Named after the old Northumbrian word for twilight, The Darkening comprises four musicians from the North East of England, joined for this performance by former member of The Unthanks, Stef Conner. Together, these dazzling musicians create musical magic – dynamic and unique ‘Ancient Northumbrian Futurism’!

Based in the shadow of Hadrian’s Wall yet reaching out to the wider world, Kathryn Tickell and The Darkening explore the connecting threads of music, landscape and people over a period of almost 2000 years. Songs range from themes of freedom, nature and venturing out into the world after times of darkness to a Roman inscription with links to Libya and Syria, magnetically pulled into the twenty-first century with glorious vocal harmonies and the wildest of piping.