Leveret and Spiro - The Eccentric Orbits Tour

Featuring seven of the UK’s top instrumentalists in two incredible ensembles, the Eccentric Orbits Tour showcases the unique and distinctive music of Leveret and Spiro in a show that will fly the flag for new English instrumental music. The two groups share much of the same raw material – tunes from a handful of 18th-century tunebooks, as well as original compositions – but their musical orbits follow widely divergent paths.

Leveret are fiddler Sam Sweeney, melodeon master Andy Cutting and concertina wizard Rob Harbron. Described by The Guardian as “the finest of traditional English folk today: a trio of poise and subtle gesture, of deft layering, graceful swing and gorgeous understatement”, they rely on their mutual trust and intuition to create their music entirely in the moment – there are no arrangements and the focus shifts constantly and compellingly between three masters of their instruments.

Spiro – Bristol-based musicians Jane Harbour (fiddle), Jon Hunt (guitar), Alex Vann (mandolin) and Jason Sparkes (accordian) – draw inspiration from minimalism and electronic music to “create ecstatic, interlocking, intricate musical patterns that are as hypnotising and beguiling as the most complex Fibonacci sequences” (Songlines). Their live shows feature intense ensemble playing which transports audiences on an exhilarating journey far away from their roots in English folk.

This joint tour is a limited opportunity to hear the contrasting music of two of England’s finest and most original instrumental ensembles, and will include a unique joint finale. An evening of thrilling new acoustic music that combines consummate musicianship, compelling delivery and captivating spontaneity.

“One of my favourite concerts of the year, because both were inspiringly good and completely different in their musical approaches and live presentation style. Hard to top!” Ian Anderson, fROOTS magazine, on the first Leveret / Spiro double-header at Homegrown festival.

“The intimacy and the intensity of this experience was unlike anything I had heard all year. In folk, it’s the sound of what’s to come” The Arts Desk (on Leveret)

“These are tunes that have been stripped down and reassembled to run on the kind of fuel that puts you into orbit … the power they summon up live makes them a must-see experience”
***** Songlines (on Spiro)