David Bramwell - From Shaman to Starman

FROM SHAMAN TO STARMAN
David Bramwell & Jak Hutchcraft

What do David Bowie, Nick Cave, Yoko Ono, Alice Coltrane and ancient shamans have in common?

Join acclaimed broadcaster, author, musician and storyteller David Bramwell for a fascinating journey through the hidden history of live entertainment. Drawing on years of research into folklore, ritual and popular culture, From Shaman to Starman explores the idea that the ancient shaman never disappeared from Western society – instead, they simply stepped onto the stage.

From theatres and concert halls to comedy clubs, cinemas and festivals, Bramwell reveals how performers have inherited the shaman's role as healer, trickster and guide, and why audiences continue to gather in search of something far deeper than entertainment. Along the way he draws surprising connections between artists including David Bowie, Nick Cave, Lingua Ignota, Tom Waits, Yoko Ono and Alice Coltrane, arguing that in an age of anxiety and disconnection, the show itself has become a form of medicine.

David Bramwell is one of Britain's most distinctive cultural storytellers. A regular contributor to BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4, he is the creator of the long-running Catalyst Club, host of the Adventures in Nutopia podcast, frontman of psychedelic folk band Oddfellow's Casino, and author of numerous books exploring folklore, psychogeography, outsider culture and Britain's hidden histories, including The Cult of Water, The Odditorium and The Number 9 Bus to Utopia. His stage and radio work has been performed at festivals and venues across the UK, with The Haunted Moustache winning a Sony Radio Award, and The Number 9 Bus to Utopia receiving the Brighton Fringe Award for Best Comedy.

Following David's headline talk, journalist and documentary filmmaker Jak Hutchcraft presents What Does Dying Sound Like? — an extraordinary journey through jazz, Jesus Christ, heavy metal, ghosts, the Native American Sioux tribe and near-death experiences. Blending film, music and years of original research, Jak explores the relationship between sound, mortality and the human search for meaning. Director of Fatboy Slim: Right Here, Right Now for Sky Documentaries, Jak has written for The Guardian, VICE, The Quietus and Kerrang!

Expect an evening of strange stories, forgotten histories, remarkable music and big ideas—perfect for anyone fascinated by folklore, counterculture, music and the enduring mysteries of what it means to be human.