The Gosforth Civic Theatre in Newcastle will host Beyond the Moor, a folk music festival, on Saturday, October 10. Now in its fourth year, the event will showcase a diverse range of folk traditions and contemporary roots music across two stages from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Seven acts are scheduled to perform, representing a spectrum of styles from Scottish and Irish traditional music to West African kora, alongside emerging talent from the North East. The festival’s headliner is the Scottish roots band Breabach, who will close the event at 9:15 p.m., shortly before the release of their new album, Gathering Ground.
Breabach, known for blending Highland and Island Gaelic traditions with wider musical influences, draws inspiration from extensive touring and recent personal milestones within the group. In recent years, several band members have become parents, an experience their piper, whistle and bouzouki player Calum MacCrimmon says has reinforced the importance of friendship and a sense of home in both their music and tours.
The new album reflects these themes and also marks a growing connection with American roots music. Breabach performed at the Grand Ole Opry’s appearance at London’s Royal Albert Hall last year, an experience MacCrimmon describes as warmly inclusive and influential on their latest work. Gathering Ground features collaborations with members of the Opry house band and American singer Darius Rucker.
Although collaborations extend beyond Scottish traditions into country and bluegrass influences, the band maintains a strong commitment to traditional Gaelic music. MacCrimmon explains that Breabach values respect and personal connection in collaborative efforts, ensuring that new material and arrangements remain rooted in tradition even when experimenting with modern rhythms and contemporary compositions.
Other performers at Beyond the Moor include The Breath, an Irish duo of singer Ríoghnach Connolly and guitarist Stuart McCallum; Newcastle indie-folk group Watersmeet; Gambian kora player Jali Bakary Konteh; the Hearken Quartet specializing in traditional European dance music; and North East musicians such as Will Pound and Jenn Butterworth. Between main stage sets, Newcastle University’s Folk Degree students will present brief performances in an on-site studio.
Breabach have longstanding ties to Newcastle’s folk scene, having performed regularly at venues such as The Glasshouse, with individual members involved in the university’s Folk Degree program. MacCrimmon highlights the region’s vibrant community of musicians and creatives as a key draw for the band’s return.
This year’s Beyond the Moor coincides with the 10th anniversary of Gosforth Civic Theatre, with Scott Forbes, the venue’s marketing and programming manager, expressing enthusiasm about supporting the local music scene for the fourth consecutive year. He anticipates that the festival will attract both long-time supporters and new audiences to the theatre.
Tickets for Beyond the Moor are available through the Gosforth Civic Theatre website, with doors opening at 2:30 p.m. and the program running through the evening.