Top Celtic music at the Festival of Chichester
WemsFest will be bringing top Celtic music to Southbourne’s Old Orchard for the Festival of Chichester, with the return of Gnoss, a band true to their traditional roots, but with a strong contemporary flair.
Spokesman Martin Emmett said: “These triple Scots Trad Music Awards nominees have sold out venues at Glasgow’s world famous Celtic Connections festival on three successive occasions. Add to this, acclaimed performances at the Orkney, Cambridge, Towersey and Denmark’s Tonder festivals as well as a current 17 date nationwide tour, and you will see that they are much in demand.
“Gnoss comprise Aidan Moodie (guitar and vocals), Graham Rorie (fiddle, mandolin and electric tenor guitar), Connor Sinclair (flute, whistles and vocals) and Craig Baxter (bodhran and percussion). Reviews have included plaudits such as ‘taking you on a musical journey with their intricate textures’ and simply ‘delightful.’ Those that have seen them perform at WemsFest in previous years will confirm they are a band not to be missed.”
They will be in action on Sunday, June 21 at The Old Orchard (AKA Southbourne Village Hall), First Avenue, Southbourne, West Sussex, PO10 8HN. Doors open 7.30 for an 8pm show; unreserved seating. Tickets are £22.50 and are on sale at Bookends and Harbour Records in Emsworth village, at The Westbourne Cafe in Westbourne Village and online at www.WeGotTickets.com/WemsFest.
A spokesman added: “Gnoss’ signature sound is a rich tapestry of acoustic layers; outstanding musicianship, deep traditional roots and contemporary compositional flair combine to create songs and tunes brimming with character.
“Triple Scots Trad Music Awards nominees, the band have built an invested following through their forward-thinking take on traditional music and the unique warmth of their live shows. This has been proven through three consecutive sellout appearances at Glasgow’s world-famous Celtic Connections festival.
“Their 2019 release, Drawn From Deep Water was met with widespread praise for its exemplary interplay, nakedly emotional playing and well-chosen material. The 11-track album brought Gnoss to entranced audiences across France, Italy and Denmark, not to mention the length and breadth of the UK.
“Their follow-up album, The Light of The Moon continued to demonstrate Gnoss’ dedication to their craft that places them firmly at the fore of what’s happening in Scottish folk and earned them a nomination for Album of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards. Described as ‘an invigorating new direction for the Gnoss boys’ by Songlines, this album took Gnoss’ online fanbase by storm gaining over one million streams in 2022.
“With the release of their third album, 2023’s Stretching Skyward, Gnoss reignite their collaboration with producer and engineer, Scott Wood (Skerryvore), further exploring their acoustic roots whilst incorporating new, electronic elements. Launch dates include performances across the UK and Europe, including standout appearances at the Orkney Folk Festival, Cambridge Folk Festival, Towersey Festival and Denmark’s Tønder Festival.”