Cabaret Voltaire.

05/10/2025

For National Poetry Day: a short tour of the South West with the Poet Laureate. Simon Armitage came down from Yorkshire for sellout events in Bruton, Lyme Regis, Totnes, and Falmouth. He read wonderful poems from his new books New Cemetery and Dwell, the latter inspired by Heligan. In between the poems were funny anecdotes. At the end when we were in Falmouth, we all went to the Touc Inn to celebrate, with artists and musicians in tow. When we came out, Drag Queens tried to drag us in to a q***r disco but I had Park Run the next morning, so didn’t bother.

02/10/2025

Kahil in Kornwall: we’re pleased to announce a musical legend from the Chicago scene is on his way to the South West. A favourite of , Kahil and his band were a real highlight from WeOutHere festival and it’s no surprise when you see his CV - a master player with Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Dizzy Gillespie, and Paul Simon. And he’s led his own band for 50 years.

Come along for a rare UK show!

27/09/2025

Rachel Sermanni came down from Scotland to play songs in Totnes, and in between them told funny stories. Her voice is atypically clear and crystalline, I was a bit taken aback. I think other people were too as they were clapping so much when she left the stage at the end and stood by the wall. Tendertwin opened; I liked song about the River Dart and another really good one about running; so good we actually went for a 5k run which was satisfying for circularity.

Thanks to Bee, Tracie, Rowlie, and to Nikheel for his generous band food: go to Tamarind Tree!

02/09/2025

I love the sound of Ríoghnach Connolly’s voice very much, so I am pleased to announce her band The Breath is coming to Totnes. They’ve released three albums on Peter Gabriel’s Real World label.
The Guardian swooned over them too, toasting ‘the jaw-droppingly stunning, woozy voice of Ríoghnach Connolly’.

Like many, I first heard her voice in Honeyfeet back when Alabaster DePlume was in the band. I remember them feeding me sloe gin from a bottle in a brown paper bag backstage at a festival. Then she sauntered on to the stage and belched down the microphone, only to sing a beautiful song about a boat immediately afterward.

Join us to savour more funny and beautiful moments.

30/08/2025

There was some serious intentional listening last night when Jake Xerxes Fussell came to Totnes. It sold out, so there were big cheers for his evocative playing and singing. Natalie Wildgoose opened the show with a dreamlike set. Nikheel from Tamarind Treed cooked us some delicious food - thank you.

28/08/2025

11/08/2025

Jazzy souly music in Totnes! Much loved by Gilles Peterson, this gig is part of a tour that marks the 10 year anniversary of Pete Josef’s album Colour. As well as his own material, he’s played with Kelis, Roni Size Reprazent, Jazzanova, Manu Delago, and alongside Darren Emerson in the lo-fi dance duo The White Lamp (I love that one).

Pete’s played celebrated shows at Montreux Jazz Festival Tokyo, Southern Soul Montenegro and the Worldwide awards at Koko, London. I met him in the Golden Lion at the end of my sister’s road in Bristol years ago, and then booked him for a festival where I had a banging line up with Eska, Gwenno, Gilles Peterson, and Ghostpoet. I really enjoyed that weekend so I think we’ll enjoy this now.

09/08/2025

It’s a joy to take photos of comedians - their faces do a lot.

Last month’s sellout Cornish Bank Comedy Club with Mike Wozniak, Mimi, Ben Treloar, and Scarlett Smith.

I couldn’t be arsed to do one in August because I had two holidays and a festival, but September’s goes on sale soon.

25/07/2025

Last month in the Barrel House, Totnes we thought about Ness - a crazy former weapons research place that’s churned and squelched back to something all naturey. Robert McFarlane wrote a book inspired by it and then Hayden Thorpe created thoughtful and wholly original music in response. Thanks to Lucy Wylde for opening the show.

23/07/2025

Matthew and the Atlas returns to the good town of Totnes: gravelly folk rock, Matt’s got a light touch and a loyal following.

Tickets now on sale.

09/07/2025

BBC 6Music favourite Joshua Burnside is coming to Totnes. There’s amazing music from Ireland at the moment with Lisa O’Neill, Oisin Leech, and Lankum; Joshua is up there too, blending folk with electronic influences.
Tickets are now on sale, so come along

04/07/2025

This is This is the Kit, isn’t it?

Tickets on sale from cabaretvoltaireevents.com or Narnia, Totnes.