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Folk luminaries at The Apex...

Folk music luminaries, Barbara Dickson, Dervish & Karine Polwart will play The Apex in October.

Barbara Dickson and Nick Holland will perform on Tuesday 12 October. The pair will let the words and melodies take ‘centre stage’ as they perform a range of material drawing on Barbara’s folk roots, contemporary greats, and some of her classic hits.

From the Scottish folk scene of the 1960’s through to mainstream chart success with hits including 'Caravan', ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall’, ‘January, February’ and the million-selling number one single, ‘I Know Him So Well’, Barbara Dickson has long since cemented her status as one of the UK’s best-loved performers. As Scotland’s best-selling female album artist she has earned 6 platinum, 11 gold and 7 silver albums.

With Barbara on guitar and piano and Nick on keyboards – and adding harmonies to Barbara's vocals - they have developed an intimate rapport with each other and the audience. Barbara says, “It’s a different experience to working with the bigger band but just as enjoyable and gives the music breathing space”.

Long-established as one of the biggest names in Irish music, Dervish take the stage the day after (Wednesday 13 October).

Fronted by one of the country’s best-known singers, Cathy Jordan, the band includes some of Ireland’s finest traditional musicians. They marry technical brilliance with a sensibility born of an understanding of the music and their many years of playing together.

Renowned for their live performances, which match dazzling sets of tunes with stunning interpretations of traditional songs, they were the first Irish band to play the world’s biggest music festival, Rock in Rio.

The Irish Times said their “integrity makes the group a formidable heir to the throne abandoned by The Bothy Band, if not a serious contender for The Chieftains’ international space.”

Winner of seven BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Karine Polwart plays The Apex on Sunday 17 October. Folk Singer Of The Year 2018 and three-times winner of Best Original Song, Karine draws from folk music’s long tradition while keeping pace with the changing times. Her talent for crafting unique, enduring melodies, her gift for saying just enough without overstating her case, the range and dynamism of her arrangements, all come together in songs of powerful contemporary relevance.

She says, “For me, music is one of the most powerful ways of making sense of the world. It’s for celebrating, grieving, sharing, wondering. Nothing inspires me more than the realisation that any one of my songs means something to someone else”.

All shows start at 7.30pm, see www.theapex.co.uk or ring 01284 758000 for more information or to book tickets.