HARK: An Evening of Live Music

Queer voices. Iconic space. Joyous vibes

Join us for a celebratory night of queer song with three incredible musicians on one shared bill;

Douglas Dare 'A truly heart-stopping set' - Mary Anne Hobbs,

Ruth Theodore ‘Original folk voice’ - The Guardian

Fionn Cox-Davies ‘Devastating emotional firepower’- Clash Magazine 

Staged in Totnes’ iconic church, HARK promises a rousing journey of soaring cinematic vocals, playful rebellion and raw heartfelt power. If you love original music, discovering new artists and want to experience three of the leading queer talents in the mainstream music scene, HARK offers a perfect night out.

Listen to the artists here:

Douglas Dare

Fionn Cox-Davies

Ruth Theodore

Douglas Dare

Douglas crafts intimate, cinematic music that blurs the lines between art-pop, modern classical, and electronic minimalism. with his arresting voice and evocative storytelling, the London-based artist has drawn comparisons to James Blake and Anohni, yet his sound is uniquely his own—melancholic, raw, and deeply affecting. Since his debut album Whelm (2014), released on the esteemed Erased Tapes label, Dare has captivated audiences worldwide, performing at venues from The Barbican to Berlin’s Funkhaus. his follow-up albums, Aforger (2016) and Milkteeth (2020), further showcased his ability to weave personal narratives into haunting sonic landscapes, earning widespread critical acclaim from The Guardian, Pitchfork, and BBC Radio 6 Music. With his latest release, Omni (2024), Dare expands his sonic palette, blending his poetic lyricism with pulsating edm textures, collaborating with label mate Rival Consoles on lead single mouth to mouth.
An electrifying live performer, Dare has toured extensively, sharing stages with Nils Frahm, Ólafur Arnalds, Perfume Genius, Moses Sumney, Rufus Wainwright, Anna Calvi, Rival Consoles, Wild Beasts, José González, Patrick Wolf, and Fink. He recently completed a 35-date UK and European tour, culminating in a sold-out headline show at London’s Omeara, and a joint headline tour across Austria with Björk’s collaborator and drummer, Manu Delago. His singular artistry has led to invitations to perform at Robert Smith’s Meltdown Festival And David Lynch’s Festival at HOME Manchester. He was also personally selected to contribute a Leonard Cohen cover for Cohen’s Global Retrospective Exhibition, debuting In Montreal With the support of the International Showcase Fund. Most recently, Dare performed alongside the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, with the concert broadcast on BBC Radio 3, further cementing his status as a boundary-pushing artist.

'A truly heartstopping set' - Mary Anne Hobbs

'Douglas is a wonderful new discovery' - Cillian Murphy

'Can't get over it, don't want to, never want to come to terms with it. Incredible record. Hard, hard recommend.' - Lauren Lavern

Fionn Cox-Davies

Fionn is a Devon based artist creating idiosyncratic, 'rip-your-guts-out' contemporary folk. His winding song structures, personal storytelling lyrics and broad vocal style make for deeply relatable, dynamic listening while his years of experience as an actor and contemporary dancer add subtlety and power to his performance presence. Outside of music he has worked in film, T.V, immersive theatre, music theatre and contemporary dance including work for Punchdrunk, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. He is a seasoned artist whose performance quality is visceral and powerful.

‘A spellbinding hour of the most vulnerable, beautiful music I've heard in ages.’ -Clash Magazine

‘Devastating emotional firepower.’ Clash Magazine

‘He swoops and soars, like some glorious camp bird, every breath in acrobatic ornament wafting the crowd into raptures.’ - Clash Magazine

Ruth Theodore

Back in the UK in between extensive US tours, distinguished British artist and The Guardian’s “original folk voice” Ruth joins the lineup at Totnes Pride.
Starting her career as a DIY street busker and now signed to Ani DiFranco’s Righteous Babe Records, Ruth has earned international critical acclaim for her songwriting and recordings, alongside a growing reputation for immersive, audience-connected live performances. Her latest album, I Am I Am, received a string of 5-star and 10/10 reviews, and she is currently working on her sixth studio album with long-term collaborator and Grammy and Tony Award-winning producer Todd Sickafoose.
Ruth’s music and life choices reflect her nomadic spirit and naturally transient personality, actively avoiding being pinned down in all aspects of life, from sexuality to physical location. Her work has always been a celebration of community and of the cracks in the concrete, forever pushing the boundaries of gender, genre and the confines of the conventional singer-songwriter archetype.
An experienced stage performer, Theodore brings a sense of joyful rebellion, a touch of 1920s vaudeville theatre and a healthy dose of punk rock attitude, delivering song after song with the relentless lyrical energy of a San Francisco beat poet.

“You'd be crazy to miss this chance to see her" -Time Out 

“Her tales leave you breathless” - MOJO

‘Everything you want from an album’- Maverick ★★★★★

‘Confident and original’ - The Guardian ★★★★

HARK is co-curated by BENTWOOD; a new Devon-based initiative that platforms the queer-rural experience. BENTWOOD create events that are queer-led and arts focused, inviting people from all walks of life to celebrate together.