John Grant to play at North Atlantic Flux festival
The singer-songwriter has announced he will perform at the event, which he has curated to celebrate Hull's Nordic connections
As if North Atlantic Flux wasn't exciting enough already, its curator John Grant has today confirmed he will perform live as part of the festival.
Part of Hull UK City of Culture 2017, North Atlantic Flux: Sounds from Smoky Bay brings together some of the best in electronica, contemporary classical and experimental music over four days, exploring Hull's link to sister city Reykjavík and beyond.
Grant will play at Hull City Hall on Sunday 30 April. He joins previously announced headliners GusGus (headlining 28 Apr) and Lindstrøm (29 Apr), as well as Wrangler – the band made up of Cabaret Voltaire founder Stephen Mallinder, Tunng's Phil Winter and producer Benge – and a haunting spoken word collaboration from Steve Cobby and Hullensian poet Russ Litten.
A host of further names also joins the line-up today. They are: Icelandic post-punk outfit Fufanu; dance act Sykur; Prins Póló, featuring singer-songwriter and experimental artist Svavar Pétur Eysteinsson; and the award-winning Mugison, aka Örn Elías Guõmundsson, whose music ranges from gentle pop to blues-inspired rock.
Other performers include Tonik Ensemble, Sóley; Ragga Gisladottir performing her Dandelion Symphony; and Nordic Affect, period musicians who create a contemporary classical sound.
Last but not least among the Nordic names added to the bill is Norwegian singer-songwriter Susanne Sundfør, who has worked with the likes of Röyksopp, and the artist Nils Bech, who straddles pop, dance and performance art and released his most recent album on James Murphy's DFA Records.
British artists include Tom Kay; trumpet soloist Simon Desbruslais; sound and visual artist Jez Riley French (who's also helping to turn the Humber Bridge into a musical instrument); and James Orvis, a founding member of electronica act Paris XY who's now creating his own brand of electronic dance.
West Yorkshire-based poet and writer Adelle Stripe is working with Icelandic composer Halldór Smárason on a work responding to the savage nature and beauty of the North Sea, while Liverpool-based Norwegian musician (and Threshold Festival founder) Kaya will be furthering the musical experiments she has been developing with her band, Science of the Lamps. Finally, Danish composer Eyvind Gulbrandsen is working with musicians from the Royal Northern College of Music, creating a new musical work and performance that will be presented for the first time at the festival.
"North Atlantic Flux is shaping up to be one of the most exciting and unique events we’ve ever produced," said Andy Brydon, director of Curated Place, co-producers of the festival with Hull 2017.
"We're thrilled to be welcoming John Grant to the city," said Sam Hunt, executive producer at Hull 2017. "He's put together a brilliant line-up of musicians, all coming together to create a really special festival and one you're unlikely to experience anywhere else."
Tickets are priced from £89, here. Pick up the March/April issue of The Skinny North to read an exclusive interview with John Grant about North Atlantic Flux; grab a copy at venues across Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds from 28 Feb.
John Grant's North Atlantic Flux: Sounds from Smoky Bay
28 Apr-1 May,
Hull City Hall / Fruit / Gate No 5, 7pm
hull2017.co.uk/johngrant