Sound of music at The Vale as venue announces new gigs

The Vale has announced its new season, with three gigs specially selected to put a spring in your step.

On Saturday, April 27, The Mossley venue welcomes back folk-hop innovators Ríoghnach Connolly and Honeyfeet, who last played in Mossley at The Vale’s relaunch in 2021.

An eclectic troupe, all based in Manchester, Honeyfeet’s brass-heavy sound spans from the bountiful to the subtle, with everything from big-band swing to Alabama blues-tinged folk, all held together by the powerful vocals and flute from Ríoghnach, who is currently BBC Radio 2 folk singer of the year.

Performing together since 2008, the band has garnered fans including the late Benjamin Zephaniah and has played at festivals including Shambala, Moovin, Glastonbury, Wilderness, Secret Garden Party and Kendal Calling.

Honeyfeet is Ríoghnach Connolly, vocals and flute; Lorien Garth Edwards, bass; Ellis Davies, guitar; John Ellis, keyboards; Biff Roxby, brass; and Phil Howley, drums.

They will be supported by performance poet Bassie Gracie, who has just finished supporting Beans on Toast on tour.

The Barefoot Bandit, described as an explosion of reggae, dub and world music, are coming to The Vale on Saturday, May 25.

Admired by DJs including the legendary David Rodigan and BBC Radio 6 Music’s Craig Charles, the band released its long-awaited debut album Hello Welcome in April last year, and toured throughout the winter with Dub Pistols.

Catch them this May ahead of a busy summer on the festival circuit, including Gone Wild, Jurassic Fields, The Wild Gardens, Bearded Theory and Great Estate.

Saturday, June 22, is In Our Backyard: a celebration of local music, featuring four bands from in and around Tameside and Oldham.

Heavy Salad was formed in 2018 by Lee Mann, bass and vocals; Rob Glennie, guitar; and Allan Hutchison, drums, and has been championed by BBC Radio 6 Music DJs Steve Lamacq and Guy Garvey. 

Augmented by the Priestesses, whose soaring vocals bring a soulful, cosmic vibe to the Heavy Salad sound, the band draws musical influences from surf rock and free jazz to overdriven pop and experimental rock.

Eccentric three-piece Jesus Knievel has self-produced and released four albums under their own label since 2007, and blazed a live trail across pubs, clubs and bandstands. Their latest album, The Plural of Hiatus, was released in February.

Named after the infamous high-class French brothel-keeper, Madame Claude is a band of vibrant musical tastes, both fierce and smooth in voice and ska-jumping rhythm. Based in Saddleworth and Tameside, Madame Claude are front-man Frank Williams, Mikey, a former circus performer, Henry Williamson playing rhythm guitar, drummer Gabriel Preston and bassist Charlie Lawless.

And Oldham’s Sugar Crease, originally solely intended as a shed-based experiment, have been compared to bands such as Talking Heads and Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. Their latest single, Lemon Cake, was released in January.