A SPELLBINDING night of contemporary folk is set to arrive in Mossley.
For award-winning singer Lisa Knapp and multi-instrumentalist Gerry Diver will take to the stage at The Vale.
Fresh from the success of their 2025 album Hinterland – hailed as one of the year’s best by publications including The Guardian – the duo will perform an intimate seated gig on Saturday, 18 April.
While Hinterland marks their first official joint release, Knapp and Diver’s creative partnership stretches back nearly two decades. Diver produced Knapp’s 2007 debut Wild and Undaunted, laying the groundwork for a musical relationship that has steadily evolved into one of the most distinctive in modern folk.
Their live performances promise a bold reimagining of traditional music, weaving together English and Irish influences with a striking mix of instrumentation. Audiences can expect layered arrangements featuring twin fiddles, voice, percussion, autoharp and subtle electronica, alongside field recordings that add texture and atmosphere.
Knapp’s reputation as a leading voice in folk has only grown in recent years. On hearing her track The Shipping Song – which opens with a haunting rendition of the BBC Radio 4 shipping forecast – The Guardian famously described her as a “national treasure”. She later went on to explore the cultural impact of the forecast in a documentary for the station.
Diver, meanwhile, brings a wealth of experience as a composer and producer. Born in Withington before moving to Donegal as a teenager, he has collaborated with an eclectic range of artists including Van Morrison, Tom Robinson, Jah Wobble, Damon Albarn and The Popes.
The Mossley date comes ahead of larger festival appearances later this year, including slots at Bristol Folk Festival and Shambala Festival.
Tickets for the performance are priced at £15.50, with a limited number of pay-what-you-feel options also available, at https://the-vale.co.uk/event/lisa-knapp-gerry-diver/