Erland Cooper, Sam Lee & Alice Boyd

Join us in Beacon Hall this autumn for a special performance where the wonders of nature meet the magic of music.

Erland Cooper is a Scottish composer and multi-instrumentalist who draws deeply from the wild landscapes of his Orkney home. Throughout his critically acclaimed catalogue, Cooper weaves field recordings, orchestral arrangements, and electronic textures into pieces that capture the essence of place, memory, and time.

His groundbreaking latest album, ‘Carve The Runes Then Be Content With Silence’, was written and recorded three years ago, then immediately planted underground in Scotland with all digital copies permanently deleted. A meditation on value and patience in a world of instant gratification, the tape was eventually found by fans in 2023. It is now out in the world for all to hear how the sound has been manipulated by the soil over that time, standing proudly at the top of the UK Official Classical Album Charts as a totally unique example of collaborating with nature.

Joining Erland for the evening are two very special guests, Mercury Prize-nominated folk singer, song collector and activist Sam Lee (fresh from his own sold out show in Lantern Hall earlier this year) and composer & sound artist Alice Boyd, who will both offer their own reflections on the natural world, with sound & landscapes intertwining and music becoming a celebration of the Earth we share.

Green Gigs

This concert marks a step towards more sustainable live music experiences as part of our roadmap to net zero.

The event will implement initiatives to reduce energy, waste & water use – including using in-house tech equipment to reduce delivery transport, no plastic bottles or single-use plastic in venue, minimal use of hazers whilst ensuring high production value, and locally sourced, meat-free artist riders. We are procuring green energy for the venue, helped by the nearly 350 solar panels on our roof.

We will also be encouraging sustainable audience travel to this event. You can help by choosing to travel by bus, train, bicycle or on foot, and we’ll give you 20% off a drink at our bars to say thank you.

Join us for our pre-concert panel where we’ll explore climate action within the music industry – see more info below.