Eleven Magpies is a quartet of musicians who met doing theatre. Led by Bristol-based composer, multi-instrumentalist and music director Ian Ross (Wise Children, Kneehigh), the band features Alex Vann (Spiro, Three Cane Whale), Elizabeth Westcott (Yesterday’s Camel) and James Gow (JOW). Together, they chart a whirling journey of plucked and bowed strings, through humorous miniatures and sorrowful madrigal-esque beauty, then up into unexpected flights that come to land in moments of serene stillness. Their first album Eleven Magpies was a collection of tunes written by Ian, reflecting his experience touring in the United States of America and the UK, and their second album Two for Joy (released in spring 2023) explores loss and life, family, friendship and well-being following the death of his mother in the summer of 2021.
Support will come from fellow theatrical collaborator Tim Dalling.
An evening guaranteed to entertain and nourish the soul, with the best backdrop in the land.
“Intense but effortless… this album certainly gives a feeling of well-being” fRoots
“...one of the most refreshing albums of instrumental folk you are likely to hear for a long time” Folk Radio
“The quality of the musicianship is very strong” Bright Young Folk”
About Tim Dalling
Tim Dalling has been working as a performer, musician, composer and director since he left Glasgow School of Art in 1982. He busked, was a member of Kneehigh Theatre in its formative years and spent 25 years entertaining as part of the The Old Rope String Band which later became The New Rope String Band and now works as a solo artist or in various theatre shows around the UK. In recent years he formed a trio called The Aanimals and is now successfully developing a 9-strong team to make a piece of touring Ceilidh-Theatre called The Magic Hare-Piece.
Tim Dalling is that most remarkable of humans, a person prepared to bare his soul to a room full of strangers. That soul is often funny,
occasionally heart-breakingly beautiful but always genuine and deeply
affecting. His performance at Lau-Land stands out, in a weekend of
incredible gigs as one of the best shows I've seen anywhere ever.
Life-affirming, moving and impossible to resist, Dalling is a world
class songwriter and performer. Carrying the baton from Michael Marra
and Ivor Cutler on one side and all the pinpoint emotional control of
Paul Simon or John Martin on the other, he is not to be missed.
Tim is actually the best, and I've done my research.
Martin Green (Lau)