BACK TO THE GARDEN: Music and words for York Festival of Ideas 2026
This year we've invited some outstanding local performers to celebrate and explore the Festival theme "Place and Space", with a focus on the peaceful, wild, mythical, inspirational green worlds of gardens. There'll be an emphasis on original words and music alongside some well-loved works by familiar names.
Saturday 30th May, 7.30 pm at The Basement, City Screen Picturehouse, York (doors 7 pm).
"Outside-the-box creativity" (BBC Upload)
Featuring:
Storyteller Lara McClure
Dynamic duo Mike Amber & Lola-Mae taking on Joni Mitchell's 'Woodstock'
Poet and novelist Janet Dean
Performance poet Carrieanne Vivianette exploring words and sounds
Alt folk band Sofa Sofa with songs inspired by nature and people, woods, weather, long walks, short thoughts, longing and love:
Charley - vocals, guitar, harmonium
Rich - guitar, vocals, bells, synth
Ayse - violin
Filipe - cello
Adam - drums/percussion
Tickets: £8 in advance, £10 on the door.
Fully accessible venue.
Shoutouts: @yoyo.zine@bbcupload@upnorf_@whatsoccurringyork@york_calling@howdoyorkshire@charleshutchpress@cityfolkmagazine@yorkfestivalofideas
#indieyork #folk #nature #jonimitchell #festival
Introducing the artists for By The Blue Bridge 2026!
On Sunday we’re joined by Sofa Sofa.
“sofa sofa are a York based five piece. they make folk songs inspired by nature and people, woods, weather, long walks, short thoughts, longing and love. haunting, hopeful and human”
One of my fave York bands, made up of some of my fave York people. These guys always make magic when they play.
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BY THE BLUE BRIDGE is a three day microfestival on the Arts Barge in York. It will take place from the 15th to the 17th of May.
Get both weekend and day tickets from wegottickets.com. Search “By The Blue Bridge 2026” or follow the link in our bio.
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This Friday, four great bands across different genres take to @youngthugsstudio in South Bank, York
Sofa Sofa (pictured) are a five piece folk group singing the songs of Charly McCabe and Rich Corrigan.
They've just been going since last year but are already one of my faves on the scene, combining beautiful songs with genuinely interesting instrumentation. And Charly's vocals really cut right through to your soul!
Get down early to see them at around 7:45.
They will be joined by Manchester audio-visual two piece @_another_country_ , Bristol post-emo three-piece @sunglasz.vendor and York garage rock favourites @cowgirltheband .
Tickets £8dv tickets available in bio // doors 7pm :)
new show!!
Sunglasz Vendor are stopping off in York as a part of their February tour and will be joined by Another Country $$$$, Cowgirl and Sofa Sofa
@sunglasz.vendor / @_another_country_ / @cowgirltheband / @sofasofaband
get down early as music starts at 7:30pm!
Sunglasz Vendor:
"Formed from members of Bristol's avant-garde underbelly (Bingo Fury, Ex-Agent, Grandchild) at the start of 2023, Sunglasz Vendor’s sees devout experimentalists turn to embrace the eternal comforts of rock radio hooks, pensive emo, and Kerrang! teenage angst. The result is a daringly skittish attempt at nostalgia; a classic guitar/bass/drums trio where all the elements are grating up against each other, teetering on the edge between the Guitar Hero canon and free-form anarchy."
Another Country $$$$:
"ANOTHER; COUNTRY $$$$ are a Manchester-based interdisciplinary duo—a live music & film project—featuring archival post-club collages, heavy pop, breaks and UKG."
Cowgirl are my fave York garage act
Sofa Sofa only formed this year but are already making waves (i.e. making me cry)
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2026 is already shaping up to be the year of new things as this is our first gig at @youngthugsstudio !
6th of february, doors 7pm, £8 adv / £10 otd
ticket link in bio
poster design by @ric_hcorrigan
photo by tom whitson
