Wakefire: An Incantataion to Summer

Having bewitched audiences annually with their much-loved wintertime show, two of the most engaging and inventive acts on the English folk scene return with their hotly anticipated next alchemic collaboration: an essential incantation to the summertime.

Award winning trio Lady Maisery (Hannah James, Rowan Rheingans and Hazel Askew) have for nearly a decade produced “some of the most exquisite, thrilling work in the English folk scene” (The Guardian). The beguiling musical partnership of Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith complete the powerful line-up. With more folk songs collected about the month of May than any other time apart from Christmas, the charismatic supergroup embark on a journey to mark this season in song.

There is of course morris, mayday and magic. There is also ritual, rave and cider with Rosie. There are countryside cuckoos and city foxes. There is fear for our warming planet alongside the promise of ripening fruit. As with their extremely popular wintertime show, the Awake Arise midsummer offering is a multi-layered, surprising and essential incantation to long summer days and effervescent nights.

“A magnum opus” Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 2

“wondrous” The Guardian

“An album redolent with the smell of cut grass, blossoms, woodsmoke and everything summer promises. Soak it up.” Fatea

“Another seasonal delight” Jason Ritchie, Get Ready to Rock

“utterly sublime… fresh takes on old favourites and incredible new songs.” Time Past and Time Passing

“It’s a rich performance piece, mixing a cappella song, spoken prose and poetry, pin-sharp musicianship and found sounds …rest assured you will lie breathless on the dewy grass by the close of play” Songlines