Live, stripped-back, acoustic gigs - carefully curated monthly Bookshelf Sessions. These EXCLUSIVE sessions offer unique opportunity to experience top quality live performance in Alton. Come and see what everyone’s talking about!
HEY! We are looking for local, up & coming solo or duo acoustic acts with original material to support our main artists for Bookshelf Sessions. If you are interested, drop Gary an email and introduce yourself and your music, and you could find yourself supporting the likes of James Walsh (Starsailor), Richard Walters, Matthew & The Atlas, Ben Ottewell (Gomez), Fran Lusty or Nigel Clark (Dodgy).
Performances recorded live for our YouTube channel.
Hayden Thorpe
Friday 13th June, 2025
We are in for a treat in June – a Bookshelf Session with Hayden Thorpe, a singer-songwriter bringing the astonishing accomplishment that is NESS, an album of beauty and intrigue.
Hayden Thorpe came to prominence as the lead singer and chief songwriter for the much-celebrated band Wild Beasts who released five acclaimed albums on Domino Records before disbanding.
Hayden has since released three solo albums on Domino; Diviner, a critically adored work of solitude and fragility. Sophomore album Moondust For My Diamond, a work that is galvanising, reassuring, elegant, seductive and oozing in Big Cosmic Energy.
September 2024 saw the release of Ness, an album of rare ambition and singular beauty made in collaboration with best-selling nature writer Robert Macfarlane.
Known for his distinctive voice and sultry compositions, Thorpe’s return to Cumbria marks a new era for his craft reflective of the natural environment he lives surrounded by.
fran lusty
Friday 1 1th july 2025
Fran Lusty is an Indie-folk singer-songwriter born in Cambridge with Norwegian roots. She will rock you gently with soul-stirring nature inspired songs. Her music has been described as ‘dreamful’ and ‘truly transformative’, capturing the hearts of listeners worldwide.
Her anticipated second EP 6 Foot and Growing, released in June 2024, reflects her journey through London — navigating unfulfilling jobs, grappling with a sense of dysfunction, and yearning for the solace of the countryside. Deeply influenced by artists like Damien Rice, the EP captures raw emotions and poignant storytelling.
Fran has garnered significant support from Spotify editorial playlists (New Music Friday UK, Fresh Finds UK & IE, Fresh Finds Folk, The Most Beautiful Songs in The World, Lost In The Woods and more) as well as support at Apple Music, BBC Introducing and BBC Radio 1.
2024 has been a breakout year for Fran, with sold-out headlines in London and Brighton, as well as two European tours, and appearances at major festivals such as Secret Garden Party, Cambridge Folk Festival, HowTheLightGetsIn, Glastonbury and Lazydays Festival.
Jess Iszatt (BBC Radio 1): “Ones to watch 2025”.
Nigel Clark
Friday 15th August 2025
Founding member of indie rock band Dodgy in 1990, Nigel Clark has 30+ years in the music business. From successful artist in the 1990’s with hits staying out for the summer & good enough soundtracking the summers of 1995 & 1996.
Nigel is still touring with Dodgy and also has also built up a strong following for his own solo gigs.
Nigel plays Dodgy classics and some very special cover versions & also songs from his solo albums.
Expect great stories from his musical past!
Tara MacLean
Friday 19th september 2025
Canadian singer/songwriter Tara MacLean has been an internationally renowned and award winning recording and touring artist for over 25 years. She’s written and recorded six solo albums and two with her band Shaye (with Kim Stockwood and Damhnait Doyle). Tara has been signed to Nettwerk Music Group, EMI Canada, Capitol US and Asia and is still with Sony Music Publishing Canada.
An environmental and social Justice activist, Tara has recently received the Senate of Canada medal for her work in her community. In 2020, she received the SOCAN Songwriter of the Year award, as well as Solo Recording of the Year for her album “Deeper” at the Music PEI awards, and an ECMA nomination for Pop Album of the Year.
Her theatre show Atlantic Blue- a Celebration of East Coast Songwriters, that she wrote was a sold out success for three summers on PEI, one summer with the Charlottetown Festival. It played in concert with the PEI Symphony Orchestra.
Tara MacLean resides in her home province of Prince Edward Island and requires the Atlantic ocean for optimal well being. She also spends time on Salt Spring Island, BC. Her greatest joy is being a mother to her three beautiful girls, Sophia, Stella and Flora.
She is excited to have released her first book with HarperCollins in 2023 about her life in music, along with the soundtrack, Sparrow, released concurrently with the memoir.
