Cockermouth’s Kirkgate Centre is ready to ‘Shine’ the spotlight on the blossoming Cumbrian music scene as it prepares to re-open its doors to live events. Whitehaven pop and rock outfit The Little Lies launches the Kirkgate’s summer selection of live music events next Saturday – a programme that includes an appearance by internationally-renowned pipes and fiddle player Kathryn Tickell.
Tickell, who specialises in the Northumbrian small pipes and fiddle, has recorded with Sting, Alan Parsons, The Chieftains, The Boys of the Lough and Jimmy Nail amongst others. The Kathryn Tickell Trio appears as part of the Cockermouth Live! festival on Saturday, July 3.
Before that, however, local band The Little Lies kicks off the summer series of live events – part of the Kirkgate’s ‘Shine’ programme – with an appearance on Saturday, June 26. Their unique brand of entertainment fuses pop-rock, featuring covers as well as original music, to offer a real ‘sing along and dance’ experience.
Another highlight of the programme – and also part of the Cockermouth Live! festival – is an appearance on Friday, July 2 by Ian McMillan and Luke Carver Goss. Poet, broadcaster and comedian McMillan, “poet in residence” to his hometown football club Barnsley FC, is familiar to many through TV appearances on programmes such as The Yorkshire Dales and The Lakes and Have I Got News For You.
Carver Goss has arranged music for choirs, song-writers, bands and theatres and his commissions include work for symphony orchestras, rock bands, musicals and the Olympics!
Other Cumbrian artists who’ll get the chance to ‘Shine’ at the Kirkgate this summer include Striding Edge, Mike Turnbull and The Safe Kings, Marblmoon, Coast Road and Pecker.
Kirkgate Chair Marion Bowman said: “Live music is the lifeblood of entertainment and a great night of socialising. Our line-up features some of our best local talent. They know how to send audiences home happy.