Hotfoot it to The Vale for Honeyfeet, the Barefoot Bandit and more this Spring

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

On Saturday April 27, 2024, 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; 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, 2024.

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 2023 and toured throughout the winter with Dub Pistols.

Other high profile support slots include Lee “Scratch” Perry, Horace Panter and Lynval Golding (The Specials) and Dreadzone, but in Mossley, The Barefoot Bandit will be taking the headline slot.

Support is from rapper, poet, and educator Donovan Christoper.

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, 2024 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 this February.

Named after the infamous high class French brothel-keeper, Madame Claude (pictured above) 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.

Ríoghnach Connolly and Honeyfeet are at The Vale, Vale Mill, off Micklehurst Road, Mossley OL5 9JL on Saturday, April 27, 2024 and tickets are £16.50. 

The Barefoot Bandit is on Saturday, May 25, 2024 (tickets £15) and In Our Backyard is Saturday, June 22, 2024 (tickets £12.50), tel: 01457 238 089.

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