DARK ALCHEMY & THE BATS BALL PRESENT…SUNDAY SERVICE AT St JOHN ON THE WALL
St John on the Wall, Bristol
INTRODUCTION
Dark Alchemy Bristol are proud to announce a very special collaboration with The Bat's Ball 2019 https://arnosvale.org.uk/events/bats-ball/ .
Sunday Service will be a daytime event following on from the annual Bat's Ball at Arnos Vale Cemetery. It will take place in the atmospheric medieval church and hidden crypt of St John on the Wall, Bristol.
This event will be raising funds for the Churches Conservation Trust, as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations. The crypt and church of St John on the Wall are incredible places to discover: they are actually built into the medieval Old City wall itself. Come and discover this unique feature of Bristol!
PROGRAMME
Part 1, in the Lower Church (Crypt):
Live music: A bespoke collaboration specially created for the event using sampled bat calls, by Tommy Creep (modular synth https://tommycreep.bandcamp.com/ ) and Ellen Southern and Tom Bush of Dead Space Chamber Music (dark neoclassical / ethereal https://dscm.bandcamp.com/ ), who will also be performing specially arranged versions of their medieval / early music songs.
Horseshoe Bats: a talk by Dan Flew, entomologist and specialist in graveyard wildlife, leader of Bat Walk tours at Arnos Vale Cemetery.
Interval: guests will be able to tour the church and crypt, enjoy themed refreshments, and take photographs amongst the tombs.
Part 2, in the Upper Church
Burial Symbolism: a talk by Kate Cherrell, PhD candidate in 19th Century Gothic, and author of Burials and Beyond blog: https://burialsandbeyond.com/
Live music: Rosafresca
We are thrilled to have the Bristol-based Renaissance early music group Rosafresca as special guests for this event. Rich textures and sonorities are recreated by period instruments – lute, vihuela, viola da gamba, recorders, cornamuse and a range of percussion. With a flexible line up drawing on the talents of guest singers, Rosafresca has appeal for concert-goers as well as enthusiasts of world and roots music.
ABOUT THE HOSTS
Dark Alchemy Bristol is an independent event series promoting dark ambient / ritual / industrial / noise / drone / esoteric / dark wave / experimental artists, both local and international. Established in 2017, Dark Alchemy is co-curated by Ellen Southern and Tom Bush (from dark-neoclassical trio Dead Space Chamber Music) and Tommy Edwards aka Tommy Creep (modular synth). Our core events are held in unique spaces including crypts and churches, immersing audiences in the acoustics, aesthetic and atmosphere of each. The aim is create a dark musical alchemy: to provide a testing ground for bringing distinctive musical elements together, creating a unique and transformative experience.
The Dark Alchemy event series has developed symbiotically with The Churches Conservation Trust. The events raise awareness and funds to support the work of protecting and maintaining so many sacred spaces across the country. 2019 sees the 50th Anniversary of the foundation of the trust, the country's pre-eminent trust for the management and repair of historic church properties, with more than 350 Grade 1 listed treasures in their care. Dark Alchemy are proud to have raised over £850 for the charity so far, and introduced new audiences to such special sites.
Tickets from:http://hdfst.uk/E55519
Latest info: https://www.facebook.com/events/574023579794954/
We hope to welcome you to a Dark Alchemy event soon!
Photo by Katie Murt Photography