*SOLD OUT* Simon Armitage and LYR

Description

This individual pre-festival gig is both a celebration of National Poetry Day and a fundraiser for St Barts and Marsden Jazz Festival. LYR (Land Yacht Regatta) comprises author and current British Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage CBE, musician Richard Walters and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Pearson. LYR sets Armitage’s live spoken evocative vocals to genre splicing music and soundscapes from Walters and Pearson.

Broadcaster, novelist, playwright, translator, lyricist and Poet Laureate Simon Armitage has described Marsden as “the epicentre” of his writing, and the lives and landscapes of West Yorkshire continue to echo through his work.

On National Poetry Day he returns to the village where he grew up to read from his award winning collections, share new work, and perform with Land Yacht Regatta alongside singer-songwriter Richard Walters and multi-instrumentalist/producer Patrick James Pearson. Formed in 2018 as a one-off project, LYR are now a firmly established part of the contemporary music scene, with regular radio airplay, a critically acclaimed debut album and over a million streams to their name. Having appeared at several festivals across the summer, they kick off their autumn tour by bringing their uniquely hypnotic songs to Marsden Jazz Festival.

★★★★ ‘Compelling, dramatic’, The Telegraph
‘Impassioned vocals and soaring strings’, The Guardian

Please note, this event is not included in the Full Festival Pass, but is an individual ticketed event to raise funds for MJF and St Barts ahead of the full festival lineup. Head to marsdenjazzfestival.com for all ticket links.

We’re honoured to be sharing this fundraiser with the beautiful St Barts – the venue for ALL of our festival activity this year! Described as the ‘Cathedral of the Colne Valley’, it feels like a fitting backdrop for our Poet Laureate’s return to the village.

Get a flavour of LYR’s sound: