For millions, the German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (1925-2012) was one of the greatest singers of modern times. But for Artist in Residence Benjamin Appl he was a hero, a mentor, and – above all – a friend.
Crafted from Appl’s personal memories, and incorporating letters, readings and anecdotes from Fischer-Dieskau’s incredible career, this is a song recital with an extraordinary difference: an intensely personal tribute from a brilliant young singer to the artist who changed his life.
Manchester Collective return to Future Yard once again with The Turning on Thursday 7th June, featuring a unique team up of both Rakhi and Simmy Singh on violin.
Under white noise and digital chatter, an ancient planetary pull…
It’s late spring when the evenings are starting to glow. On the horizon, the longest day of the year. Put the world on pause and lose yourself in a sound world where earthy Celtic folk flows into lively improvisations and brave, experimental new music. Sisters Rakhi and Simmy Singh spent their early years in the Welsh countryside, immersed in a blend of traditional Indian music, Western classical and folk. Now, they thread together these diverse influences in this intimate performance for violin duo and electronics, drawing us into the mysterious rhythms of the natural world. Nature may be a source of healing and inspiration, but our relationship with it is both precious and extremely fragile. ‘No One Is Too Small To Make A Difference’ is a journey in six parts, capturing the urgency of the environmental movement. Not just a lament for what’s lost, but ultimately a call for active hope and radical action.
The great turning is here and now – there’s no escaping it.
Bonnacons of Doom return to Future Yard on Tuesday 3rd June.
Over two genre defying albums on Rocket Recordings Bonnacons of Doom have been honing their ‘Trans-pennine Hypnotic Music’ into a distinct sonic signature. Mind-bending drone, gut wrenching riffs and the searing vocals of Kate Smith collide for a ritualistic, transcendent experience.
The band’s live show combines mirrored masks, amp worship, folk weirdness and electronics to create a communion that is simultaneously ancient and modern. Over the past decade the band have gone from one-off art experiments to wowing audiences at festivals such as Desertfest and Sonic Whip, playing gigs across Europe to touring with Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs.
A pioneer of the birth of dance music in the UK, Hacienda regular and ‘electro-funk’ innovator, New Brighton’s own Greg Wilson takes over the Future Yard Garden during Spring Bank Holiday weekend, headlining an extended outdoor party in Birkenhead on Sunday 25th May.
Special guests Derek Kaye + Jill Thompson join Greg on the day.
American shoegaze-soul legends The Veldt and rising force Tremours are co-headlining Future Yard on Tuesday 10th June, bringing a night of ethereal, heady, and noisy soundscapes.
Emerging from North Carolina in the 1980s, The Veldt blends ethereal atmospheres, sultry melodies, and rhythmic grooves. Influenced by Marvin Gaye, Sun Ra, and Pharaoh Sanders, as well as their roots in gospel, Motown, and psychedelic rock, they created a unique sound that set them apart during the first wave of shoegaze bands.
Tremours, a Los Angeles duo formed in 2021 by Lauren Andino and Glenn Fryatt, blends Andino’s hazy guitars with Fryatt’s urgent drums, drawing influences from shoegaze, jazz, and electronica. Andino (LSD And The Search For God, L.A. Witch) and Fryatt (Cherubs, Ten Benson) explore themes of loneliness, finding comfort within solitude.
Future Yard are delighted to welcome Colombian dance music collective Systema Solar, a driving force in electropical music for over 19 years, to Birkenhead on Thursday 19th June with their upcoming album Futuro Primitivo.
They’ll bring their unique music-visual show, known as “Berbenautika” – where Colombian street party culture (pikós, verbenas) meets hip-hop, house, techno and more.
The Colombian collective, a true pioneer of the genre, is once again delivering an ultra-festive, extravagant and colourful live performance, complete with their signature handmade visuals that bring their electro-pical universe to life.
Credited as Far Out Magazine’s Best Live Band of 2023, London-based slowcore quartet deathcrash will bring their visceral, intense, and precise live show to Future Yard on Wednesday 18th June 2025.
Despite coming to prominence with other South London sensations such as Black Country, New Road, Jerskin Fendrix, Sorry and Black Midi, deathcrash have always had a distinctly mysterious energy about them, the shy kids in the corner quietly constructing something grand.
Their previous album, Less, released in 2023, earned high acclaim from Pitchfork, Line of Best Fit, Brooklyn Vegan, and other notable publications. It’s a record that is as powerful and potent as it is tender and introspective, featuring arrangements that feel both refined and detailed, with a deep emotional resonance at its core. The band glides effortlessly from delicate, skeletal arrangements that emphasize reflective pauses and contemplative silences to moments of fierce, punchy dynamism.
FFO – caroline, Duster, Horse Jumper of Love, American Football.
Betty Boo performs in Birkenhead on this spring.
A hip-hop pioneer and 90s icon, Betty Boo is a platinum-selling Brit and Ivor Novello Award-winning singer-songwriter and rapper best known for her hits Hey DJ – I Can’t Dance To That Music You’re Playing, Doin’ The Do and Where Are You Baby? which propelled her into the spotlight in 1990. In 2022 after a 30 year hiatus, Betty Boo made an unexpected return with the critically acclaimed, radio smash filled album “Boomerang.” She followed this with her 2024 UK Top 40 album, Rip Up The Rulebook, which has been universally described as her best album to date.
Now, 35 years later since she burst on the scene, Betty Boo sets out on tour to celebrate the special edition re-releases of her two classic 90s albums: Boomania and GRRR! It’s Betty Boo.
They host Clann An Drumma at Future Yard on Thursday 17th July, a collective that have crafted a sound that seamlessly fuses ancient traditions with modern flair, featuring powerful battle drums and evocative Highland pipes that blend Celtic heritage with contemporary influences.
Originating from Glasgow, they perform adorned in uniquely designed tartan, worn as traditional plaids, with tribal energy infusing life into all occasions.
Future Yard and Milap present Shez Raja and Guthrie Govan in Birkenhead on Friday 18th July.
Voted one of the ‘Hottest Bass Players in the World’ by readers of Bass Player magazine, virtuoso bass player and Parkgate’s own Shez Raja returns to our stage after a storming performance back in September. An artist renowned for his high-energy live shows, unique Indo-jazz-funk sound, and global collaborations with the likes of Mike Stern, Randy Brecker, Dennis Chambers, and Wayne Krantz, Raja brings his dynamic style to the stage once again.
He is joined by electric guitar sensation Guthrie Govan, a man with numerous accolades, including being voted ‘Guitarist of the Year’ in Guitarist magazine and appearing on the cover of Guitar Player magazine. The go-to player for Hans Zimmer, Govan’s virtuosic technique and bold creativity have earned him a reputation as guitar royalty on the world stage.
Together, they are set to perform fresh music from their new album, Spellbound, inspired by Shez’s travels to Punjab in the Indian subcontinent. Expect exhilarating music that transcends cultural boundaries, blending East and West with mesmerising melodies, intricate rhythms, and heartfelt compositions.