MIRANDA SYKES AND HANNAH MARTIN

Join us for an unforgettable evening as Miranda Sykes and Hannah Martin—two of the most compelling, characterful voices in modern British folk—take to the stage together in a collaboration that feels both deeply rooted and thrillingly alive.

Miranda Sykes, widely loved for her work with the legendary Show of Hands, has spent over two decades touring the world, her double bass and rich, warm vocals becoming a signature sound across the folk scene. From intimate clubs to major international festivals, she has built a reputation as one of the genre's most expressive performers—an artist whose storytelling instinct can make an old ballad ache with meaning or bring surprising tenderness to a contemporary song.

Alongside her stands Hannah Martin, acclaimed multi-instrumentalist and singer from Edgelarks and Gigspanner Big Band, whose work is steeped in myth, landscape, and the old tales that echo through British folk tradition. With her fiddle, banjo, and poetic, atmospheric songwriting, she has captivated audiences across the UK and beyond, earning a BBC Radio 2 Folk Award and widespread praise for her imaginative, elemental approach to roots music.

Though their individual careers have taken them down remarkable paths, Miranda and Hannah's musical journeys have crossed many times—touring with Steve Knightley's Wake the Union band, sharing festival stages, and standing together beneath the soaring arches of the Royal Albert Hall. Each encounter revealed a rare synergy: an instinctive ear for harmony, an effortless ability to improvise around one another, and a shared love for the tradition that shaped them.

A sociable winter evening in Devon became the spark for something new. As they swapped songs by the fireside, their voices settled into harmony as naturally as breathing. One musical get-together led to another, and soon these informal evenings grew into dedicated rehearsal sessions as a bold new sound began to emerge—warm, resonant, and steeped in the deep earth of folk tradition.

Together, Sykes Martin create a shimmering tapestry of music: ancient songs reimagined with fresh insight; traditional melodies threaded through double bass, fiddle, and banjo; and contemporary stories carried by two mesmerising voices. Their collaboration is a spine-tingling tribute to our shared musical heritage—music that feels like wind rolling across moorland, like the quiet strength of old tales, like harmony born from years of travelling the folk tradition's winding paths.

We are absolutely delighted that Miranda Sykes and Hannah Martin have chosen to bring this remarkable collaboration to Barnoldswick Music and Arts Centre in 2026. It promises to be an evening rich with history, heart, and the timeless magic of folk music.

"An exciting collaboration… a must for any folkie!" — The Morning Star