Moonrakers at St Andrew's Church, South Stoke

Jacqui Johnson  |  Jon Bennett  |  Sarah Fell  | Becki Luff

Immerse yourself in a mesmerizing night filled with variety as Moonrakers takes you on a musical journey through time on Friday 27th June 7:30pm at St Andrew's Church, South Stoke. Tickets £12 to include interval refreshments.

Moonrakers is an Oxford-based group of four musicians who pride themselves in having brought traditional and contemporary folk music to new audiences in village halls, churches, arts centres and festivals across the UK. The fact that the band "just OOZES quality" (Living Tradition) is down to the careful arrangements and selection of tunes and songs, presenting “exquisite music” (BBC). The material is a combination of traditional Irish, Scottish, Welsh and English music and their own contemporary songs and tunes, still very much 'in the idiom'.

There is a tapestry of multi-instrumental acoustic sounds and harmonies around each song and tune. Becki Luff's luscious Celtic harp is complemented by Jacqui Johnson’s superb cello, backed by Jon’s bouzouki, guitar, whistles and bodhran. The warm vocals of Sarah Fell combine with Jon’s rich baritone. Moonrakers now have five commercially produced albums under their belt and have received glowing reviews in the music press (“highly infectious”- Maverick; "fine organic collection of apt musicianship" - Earbuzz). They've appeared at folk festivals in Oxford, Broadstairs, Wantage, Bunkfest, Guildford, Cropredy, Towersey, Witney, Penn, Lechlade, Alcester, Shennington and Wycombe over the last few years.

Moonrakers have built a strong following from playing in less-traditional venues. For example, their “In-Spires” tour has taken them to over 70 churches and village halls in the South. Their album Green to Gold received a 4-star rating in RnR magazine (2023) and was FATEA magazine's Album of the Month (July 2023). Their music is featured in Series 2 of the BBC television drama 'Beyond Paradise'.

USEFUL INFORMATION

• We don't have a car park in South Stoke but there is plenty of free on-street parking, please do be mindful of residents.