Craven at The Prince Albert, Stroud

Craven are a part English, part Welsh, dark folk trio based in the South West. Their music is at once grinding and symphonic, but also delicate and ethereal. Their sound draws far and wide from punk, electronic music, and film music as well as traditional music from both Europe and the wider world. 

The trio takes traditional music and upends it, using word-painting to create soundworlds for  age-old stories. From songs exploring transness, queerness, yearning and bitterness, to white-hot rage against injustice, Craven make a beautiful Frankenstein's Monster of British folk music.

From spit and sawdust DIY venues to the home of English Folk - Cecil Sharp House, Craven’s performances leave you speechless and tearful, engrossing audiences from many genres and backgrounds. Their music is an exploration into the ideas and opportunities of what is possible for folk music.

Craven comprises Will Bremner (Accordions), Elian Moisey (Double Bass, Viola da Gamba) and Rhiannon Takel (Violin, Octave Mandola, Harmonium). They use stomp boxes, bells, a foot-keyed harmonium and a pedal operated 120 year old drum to create a maximal sound with minimal musicians. This use of live, raw sound production is integral to their visceral storytelling, and is a hair’s breadth from carnage.