Kathryn Tickell and The Darkening
Sunday 17th August 2025
#PVFF25, #PVFF21
Named after the old Northumbrian word for twilight, ‘The Darkening’ is made up of four North-East England-based members: Kathryn Tickell (Northumbrian smallpipes, fiddle, vocals), Amy Thatcher (accordion, synth, clogs, vocals), Kieran Szifris (octave mandolin), Joe Truswell (drums, percussion); with Stef Conner from Cambridge (vocals, lyres). Together these dazzling musicians create musical magic; dynamic and unique “Ancient Northumbrian Futurism”.
Based in the shadow of Hadrian’s Wall yet reaching out to the wider world, Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening explore the connecting threads of music, landscape and people over a period of almost 2000 years. Songs range from themes of freedom, nature and venturing out into the world after times of darkness, to a Roman inscription with links to Libya and Syria magnetically pulled into the 21st century with glorious vocal harmonies and the wildest of piping.
Praise for the latest album ‘Cloud Horizons’:
“…wildly thrilling” The Guardian
“…this is a blinder! …just fantastic” Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 6 Music
“…tremendously energising, polished and thought-provoking” – Americana-UK.
“Dynamic and breathless jigs and spins… this is the energy we want!” – The List (Celtic Connections 2024).
