Anyone taking even a passing glance at this site will know how much I enjoy going to this venue. The great thing is, because it specialises in one-night stands, I get more opportunities to indulge myself as well as broadening my musical knowledge with every trip. I hope that once you have seen what is coming over the next few months that you will take the opportunity of joining me in my journeys into both the known and unknown.
Because there are so many events in store, and I would like to finish this article before the next one begins tuning up, I will give you a taster and then point you in the right direction for more information and, of course, the ticket office!
Things kick off with A Tale of Orpheus & Eurydice on 21st June, ‘a joyful 45-minute exploration of love, music, and hope for the future’. Very appropriate. Should you not be able to make it they then go on tour across Northern England and Nottingham. Full details are in the link at the end of this piece.
On Wednesday 22nd June there is West African Music from Les Amazones d’Afrique who, as their name suggests, are a group of women from that continent. They have become superstars, as have Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba who are so much in demand that they have been booked twelve months in advance to play the Room on 1st June 2023. Yes, I know that that is not autumn or winter 2022, but I want you to be ready for when the box office opens and not miss out.
Refugee Week Sessions on 23rd June is an evening of short performances from the refugee and asylum-seekers community.
Insofar as Folk and Roots are concerned there are more famous names in Siobhan Miller – 2nd October, Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening – 22nd October, The Delines – 9th November and Eliza Carthy & The Restitution – 25th November,
Contemporary classical music is provided by Brudenell Piano Sessions – 26th June, Penguin Cafe – 15th September and Manchester Camerata Ensemble performing the work Unquiet on 29th October.
Singer/songwriters Joan as Policewoman – 21st August and Jesca Hoop on 4th December will be sharing their thoughts and music.
There are three events in the Leeds Out of Many Festival which celebrates Jamaican Culture and how it has developed in Britain over the years. The first is Laureate to Laureate : Olive Senior & Simon Armitage on 4th October. 7th October sees An Evening with Linton Kwesi Johnson in Conversation with Gary Younge, and on 12th October we have a return visit by Courtney Pine and Zoe Rahman performing works from their forthcoming album Spirituality. I had the pleasure of seeing them here recently and it really was a treat, so, if I have aroused your curiosity, why not read my review? https://tyke-it-to-the-limit.com/2021/10/25/courtney-pine-presents-song-the-ballad-book-featuring-zoe-rahman-at-howard-assembly-room/
Whilst you are browsing my august body of work (and it’s only June!) then have a look at my more detailed preview of Leeds International Festival of Ideas which runs from 22nd-25th September. Speakers and presenters include Aisling Bea, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, Gareth Thomas, Sonia Soda, Jamali Maddix, and Judy Ling Wong CBE. I understand that the Yotam Ottolenghi talk has already sold out but it might be worth seeing if there are any returns nearer the date. https://tyke-it-to-the-limit.com/2022/04/27/leeds-international-festival-of-ideas-2022/
Following LIFI22 is a gig by I Like Trains. Should they not be on strike they will be appearing on 1st October.
Younger people are catered for with a performance of All The King’s Men by Richard Rodney Bennett on 9th July and Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals on 10th September.
I said that I was only going to give you a taster, but I’ve started so I’ll finish. Specialist Subject – OCD!
There is a fusion of music on 18th September with The Crossing by sitar player Roopa Panesar with Al MacSween and Camilo Tirado.
If you think that the films on television are old then you should see what is on on 30th October. It is the 1925 original of The Phantom of the Opera. The twist is that the soundtrack will be performed live by Leeds City Organist Darius Battiwalla. No slurping your Kia-Ora please!
4th November is Italian Night with Justin Adams and Mauro Durante presenting a mixture of folk, classical and a touch of Arabic and African trance/blues added to the mix.
There’s jazz on 26th November courtesy of the Espen Eriksen Trio with Andy Sheppard as part of their The Mountains tour.
Finally, we get to the Festive Season and Awake Arise, a mix of traditional songs, folk carols, spoken word and newly written music from the trio Lady Maisery, comprising Hannah James, Rowan Rheingans and Hazel Askew, along with Jimmy Aldridge and Sid Goldsmith. It is on 18th December so just right for the crossover from commercial to cerebral.
I hope that you manage to get to see at least one of the offerings and, after all this, that you enjoy them. I am sure that you will.
More information and tickets can be found at https://www.operanorth.co.uk/event-tag/har/
For full details of the Out Of Many Festival please click on https://www.jamaicasocietyleeds.co.uk/events/?utm_source=Website&utm_medium=OOM+Festival+Jamaica+Society+Leeds+events+page&utm_campaign=Rebellion+to+Romance
For a full programme of Leeds International Festival of Ideas go to https://leedsinternationalfestival.com/programme/
Feature photograph by Stan Graham, all other images provided by Howard Assembly Room.
Tyke It To The Limit 