During the late 50s and early 60s, London was home to ‘der shvitz’ - a hallucinating mix of surf rock guitar, West Indian calypso, mambo, skiffle and Jewish folk. The Yiddish Twist Orchestra revive this one-off cultural collision. The band toured in February 2013, appearing at Colston Hall (Bristol), Rich Mix London, Sage Gateshead, Junction Cambridge, mac Birmingham, The Stables (Milton Keynes), The Apex (Bury), NCEM (York), Pontardarwe Arts Centre and Poole Lighthouse.

Sad, funny, intense, bizarre, fascinating … welcome to the quirky, twisted sweep of Melingo’s wry bohemian universe - a fabulous, boozy, theatrical milieu where Tolstoy, Kafka, Piaf, Brecht, Waits and Cohen might find solace and unsettled lodging. He toured in November 2012, appearing at Colston Hall (Bristol), Rich Mix London, Sage Gateshead, Junction Cambridge, mac Birmingham, The Stables (Milton Keynes), The Apex (Bury), NCEM (York), Pontardarwe Arts Centre and Poole Lighthouse.

Led by Temesgen Zeleke, a former star pupil of Ethiopian legend Mulatu Astatke, Krar Collective perform a rootsy yet contemporary take on traditional music from Ethiopia based on other-worldly modes and driven by hypnotic rhythms. The group toured in Sep/Oct 2012, appearing at Colston Hall (Bristol), Rich Mix London, Sage Gateshead, Junction Cambridge, mac Birmingham, The Stables (Milton Keynes), The Apex (Bury), NCEM (York), Pontardarwe Arts Centre and Poole Lighthouse.

Charismatic and playful 'accordionista' Johanna Juhola conjures a magical world that blends Buenos Aires tango halls with forest-dark Finnish landscapes. Johanna toured in April 2013, appearing at Colston Hall (Bristol), Rich Mix London, Sage Gateshead, Junction Cambridge, mac Birmingham, The Stables (Milton Keynes), The Apex (Bury), NCEM (York), Pontardarwe Arts Centre and Poole Lighthouse.