully eclectic musical palette. The book is written with thoughtful insight, tracing the musical lineage between groundbreaking artists and some of our most beloved sounds.

Music

Tortoise - Touch

A return to that beautiful sweet spot of beats and electronics from Chicago’s finest, delivered with an effortless, all-genre fluidity.

Dylan Henner - Star Dream FM

Dreams and flickering glitches cloaked in a beautiful ambient shroud, delivered by folk wisdom’s quietly enigmatic figure.

KiF - Still Out

If the KLF’s Chill Out soundtrack is your kind of road trip, consider this the continuation, heading out from the South West with headlights soft and hazy.

Leave a comment

Keep on Keeping on and have a beautiful and kind Christmas!

Cx

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If you’re new here, this newsletter offers a periodic reflection on all things SY.Gigs, a blend of nature, mental health, music, and culture, all wrapped around my own personal reflections.

While SY.Gigs relies heavily on volunteers and strong partnerships, its genesis lies in my own experiences with mental health, and in recognising the positive impact that music and nature, particularly time spent outdoors, have had in helping me manage life’s challenges.

Every SY.Gigs event is unique, shaped by its setting, sound, and the sense of community that has grown since the very beginning.

If you would like a bit more information on the how we arrived here I’ve just finished an updated blog with MyShrewsbury that you may find interesting.

In this edition we include a competition to win some Hinako signed vinyl ahead of Friday’s gig!

I hope there’s something in this latest edition that sparks your curiosity, perhaps inspiring you to come along to an event.

Season 1.0 - Event 3.0 (13th July, 2023) - Jeremiah Chiu + Marta Honer (Pic credit - Elliot Jones)

Cretan friends

I’ve just returned from a break, my first for some time, in the delightful setting of Sissi, North East Crete. It’s the first time I’ve ever chosen to return to the same place abroad, but this year I felt I needed exactly that: familiarity and assuredness after what has been a turbulent time, this summer.

Milatos Cave - Crete (Pic Credit - Sarah Summers)

It proved to be the perfect tonic, a chance to reflect, rebuild, and reset. Beyond the fine weather, walking, and culture, it was lovely to reconnect with little friends from our previous visit: ‘Zouzouni’ being one, whose name translates as “little creature”, a small street dog who is clearly happy in Sissi. His unexpected reappearance softened the missing of Terry, our own dog, though I must admit I haven’t yet told him about this encounter. A conversation for another day!

Getting comfortable with Grief

I lost the precious soul of my mother, Anneliese, this summer. She had been living at home independently, with my help, up until January. However, following a fall and the onset of dementia, I made the difficult decision to move her into care, something we had often discussed if a crisis ever occurred.

The transition into care brought some relief, but the rapid acceleration of dementia was shocking, cruel, and deeply upsetting.

Her death came as a shock, given her strong and determined spirit. Though she was 92, I always believed she would live forever. My initial sadness and grief gradually turned into a sense of celebration and relief, emotions I now feel very much at peace with, having wrestled with them since her death.

She led a full and graceful life up to this year, and I remain extremely proud of her simple yet profound achievements. We all must reflect, at times, on the realities of life, none of us can outrun the natural cycle. What truly matters is the memory and inherited qualities we leave behind and the quality we have whilst here.

Her life will continue to inspire me, not through grand gestures, but through the everyday acts of care, generosity, and kindness that touched so many. She faced a difficult life with quiet strength and a steadfast spirit. She taught me that compassion is the greatest gift we can offer.

Anneliese sharing the love as she always did!

Rescue the roots from the Slug Kingdom

On returning from my holiday, I visited Plot No. 7 to find that autumn, and the slugs, had taken a firm hold. Still, I managed to salvage some fine, tender celeriac and was pleased with a healthy crop of parsnips. I’ve also begun lifting the potatoes and harvesting the butternut squash.

The autumn harvest isn’t abundant, but there’s enough to make some lovely roasted additions for curries, a regular autumn delight and a celeriac and pear soup, which was divine. It’s a reminder that the soil always gives something back, even when nature feels unruly or overrun.

Next Gig - Event 7.0 October 24th

Hinako Omori

Hinako Omori + Kit Grill + Innerkey @ St Alkmunds

Event 7.0 of Season 3.0, our penultimate event, is expected to be a captivating evening of subtle immersive music.

Hinako is a Japanese-born, London-based composer creating immersive sonic worlds from ambient synths, voice, and classical textures. Her acclaimed, many-layered soundscapes have been heard on BBC 6 Music, KEXP, and NTS, and she’s performed everywhere from the Hollywood Bowl with Floating Points to BBC Radio 3’s Unclassified Live as well as working with the wonderful wordsmith Kae Tempest.

You can listen to Hinako Omori here:

Support comes from Kit Grill. Kit is a London-based musician, composer, and long-time NTS Radio resident whose music flows between techno, ambient, lo-fi, alt-pop, modern classical, and experimental sounds.

Listen to a sampler here:

Our dear friend and local selector Innerkey will be joining us once again. Rob has been a huge supporter of SY.Gigs, helping to share our message of music and well-being.

He’ll be opening the evening with an early set as doors open at 6:30 pm, so do come early and settle into the atmosphere.

Rob will be back on the decks at Blind Tiger afterwards, where an unofficial after party will take shape. Expect a lift in tempo and good company. All are welcome at this free event.

Free Vinyl Giveaway

We have two Hinako vinyl copies to give away. Enter here and use the secret code HINKOVINYL for extra entry points. All ticket holders will automatically be entered into the draw, but please enter the competition for more chances to win!

Sharing this event will pay dividends! and is appreciated!

Hinako Tickets

Event 8.0 - December 6th @ The Unitarian

Merope + M.Haiux

Merope’s roots lie deep in the soil of Lithuania’s folk tradition, brought vividly to life by Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė’s ethereal vocals and kanklės (a traditional Lithuanian string instrument). These are interwoven with the ornate, exploratory guitar and electronics of Belgian multi-instrumentalist Bert Cools. Together, they create an intimate sound world, a celestial, contemporary reimagining of ancient Baltic music.

Listern to Merope here:

Support on the night comes from M.Haiux, the solo project of Liverpool-based guitarist Matthew McPartlan. M.Haiux crafts melodic soundscapes steeped in emotional depth and quiet power. If you loved Gwenifer Raymond you’ll love M.Haiux.

If you Listen to M.Haiux here:

Merope Tickets

Last Gigs

Event 5.0 - Saturday August 16th

Walt McClements + Lucy Sissy Miller @ The Unitarian

Pic credit - David Stevens

Walt’s deep, resonant accordion drones seemed to stretch time, creating vast sonic landscapes that invited stillness and reflection. Lucy followed with a queer reimagining of Americana and folk, blending voice, electronics and whispers that felt both intimate and expansive.

For the gig review - see The JazzMann

Event 6.0 - Sunday September 28th

Gwenifer Raymond + Elizabeth Still @ Shrewsbury Library

Pic Credit - Liam Bray

A day of firsts for SY.Gigs, our very first show in the Darwin Room at Shrewsbury Library and our first-ever matinee.

It was a beautiful occasion inside and out — with Elizabeth Still and Gwenifer Raymond bringing the space to life and the acoustics delivering everything we’d hoped for.

Huge thanks to everyone who came along, and to the wonderful Library team (Katherine, Grant, Marjorie and Ana) for trusting us with this precious venue.

For the gig review - see Charlie Hopson-VandenBos

SY Recommends

Food

Its green tomato season so here are 5 recipes from our friend the Hungryguy

Art and photography

My dear friend and photographer Paul Fuller has been undertaking a portrait project of Shrewsbury’s locals and visitors along the high street. Have you been caught on camera yet?

Exhibitions

Inspired by the long running ‘Walking the Stirchley Skull‘, the Shrewsbury Skull has been devised by members of Walkspace’s Shropshire contingent as a spooky walk within the historic setting of Shrewsbury Town Centre. Get your torches packed for Oct 31st.

TV & Film

The Stranger (2022) @ Netflix

An Australian drama inspired by a real undercover operation. Sean Harris delivers an outstanding performance, an absorbing, unsettling portrayal that completely draws you in.

The fire Within (Storyville) @ bbciplayer

Another mesmerising documentary from the stellar Storyville series, a breathtaking portrait of the French volcanologists whose shared passion for volcanoes burned as brightly as the eruptions they filmed.

Books

Dermot Healy - A Goat’s Song

The perfect autumn read, although I read it on a beach in Crete! Healy captures a tempestuous relationship set against a rural, divided, and at times pious world. Beautifully written, deeply human, and exquisitely balanced.

Thanks to Mr Fuller for recommendation.

Kevin Rowland - ‘Bless me Father’ + Helen O’Hara - ‘What’s She Like’

Two accounts from key protagonists of Dexys Midnight Runners, both revealing in their own ways. Kevin Rowland’s is brutally honest, often difficult to read as a fan, while O’Hara’s offers a more compassionate and forgiving perspective. Together they give a fascinating, complementary insight into the band’s story and evolution.

Music

Short and sweet in this edition. No words, just go and listen and support these artists..

Cate Le Bon - Michelangelo Dying

Swansither - Ronsack

Kieran Hebden & William Tyler - 41 Longfield Street Late 80’S

Please always send me feedback on any of your own recommendations, gigs, music, art, podcasts.

Leave a comment

Keep on Keeping on!

Cx

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I can’t remember the last time the lawn was mown. From my window, the garden could be mistaken for a parched Californian suburb, scorched, brittle, and waiting, almost agonisingly, for a proper refresh. Even when rain arrives, like this morning, it barely kisses the dust before vanishing, offering only fleeting respite. In these long, arid weeks, the water butts have become a gardener’s most loyal friends.

The insects, however, are thriving, aphids and all, much to the dismay of Terry the dog, who’s no fan of the constant buzzing. Still, I suspect he harbours a quiet fondness for a bit of drone music.

But, as with all things, there are positives, negatives, and the constant shifts of the season, and it’s in this balance that we find moments worth holding onto.

A Retired Summer

It’s been a good summer, personally. I’ve spent much of it not thinking about SY business, apart from the gentle habit of listening and wondering how certain sounds might find their place in Season 4.0. That kind of contemplative daydreaming is a beautiful thing.

Obsession was never the plan, but like any passion, SY has a way of preoccupying the mind, sometimes tipping the balance.

The lighter schedule of Season 3.0, and Mum (Anneliese) moving into care, offered me a first taste of something I can only describe as a “retired summer.”

There’s been time to explore, to be still, to move through the days with eyes wide open, no rush, no next thing to tick off the endless list. Just space to notice the ordinary, quietly beautiful moments.

And what a gift that is, though not one that comes easily. It takes practice to tune into that simplicity, to find joy in the present. But as with many things in life, especially with age, the simple pleasures prove to be the most rewarding. In today’s climate of hate, fear and the lust for power, holding onto that perspective feels more important than ever.

Around the Edges

The allotment has been a success, though it’s needed many visits with a watering can in hand. The wild flora down there has thrived and crops are turning into small rewarding harvests.

Last month, I travelled by train through central Europe with good friends, and later found deep solace along the Mid-Wales coastline with Terry and Sarah, a place that never fails to reset me.

Welcome to New Readers

If you’re new here, this newsletter is a periodic reflection on all things SY, a mix of music, culture, nature, and health. These are the things that glue me together.

What began as a small solo project has quietly grown. SY is something I’m proud of in our community, and something I believe Shrewsbury should be proud of too. Growth is only possible with the right support, and I’m deeply grateful to all who are helping in sharing this journey.

I hope there is something in this edition that catches your attention or piques your curiosity to come to an event.

This issue is a little more refined I think? Let me know what you think, without feedback, I’m just calling out into the echo chamber.

Next Gig - Event 5.0 August 16th

Walt McClements

Walt McClements + Lucy Sissy Miller @ The Unitarian

Event 5.0 of Season 3.0 is set to be a captivating evening. I’m truly delighted to present Walt McClements, an accordionist, multi-instrumentalist and composer who visits us from Los Angeles. I met Walt last year when he toured with harpist Mary Lattimore, who he had collaborated with on Rain on the Road. If you recall we had Mary Lattimore play in Season 1.0.

Walt creates immersive, atmospheric music with accordion and electronics. His latest album "On a Painted Ocean" expands his sonic palette to include lush synths and spirited horns for a vibrant musical journey.

You can listen to Walt McClements latest album here:

Walt recently was co-host on Ambient Country, a great Substack feed to subscribe to, if you are fan of ambient music.

Flow State

Ambient Country Episode 48: Walt McClements

On today’s episode of Ambient Country, Bob Holmes (of SUSS) is joined by co-host Walt McClements as he takes listeners on a tour de force of international accordion music. Walt plays tracks from Narc…

Listen now

a year ago · 15 likes · 1 comment · Flow State

Supporting Walt this season is French-British singer-songwriter Lucy Sissy Miller, based in Paris. Her recent release, Pre Country, is out now on the UK-based label Metron, a home to several truly beautiful records, including one from a previous SY artist, Audrey Carmes, who performed in Season 2.0.

The New York–based magazine In Sheep’s Clothing, which focuses on vinyl and analogue music culture, recently published an excellent review of the Metron label that featured Lucy. It’s well worth a read.

Lucy offers an ambient, airy take on country music, blending folk elements with electronic textures and field recordings. Pre Country plays like a cinematic tribute to Americana, unfolding gently and evocatively. It’s a captivating album, and we’re lucky to have a few exclusive vinyl copies available for sale on the night.

This will be Lucy’s only UK gig, so once again, we’re incredibly fortunate to have secured this special event.

As with the last event, there will be small table offering some beautiful edible produce from Shrewsbury Food Hub alongside the Merch table, so make sure you bring a Tote bag along to take a few goodies home with that vinyl!

Listen to Lucy Sissy Miller here:

Event 6.0 - Sunday September 28th

Gwenifer Raymond + Elizabeth Still @ Shrewsbury Library

This event is now SOLD OUT. Huge thanks to everyone who booked early, your support is truly appreciated.

There may be a small number of extra tickets released closer to the event. You can sign upto the waiting list on Skiddle here.

Event 7.0 - Friday October 24th

Artist TBC @ St Alkmunds Church

Event 8.0 - December 6th @ The Unitarian

Merope + M.Haiux

Securing this booking is a real personal milestone. Since beginning the SY Gigs seasons, I’ve been hoping to host Merope.

Merope’s roots lie deep in the soil of Lithuania’s folk tradition, brought vividly to life by Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė’s ethereal vocals and kanklės (a traditional Lithuanian string instrument). These are interwoven with the ornate, exploratory guitar and electronics of Belgian multi-instrumentalist Bert Cools. Together, they create an intimate sound world, a celestial, contemporary reimagining of ancient Baltic music.

Listern to Merope here:

Support on the night comes from M.Haiux, the solo project of Liverpool-based guitarist Matthew McPartlan. With minimalistic finger-picked guitar, M.Haiux crafts melodic soundscapes steeped in emotional depth and quiet power.

Listen to M.Haiux here:

This will be a beautiful and immersive evening. There a number of early bird tickets at 2024 prices available now.

Merope Tickets

Last Gig

Event 4.0 - Movement of Sound - Tengger + Seaming To + Innerkey

It’s hard to believe it’s been several months since our feature concert for Belle Vue Arts Festival 2025.

The event at our second spiritual home, St Alkmund’s Church, was a deeply therapeutic journey through ‘Movement and Sound’, the festival’s core theme this year.

Rob Griffiths opened the evening with a beautifully curated ambient set, setting the tone for what became an extraordinary night of alternative music.

Seaming To gave a stunning vocal performance, rich in emotion and artistry, made even more special by the support of her wonderful children, Max (11) and Xen (9). Xen already plays four instruments!

Tengger brought the night to a simmering close with a transcendent, ethereal headline set that left the audience in a state of quiet, spiritual rebirth.

Exquisite lighting and the graceful movement of feature staging added a visual poetry to the sound, thank you to Emma for bringing the vision to life.

A heartfelt shout-out to Steve Guy who shared some of his brilliant Shrewsbury Food Hub creations as part of a new edible SY collaboration.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and made this such a meaningful moment for Season 3.0.

There were some lovely reflections from Charlie at Myshrewsbury magazine and Ian Mann @ The Jazzmann . Do take the time to read their reviews in full and visit the website for a full suite of pictures.

Pic Credits Elliot Stallion

Community Promotion

I’m still looking for help spreading the word about SY Gigs events across the Shropshire region.

If you’re able to support by reposting event details online or sharing physical flyers and posters in your local community — cafés, shops, workplaces, venues, I’d love to hear from you.

Please get in touch if you can help — thank you!

Community Promoters to help SY.Gigs.

If you would like to help me? - SIGN UP HERE

SY Recommends

Good Food

I’m collaborating with a lovely local guy in town, and in this case, that’s not just a figure of speech. For those who know Steve, you’ll know he’s a soul whose passion for food brings real, delicious benefits to the community. At our last event, he was there managing the Food Hub table, where we debuted our first collaborative SY sauces. I’m hoping this will become a regular feature at gigs, alongside a few surplus offerings from the Food Hub.

Steve ‘The Hungry Guy’ is a community chef and food educator, but above all else, an eater. He’s worked in professional kitchens alongside Jamie Oliver and spent a chunk of his career developing products for global brands and retailers. Through his infectious love of cooking, he reminds us that food connects us all, and he dreams of a world where everyone cooks, eats, and shares real food, equally and accessibly.

As part of our collaboration, Steve will be sharing a little recipe with you in each edition.

https://www.thehungryguy.co.uk/recipes/antipasti-bread

Exhibitions

Louis Wootton-Davies @ The Soden Gallery

Louis was born in Shrewsbury, his dad ran the breakers yard behind the sheds on Old Potts Way. Now based in Oxford, Louis has become an accomplished artist with a powerful new collection on display, rich with local links and imagery.

These works are brave and beautiful, with light shining through the darkness. The collection tells a deeply personal, working-class history of our town, honest, evocative, and full of soul.

Don’t miss the last chance to experience this moving body of work that finishes this week at The Soden Gallery

Shrewsbury Art Trail

Now in its fifth year, the Shrewsbury Art Trail is well worth exploring. The trail brings unique, high-quality, and accessible art to the town through a series of exhibitions, events, and a public sculpture trail, spanning multiple venues.

This year’s highlights include works by Halima Cassell and the ever-charismatic Andrew Logan, a regular feature of the trail.

A personal favourite was the playful and imaginative mixed-media installation ‘10 Storeys’ by Shona Davies, David Monaghan, and Jon Klein, installed on the mezzanine of the old Music Hall, now home to the Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery.

TV & Film - What I’ve been watching and listening

Pachinko @ Appletv

Min Jin Lee’s bestselling novel was beautifully adapted by Apple into a sweeping historical drama that shifts between Korea in 1915 and Japan’s financial boom of the 1980s.

Told through the eyes of a Korean family across generations, Pachinko is a moving, cinematic journey through love, loss, resilience, and identity, all shaped by major historic upheavals.It is tender and powerful in equal measure.

The last foreign-language drama that left me equally in awe was the Turkish series Ethos (Bir Başkadır), also highly recommended and available on Netflix. Its exploration of tradition, progress, and personal complexity in modern-day Istanbul is utterly absorbing with wonderful twists.

📖 Read more about Ethos via BFI.

Adam Curtis - Shifty @ bbciplayer

Adam Curtis remains the master of unearthing astonishing archive footage from the BBC vaults, weaving it together into a rich, complex narrative set to a stunning soundtrack.

Shifty is no exception, at times it feels like you're drifting through a dystopian dream, but it’s a ride well worth taking. As always, Curtis explores class, politics, power, and community, slowly pulling threads together into a story that’s as unsettling as it is illuminating.

It can be challenging, even disorienting, but that's part of the power. You're left questioning the motives of those in positions of influence, and wondering what happened to the ideals that once promised to reshape society for the better.

The Red Riding Trilogy @ Channel 4

Based on the gripping book series by David Peace, The Red Riding Trilogy is a dark, menacing crime drama set around the time of the Yorkshire Ripper murders in 1970s and early '80s Yorkshire.

The series features some heavy hitters of British drama, including one of my personal favourites, Warren Clarke (A Clockwork Orange), and is filmed with a haunting sensitivity to the brutalist architecture and bleak atmosphere of the era.

Warning - it is bleak, complex, and uncompromising. The trilogy pulls no punches. It’s not easy viewing, but it’s a masterclass in mood, storytelling, and moral ambiguity.

Podcast

Catching light with Ishmael Ensemble

Pete Cunningham the producer and creator of Ishmael Ensemble has had a number of radio shows over the years. This year Pete launched this music based podcast that explores the creative process with some inspirational guests, many that I love, have booked or I would love to host.

Music @ my house

Van Morrison - Common One

I’ve listened to this album most weeks for five decades, and it still holds me. Common One rebuilds something in me each time, with its deep poetic mysticism and spacious, searching sound.

Surely one of Van’s greatest works, it’s an album that continues to reveal itself over time. If you’re a fan, or just discovering I’d highly recommend this beautiful article by a friend who recently found their way to Van the Man.

John Also Bennett - Ston Elaióna

Flutes have a deeply soulful, almost ancient ability to soothe the body and calm the mind, and this album captures that beautifully. Ston Elaióna was recorded in Greece, predominantly in the early morning hours, which somehow feels like the most perfect setting, quiet, reflective, and full of light.

Purelink - Faith.

Fuzz and drone-dub textures wash over you in this Brooklyn three-piece’s sophomore album. For fans of Mount Kimbie, Faith delivers a rich, immersive soundscape that blends experimental beats with atmospheric layers.

Please always send me feedback on any of your own recommendations, gigs, music, blogs and contents here. I need to know if it is what you want to read!

Leave a comment

Keep on Keeping on!

Cx

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His latest album On a Painted Ocean (Western Vinyl) sees him expanding his palette with lush synths, droning pipe organs, and spirited horns—tracing a journey from solitary stillness to communal joy. The release follows Rain on the Road, a 2023 collaboration with Harpist Mary Lattimore (SY Season 1.0).

Support comes from @lucysissymiller a French-British singer-songwriter and composer, based in Paris. Her new release Pre Country (Métron Records) is an ambient, spacious take on Americana—infused with auto-tuned melodies and field recordings as narrative tools. A delicate and cinematic reimagining of country music.

🎟 Tickets via sygigs.com

#music #gigs #ambientmusic #drone #waltmcclements #lucysissymiller #sygigs #shrewsbury #shropshire #musicinchurches #experimentalmusic #nothingisordinary_ #independentvenue #accordion #country #americana #electronica

I hope this email finds you well!

First and foremost, a huge thank you to everyone who attended the Tengger + Seaming To + Innerkey concert on Saturday. It was an extraordinary event, and your support made it a massive success as part of the Bellevue Arts Festival's 'Movement in Sound' concert.

There is a wonderful review here from MyShrewsbury. Thank you Charlie for capturing the true authentic essence of these special and alternative community events perfectly!

Pics courtesy of Elliot Stallion

Now, I’m excited to share an exclusive opportunity with you which I mentioned on the night!

We are hosting a special trial matinee (3pm) event at the Darwin Room, Shrewsbury Library, on the 28th of September. This intimate event will be capped at just 65 tickets as a trial, and as a valued subscriber, you have the chance to purchase your tickets first!

Ticket details:

• Standard Tickets: £18 each

• Concessionary Tickets: £14 each (available for under 25’s, seniors, and those on low income)

  

To purchase your tickets, simply use the code 25kilosoflove when prompted on the skiddle website.

This pre-sale will be available exclusively to you on a first come first basis until Saturday (14th June) when they will then go on general sale.

Tickets for Gwenifer Raymond

Next Gig - Event 5.0 of Season 3.0

Also, a quick reminder that our next concert, featuring Walt McClements and Lucy Sissi Miller, will be held at the Unitarian Church on the 16th of August. These tickets are also limited as we are at the smaller home of SY.Gigs and have already sold a few.

Walt McClements is an accordionist, multi-instrumentalist and composer based in Los Angeles. His solo compositions focus on processed accordion, creating patient and emotional meditations that nod to drone and ambient music. His debut record, “A Hole in the Fence” was released in 2021 on American Dreams, and utilized a minimal palette of accordions processed through pedals to create glacial soundscapes and odes to hidden worlds. On his latest record, and first for Western Vinyl, “On a Painted Ocean”, he expands his sonic tools to include lush synths, droning pipe organs, and spirited horns, creating a vibrant journey from solitary stillness to community exuberance. The record also follows last year’s “Rain on the Road”, a collaborative album with Harpist Mary Lattimore, who played for SY.Gigs in Season 1.0. We love Mary who was sublime.

Listen here

Support comes from Lucy Sissy Miller, who is a French-British singer-songwriter, composer, and artist based in Paris. On her latest release for Métron Records, Pre Country, she offers her own take on country music, an ambient and airy ode to her love of Americana. In her songs, she uses auto-tune as an instrument, crafting melodic textures and using field recordings as a storytelling tool. Blurring the lines between acoustic and electronic sounds, she seamlessly merges organic and digital elements. I’m really quite excited to see Lucy play.

Listen here

This one could be an SY highlight I feel!

Tickets for Walt McClements

Thank you once again for being a part of our community. We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events!

Warm regards and keep on keeping on,

Chris + Tez x

Up the hill getting therapy

But hey — this isn’t a football zine, so let’s move on quickly...

The clouds, as if on cue, rolled in just in time to dampen the half-term break, bringing some much-needed rain. So here I am, sat beneath some periodic moody slate grey skies, reflecting on the past few months since my last note to you.

St Chad’s ,The Quarry, Shrewsbury

The headlines:

• I’m holding steady at a healthy 7/10 on the depression front;

• Nature continues to help and lift me;

• The first strawberries have ripened and I’m fighting the slugs for them;

• The next gig is close and there are lots of ideas developing;

• I’m sharing some love for friends with fascinating musical tastes.

For those of you new to the SY.Gigs newsletter, welcome.

These emails are rare, usually just one before a show, and they’re intended to be both purposeful and personal. Nature, health and music will always remain at the core.

Magic Pills to Hide the Shame

It seems that, as a society, we’re conditioned to seek quick fixes for our health, solutions that patch over the visible symptoms with minimal effort, rather than addressing the deeper, underlying causes, that take time and effort.

When I fully accepted my depressive tendencies in the 1990s, I felt lost, embarrassed, and guilty, especially towards those close to me. I didn’t seek help straight away, and as a result, I suffered. Worse still, I projected that suffering onto others. While I felt like the broken one, it was selfish, albeit unintentionally, not to have looked for support sooner.

I was fortunate. An excellent GP provided a fast and clear pathway to begin talking, to start exploring why I was experiencing such deep and regular melancholy. Once that connection was made, things began to change, albeit slowly. It immediately offered hope. It allowed a little light to emerge from what seemed a solitary dark space.

While I ultimately needed medication to help manage my condition, and still do, I’ve continued with talking therapy and added other tools that remain essential to my well-being, not just for myself, but to protect those important people.

We are all different, and no single solution works the same for everyone. But what’s crucial is resisting the lure of ‘quick fixes.’ Like many of those cheap marketing deals that seem too good to be true, they often cost us more in the long run. When it comes to our health we need to invest in change, for long term benefit.

My advice for what it may be worth? Be bold if you’re struggling. Start by seeking out those friends and family with an emotional compass, the ones who will listen, and can empathise, without judgement. Society tends to recognise and make space for physical disabilities, but mental health still too often gets stigmatised. The more we all talk about it the more likely it becomes a natural ‘conversation without shame’.

If we don’t tell people how we feel, and if we don’t take time to ask others how they are, then we risk letting suffering continue in silence.

Postive pollination

Foxgloves at Earls Hill, Pontesbury, Shrewsbury

With the settled weather, I’ve had time to catch up on the allotment. A few things are planted or growing in the greenhouse, and fruit pollination is now in full throttle. I suspect it’ll be a good season for those with apiaries. Our local beekeeper has moved his hives away, but that hasn’t made a dent in the number of honeybees and bumblebees visiting the allotment, they’re out in force which is a good sign.

The bees aren’t the only ones thriving in the sunshine, though. Some pests have taken full advantage of the fair conditions too including the Asian Box Moth Caterpillar. It’s become a daily task to pick off the plague of larvae and eggs by hand. I’m experimenting with spraying nematodes (at weekly intervals), hoping they’ll have some effect. If not, It may need to be a new hedge. That’s the life of a garden. Ever cyclic and never constant. Expect disruption and challenges, a little like our own lives.

New Spaces to explore

As I mentioned in the last newsletter, I’m planning to host a couple of concerts in new spaces this year. One of these will need a bit of piloting. It is a beautiful building with lots of potential, but we’ll need to run a trial event to see how best to set it up and occupy.

The date to hold is September 28th.

Capacity will be limited to just 65 people, and it will be a matinee show starting at around 3pm.

I will offer out the initial tickets direct to Newsletter subscribers before they go general sale.

Leave a comment

Gigs Before..

Lluis, Johanna, Marysia, and Rebecca (Plumm out of picture) - Credit Jonny Mo

Event 3.0 - Exploration of Piano and Harp - Marysia Osu + Hanakiv

Back on March 28th, we were fortunate to host two immensely talented artists, and their collaborators, at the Unitarian Church. The evening surpassed all my expectations, many of which had been forming over the past few years since I first explored the idea for this Piano and Harp show with both artists.

Marysia and Johanna (Hanakiv) embodied everything SY.Gigs has always aimed to be: a deeply personal exploration of sound and emotion. Their performances were intimate, honest, and captivating. The highlight was a collaboration with all of the artists. A first!

The stage set added an extra layer of atmosphere and was a significant reward for the hard work of Emma Williams, thank you, Emma, for bringing that vision to life.

Once again, the performance was beautifully documented by SY.Gigs friend and jazz critic Ian Mann, you can read his review here.

There is also a lovely edited short social media video created by the very talented friend of SY - Ben Horton.

If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at reviewing, publishing, I’d love to hear from you?

Just as we’ve built a community of photographers, I’d love to do the same for reviewers and also poster art. If you have a passion for creating a poster for SY please DM me.

Community Promoters - We Need You!

I’m looking for some Community Promoters to help SY.Gigs.

Can you help me spread the word about upcoming events in your local community around Shropshire and beyond? Can you display posters and share flyers?

✨ The Request:

• Pick up & place flyers/posters in high-traffic spots (cafés, shops, bars, community halls);

• Promote SY.Gigs through word of mouth and social media to generate sales;

• Share periodic updates on your progress.

🎁 The Benefits:

• 2 FREE tickets to a gig of your choice each season;

• 25% off any other gig tickets this Season (upto 2 tickets per gig);

• Positive community recognition for helping and supporting.

✨If you would like to help me? - SIGN UP HERE

Plenty Wenlock

Plenty Wenlock is a tiny record label and publisher from the Powys-Shropshire borderlands (UK), run by Eric Loveland Heath and Victoria Clinton. It concentrates mainly on small runs of hand made individual physical and digital releases, alongside publishing wavering guidebooks to local lore. Its releases have featured on BBC Radio 3, in The Fortean Times and Electronic Sound Magazine who named them as one of their 25 'most ambitious independent labels in the UK' for 2025.

Recent releases include Tuange's 'Discovering Tong', Heath's own 'Fragments (Volume 1)' and Wildly's 'Solstice EP, with a second and "Further Guide to the Lore of Plenty Wenlock" book by Heath now available to pre-order.

Caroline True Records

My dear friend John Kertland started Caroline True Records back in 2005, as a natural extension of his long-time work as a music promoter, talent scout, and DJ. The 1980s and early ’90s were his heyday, which have continued to be a rich source of creative fuel ever since.

John now lives a quiet and simple life in western France, doing a variety of things, including producing new music and curating releases for CTR.

John said “Being close to nature gives me a creative energy I never had in the town or city,” something that aligns perfectly with SY.

John is something of a musical excavator, and a re-presenter, with a catalogue that spans ambient, post-punk, electronic, and even folk (including two compilations with another SY friend, local artist Matt Sewell). His work has earned six BBC 6 Music “Record of the Week” accolades and continues to involve a wide network of talented DJs, writers, artists, and designers.

As a gesture to the SY community, John’s kindly offering 10% off all orders from the Caroline True Records website — all shipped from the UK. Just use the code:

RESDP6QJE56C
(at checkout)

Gigs Next…

June 7th Event 4.0 - Season 3.0 ‘Movement in Sound’ - Tennger + Seaming To + Innerkey

Movement in Sound promises an extraordinary evening of celestial, exploratory music in the beautifully resonant setting of St Alkmund’s Church. This event forms part of the annual Belle Vue Arts Festival in the town.

This will be an early gig with Doors opening at 6:30pm with Seaming To performing from 7pm. Please try and get in early!

The night will feature:

Tengger who visit us on their ever revolving world tour. Tengger are a pan-Asian, new-age drone psychedelic family band weaving hypnotic sonic journeys.

To listen and watch click here for a taster.

Seaming To is an Avant-garde multi-instrumentalist and experimental sound explorer. She has collaborated with many artists including Mr Scruff and Graham Massey of 808 State. She will be bringing her own family band for what should be an unforgettable live set.

Click here for a taster.

Innerkey is the pseudonym of friend and local DJ, curator and selector Rob Griffiths, who will be stitching the evening together with some ambient and experimental tunes. I recently participated in Rob’s periodic Clarity of Mind series. To listen back click here.

Tickets for the 7th June are available via Skiddle or via partner outlets that include:

@housecoffeeco | @condor.shrewsbury | @glougloushrewsbury

We will be launching some delicious edible merch on the night to take away. Through a collaboration with @_thehungryguy and @shrewsfoodhub you’ll be able to pick up some tasty nibbles so don’t forget to bring a tote bag with you!

Upcoming Gigs

• Aug 16th - Walt McClements + Lucy Sissy Miller

Full details and links to listen on the website.

Tickets available via the website, Glou Glou and The Condor.

3 music recommendations I’ve been listening to recently:

1. Sea Oleena - Weaving a Basket. A deeply ethereal album that has accompanied me into dreamland for many weeks.

2. Surprise Chef - Superb. The Melbourne experimenters deliver a spell binding hypnotic soulful infused masterclass.

3. Enji - Sonor. A beautiful collection of Mongolian jazz that sits between two worlds. Thanks to Grace Pitkin at Serious, for bringing this artist to my attention.

Please always send me feedback on recommendations of your own, gigs, music, blogs and contents here. I need to know if it is what you want to read!

Leave a comment

Keep on Keeping on!

Cx

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As the chill lingers and spring feels just out of reach, behind the scenes I’m deep into planning the next SY.Gigs event with the heating on! ‘Movement in Sound’ is shaping up to be something truly special.

As a heartfelt thank you for your continued support, I’ve created a limited-time group discount for this concert. Until the end of April, you can get 4 tickets for the price of 3, a small gesture of appreciation for being part of this growing community.

You can still get physical tickets at a number of outlets but these will remain full price. With booking fees via Skiddle the physicals remain good value. Outlets now include House Coffee. The Condor, Glou Glou and Petit Glou.

The event takes place on June 7th in the beautifully resonant St Alkmund’s Church, and opens this year’s Belle Vue Arts Festival, whose theme is ‘Movement’.

Tara Clerkin Trio performing at St Alkmunds in Season 2.0

'Movement in Sound' promises an extraordinary evening of celestial, exploratory music. The night features:

• Tengger – the pan-Asian, new-age drone psychedelic family band

• Seaming To – avant-garde multi-instrumentalist and experimental sound explorer brings her family band

• Innerkey – local electronic curator, providing ambient interludes between sets with his signature ‘Clarity of Mind’ sounds

🔗 Listen to TENGGER
🔗 Discover Seaming To
🔗 Explore Innerkey’s ‘Clarity of Mind’ series

We’re also launching some delicious edible merch on the night in collaboration with Steve Guy (Hungry Guy) and Shrewsbury Food Hub. And as always, Glou Glou will be on hand serving drinks before the concert and during the interval.

SY.Gigs runs on a not-for-profit model, ticket pricing is designed to cover artist fees and overheads. Any surplus is shared with the artists and helps make future gigs more affordable for all. This is a community-powered project, supported by sponsorship and love for music that dares to be different.

If you'd like a poster for your shop, café, or community space, let me know, I'd love to get one to you.

Thanks to all sponsors that include Hindrichsen Foundation, Berrys, Opus Media Productions and Glou Glou for making these events happen.

Much love,

Chris x

For those new here, welcome. My name is Chris Taylor, and I founded SY.Gigs to bring together several passions that have helped me navigate periods of depression and anxiety over many years. If you, too, face similar challenges, whether openly or in silence, I hope the music I bring to Shrewsbury offers you a moment of joy, connection, or light within a welcoming community.

Writing is also a cathartic process for me, a way of revealing, reflecting, and processing the emotions and thoughts I wrestle with. I hope something here piques your interest and perhaps even encourages you to come to a gig.

Frogs in the garden ‘Barry White’ pond

The Hoarding Dilemma

Following my mother’s (Anneliese - 92) move, and her positive settling into care locally, the task of clearing her home has begun in order to sell and pay for that important care. She lived there since the early 1980s, and sorting through decades of collected possessions feels both a challenge and a responsibility. Being the arbiter of a lifetime’s worth of belongings and memories is emotional, but in the process, there is heartfelt beauty. Finding those little things she crafted or collected, objects tied to my own history, is a reminder of her profound love and devotion.

She was a collector of all manner of curiosities, fancies, and charity shop treasures, alongside crafting a remarkable volume of gifts and clothing. In fact, I’ve now been banned from returning too much of her collection to the very charity shop she visited daily. Oh, the irony! Three times, they’ve had to pause donations just to process everything I’ve brought in. One large skip has already been collected, yet the house still feels full. No doubt this journey will take weeks, revealing both pain and love in equal measure along the way.

One thing that was notably rare in her collection was music. While Mum had a few records, mainly big-hitting crooners from the ’60s and ’70s (Como, Sinatra, Mathis and Presley) and a significant devotion to Demis Roussos! I sometimes wonder where my love of music came from, although I did quite like ‘The For Horseman’ by Aphrodite’s Child.

Dad was equally indifferent to music, Mantovani and John Williams were highlights, leaving me to carve out my own path in my teenage years. Luckily, I came of age in the late ’70s and ’80s, when music felt like an explosion of possibilities with friends. Punk, Reggae, New Wave, Two Tone, Soul, Funk, and Electronica (metal was never on the agenda!). Under the tutelage of some wise older friends and record exchanges, I learned to make some smart selections, many of which still stand up to scrutiny today. So many choices, and yet I’ve never stopped exploring the new. Even now, in my early 60s, music remains a gift, a journey that constantly evolves and brings forward new friends. I find it hard to dwell too much in my own nostalgia. What excites me most is what’s coming next. The thrill of discovering a new sound or artist is what keeps that deep sense of musical curiosity alive.

Mr Ted on security watch

This whole process has made me reflect on my own clutter, the obsession we have with objects. My guilty pleasure? Vinyl. Despite a lull in the noughties, I’ve amassed quite a collection over the years. Yet so many records sit untouched, unheard for ages. There’s a real hesitation in letting go, in parting with something that holds either real or sentimental value.

But sorting through Anneliese’s house has given me some clarity. Beyond organising her legacy, I need to tackle my own. Maybe clearing physical space is just as much about refreshing the mind.

What about you? Are you a hoarder? Do you cling to the past when it comes to music, or do you prefer discovering what’s ahead? Let me know, I truly believe that sharing helps the process of realisation.

Maybe we need an old school SY rummage sale…

Leave a comment

Spring back

With all this sorting and sifting, I’ve had little time for gardening. The weather hasn’t exactly been inviting, until the last few days, though I may have used that as a convenient excuse. My focus is elsewhere, and motivation feels elusive, but I know it will pass. Gardening has always been both a physical and spiritual practice for me, and when the time is right, it will call me back.

Meanwhile, the frogs in the back garden have been in full Barry White mode, spawning prolifically. We’re destined for a tadpole frenzy! If anyone would like a few for their pond, drop me a DM.

Birds are pairing up, moss is being plucked from rooftops, and the cycle begins again. Spring, I think, remains my favourite season, for this and so many other reasons.

The Gig Economy

As mentioned, I intend to host seven SY.Gigs this year, followed by four in 2026, aligning with the seasons. This decision to scale back is intentional, a way to keep the series enjoyable and manageable while avoiding over saturation. From the beginning, SY Gigs was never about profit but about community, and musical exploration that has quality and authenticating at its heart.

Additionally, another local promoter will soon start using the Unitarian Church for music events. While this is a positive development for the venue, it does slightly dilute the uniqueness of the SY.Gigs offering and could create some public confusion over who is behind each event.

I’ll continue to use the Unitarian, but as always, part of the vision has been to remain distinct and explore alternative spaces. That remains the plan moving forward. Any event spaces you’d like to see an intimate gig?

Gigs Before..

John Biddulph leading us on ‘Streams of Stones’

Aisha Vaughan sharing her ethereal exquisite performance

Event 2.0 - Voyage of the Beagle - John Biddulph + Aisha Vaughan

Thanks to Charlie from Myshrewsbury and Ian from The Jazz Mann for once again publishing wonderful and complimentary reviews. The review links are on the website. Just look up previous events and scroll down.

Pic credits - Jack Lane.

If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at reviewing and publishing, I’d love to hear from you? Just as we’ve built a community of photographers, I’d love to do the same for reviewers and also poster art. If you have a passion for creating a poster for SY please DM me.

For all past events there is catalogue of photographs going back to 2018 on the website.

International Women’s Day - March 8th

From musicians to collaborators, to volunteers. SY have been proud to have been supported by so many amazing women. Their creativity and passion inspire. We keep up the trend with the next event, when Marysia Osu and Hanakiv visit.

Dasom Baek - Event 9.0 Season 2.0

Gigs Next…

Marysia Osu + Yuis at Aviva Studios (Factory International) earlier this month

March 29th Event 3.0 - Season 3.0

An exploration of Harp & Piano - Marysia Osu & Hanakiv

Piano Day, is an annual worldwide event founded by a group of like-minded people. It takes place on the 88th day of the year because of the number of keys on the instrument being celebrated. I have hosted Piano Days in previous years.

As part of International Piano Day 2025 SY.Gigs is proud to be hosting two exceptional female artists as a double header, Marysia Osu and Hanakiv (Johanna Kivimagi).

Marysia Osu is a Polish born, London based harpist and pianist, producer and composer known for her innovative blend of classical, ambient and jazz. Osu’s work reflects a deep connection to beauty, emotion and self-expression. She recently supported Nubiya Garcia on tour and was amazing.

Listen here

Hanakiv

Hanakiv is a young composer and musician from Estonia (now based in London) who creates meditative piano-based ambient music with elements from classical and electronic music. ‘Goodbyes’ was her debut recording in 2023 on Matthew Halsall's label Gondwana. She draws on influences as diverse as Tim Hecker, Björk “Vespertine”, and Aphex Twin as well as her own cultural heritage.

Listen here

Piano Day Tickets

Upcoming Gigs

• June 7 - Movement in Sound (Belle Vue Arts Festival) - Tengger + Seaming To

• July 12 - Cancelled and to be rescheduled for summer 2026 - Season 4.0

• Aug 16th - Walt McClements + Lucy Sissy Miller

Full details and links to listen on the website.

Tickets available via the website, Glou Glou and The Condor.

3 music recommendations I’ve been listening to recently:

1. Michael Grigoni - Mount Carmel. Let the slide guitar open up the hazy landscape.

2. Eberhard Weber - The Following Morning. Floaty ambient dreamscape with bass at its core.

3. Lucy Sissy Miller - Pre Country. An album that keeps on giving and revealing new senses. Looking forward to hearing this live in August at gig No 5.

Please always send me feedback on recommendations of your own, gigs, music, blogs and contents here. I need to know if it is what you want to read!

Leave a comment

Keep on Keeping on!

Cx

Get more from SY.GIGS in the Substack app

Available for iOS and Android

Get the app

Apologies for landing in your inbox midweek, I know you’re busy! But I wanted to send a quick reminder about Event 2.0 of SY.gigs Season 3.0 happening this Friday, February 28th.

This event embodies the spirit of these eclectic gatherings. Voyage of the Beagle is an immersive composition by John Biddulph (@handmadesound), inspired by Charles Darwin’s legendary five-year journey that set sail from Plymouth Sound in 1831.

We’re hosting this performance at the Unitarian Church in Shrewsbury, where Darwin himself attended services with his mother, a fitting setting for this atmospheric sonic exploration. As the final event of this year’s Darwin Festival, it promises to be a highlight.

Expect a rich tapestry of sound, including live electronics, quadraphonics, modular synth, bass clarinet, Moog, waterphone, quena, wind synth, luminist garden (yes, I had to look it up too!), ocarina, field recordings, and even the Unitarian church organ. The music blends atmospheric electronics with world influences, echoing the spirit of discovery that defined Darwin’s voyage.

Support comes from Aisha Vaughan (@aisha__vaughan), whose new album on @leavingrecords has been receiving high praise. The Gate is a stunning mix of Celtic New Age melancholy, ASMR sound design, and beautiful vocals, a perfect complement to the evening’s theme of exploration.

If you love music that sparks curiosity, come and explore with us. Tickets are available via the website, and I’d love to see you there!

Voyage of Beagle Tickets

Bonus ticket

Anyone who has already purchased—or buys—a ticket to Voyage of the Beagle will automatically be entered into a prize draw for two tickets to any other Season 3.0 event of their choice. The winner will be notified by email by March 7th.

Programme

There will also be a special programme giveaway, and John will have limited edition copies of the composition available for purchase.

• Doors - 6:45pm

• Aisha Vaughan - 7:30

• John Biddulph - 8:30

Best,
Chris x