HOT Chip’s Alexis Taylor is to appear in Stroud as part of three-day event.
Originally conceived as part of Stroud Fringe Festival, Live at St Laurence is a three-day music event taking place at St Laurence Church, Stroud.
Curated by John Best, a former publicist who currently manages Sigur Rós, and sound designer David Sheppard, the event will bring a line-up of exciting contemporary music to the central Stroud venue.
Both John and David live in Stroud and were keen to bring their knowledge of current music trends to a local venue that’s not a traditional concert space yet benefits from excellent acoustics.
“For us that’s what this weekend is all about,” said David.
“Bringing in things that are relevant to now, in terms of what’s happening in music.”
During the day on Saturday and Sunday, David will present a programme of surround-sound installations.
Using Soundscape, a unique soundsystem designed by cutting-edge audio engineering firm d&b audiotechnik, the works will include multi-track versions of Steve Reich’s Drumming and Different Trains (the latter recorded with Reich and the London Contemporary Orchestra at Edge Hill Station, Liverpool), Africa Express’s reworking of Terry Riley’s In C, Anna Meredith’s reinterpretation of Vivaldi, Anno, and Mira Calix’s My Secret Heart, originally commissioned by performance charity Streetwise Opera.
Live performances begin on Friday evening with cellist Christopher Allen, the Stroud Fringe Choir, Mandel, a new collaborative project from composers Emily Hall and Micha Law, and Samana, the Welsh-based duo of multi-instrumentalist and producer Franklin Mockett and award-winning photographer Rebecca Rose Harris.
Their new album on FatCat Records, Ascension, conjures “a seraphic atmosphere bordering on esotericism”.
On Saturday, Hot Chip frontman Alexis Taylor performs solo piano versions of works drawn from across his celebrated back catalogue, supported by “experimental pop ensemble” Vanishing Twin, led by former Fanfarlo multi-instrumentalist Cathy Lucas, producer and pianist Gwilym Gold, and singer-songwriter James Canty.
Former Wild Beasts frontman Hayden Thorpe brings the sounds of his new solo album Diviner on Sunday – with support from producer David Wrench and singer Evangeline Ling’s abstract pop project Audiobooks and rising Icelandic vocalist JFDR.
Tickets for each evening event are just £5 (plus booking fee) and are available via
with all proceeds going to Stroud Fringe Festival.
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