Travelling troubadour Sorrel Nation brings a soulful mix of folk-rock to country and engages audiences with emotive lyrics, 70s inspired style and a voice full of soul that can truly open the heart.

2024 saw multiple new releases from Sorrel including a single featuring Steve Balsamo in May, the delicate and beautiful live EP Thirty Summers in July and the critically acclaimed debut studio album Lost En Route in October. Sorrel performed at Black Deer, Isle of Wight and Cambridge Folk Festivals amongst others and continues to tour the festival circuit over summer with The Magic Teapot music venue in her beloved campervan, Dory.

Sorrel accomplished two successful UK wide tours in 2024, including her first ever solo tour in April and first full band tour in October to accompany the release of Lost En Route, an album Sorrel is immensely proud of. 2025 will be no different as Sorrel embarks on three tours and exciting festival appearances to promote her debut album and its release on vinyl in March.

And yes…Sorrel Nation is her real name.

'You have a signature voice, when I hear you sing I will know it is Sorrel Nation' Richard Elkington, Owner The Drawingroom Chesham

'Sorrel’s voice is off the scale stunning' Gill Tee, Co-founder Black Deer Festival

With special guest indie singer/songwriter Jonny Morgan. Jonny found his unique Americana sound after spending much of his life hopping across the Atlantic, inspired by American roots music from an early age. He was recently awarded the Bob Harris Emerging Artist of the Year Award at the Americana Music Association UK Awards.

Studio
£16 I £14 Supporters (applied to basked once logged in)

Sorrel Nation website

Insta sorrelnation
Fb sorrelnationmusic

•  16 May from £16

Multi Award-Winning Folk-Americana Duo.

Think The Civil Wars meets Simon and Garfunkel! Their heartfelt songs, stunning vocals, and soul-stirring harmonies have transfixed audiences and propelled their last album What Comes Next to the top of the Amazon folk chart. Their latest Album Braver Days was released last September.

Following the release of their debut single in 2017, Tomorrow Bird was named Best Duo at both the 2017 and 2018 GSMC Awards.  They followed this up with their award-nominated, self-titled debut album, and 2019 LGBTQ+ charity single, Love is Love.

Their NHS charity single Not All Heroes Wear Capes - and the title track from their new album, What Comes Next - also won GSMC Music Awards for Single of the Year, in 2021 and 2022 respectively. 

After debuting at number one on the Amazon Folk Music Charts in June 2022, the pair's latest album has received glowing reviews, regular radio play, and brought home the coveted GSMC Music Award for Album of the Year 2023.

Jen Bird
A former musical theatre actress, Jen performed lead roles in Jesus Christ Superstar and The King and I before being bitten by the song writing bug.  As a solo artist, she has released two albums and multiple singles including Shout at the Dark - a powerful anthem to raise funds for the mental health charity, SANE UK. She also performed three songs for Nintendo's critically acclaimed Xenoblade Chronicles 2 game soundtrack.

Simon Driscoll
Simon began his musical journey as a classical pianist before becoming the frontman of folk-rock band, Burnt Tomorrow.  Following the release of the band's first two albums, he returned to his classical roots with two stunning piano albums, Hope Shines Through and (the Amazon classical chart-topping!) Broken Can Still Be Beautiful.

Together the pair are a musical force of nature advocating for truth, hope, courage, connection and empowerment.. Shining a compassionate light on those things that too often hide alone in the dark.

Studio
£15.50

Tomorrow Bird website

Insta tomorrow_bird

•  24 May from £1550

A new regular spot for lovers of live music who prefer their concerts in the daytime, alongside a little lunch, in a relaxed environment.

Performances take place in the Studio in a cabaret set up so you can come and go during the music if you want to.

The ticket price includes a pre-show two course lunch from our Café Bar.

Firelight Trio is a mighty new group featuring Fatea instrumentalist of the year 2023 Gavin Marwick (fiddle),  accordionist Phil Alexander (Moishe’s Bagel) and Ruth Morris (Outlander – HBO) on the beautiful Swedish Nyckelharpa.

They play European music that is evocative, inventive and endlessly exciting. Ruth’s resonant nyckelharpa is matched by Gavin’s powerhouse fiddle, all backed up by Phil’s groovily inventive accordion and piano. A rich tapestry of lively Swedish polskas and Scottish reels, lilting French waltzes, toe-tapping klezmer, dazzling original tunes and more. Don't miss them!

‘A veritable roots music supergroup’ RnR Magazine

‘Top-calibre trio with grace, energy, and playfulness’ Folk Radio UK

‘Achingly beautiful’  Fatea

£30 including a 2 course lunch
12.30pm 2 course lunch
2pm Concert starts

•  12 Jun from £30

Share your thoughts on contemporary fiction with other readers in a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere.

This season our Book Club will be reading:

Thursday 17 April
The Romantic by William Boyd

Thursday 15 May
Normal Rules Don’t Apply by Kate Atkinson

Thursday 19 June
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Thursday 17 July
Table for Two by Amor Towles

Thursday 14 August
TBC

Suitable for 18+ years.

Spaces are limited, early booking is advised to avoid disappointment.

7.30pm – 9pm
£5 per session (includes a glass of wine or soft drink from the bar)

•  15 May from £5
•  19 Jun from £5
• 2 more dates...

A double header of comedy as two top comedians warm up ahead of the Edinburgh Festival.

Due to a unforeseen circumstances, Chloe Petts has been replaced by Bilal Zafar

Matt Forde

Matt Forde is one of the country’s most in demand satirists.

Described as 'our foremost satirical stand-up' by The Sunday Times, Matt Forde has toured critically acclaimed shows nationwide including most recently Clowns To The Left of Me, Jokers To The Right in 2022 and Inside No. 10 in 2023.

Matt Forde’s hit live podcast The Political Party transferred to the West End’s Duchess Theatre in 2021 after over 70 sold out shows at Westminster’s The Other Palace, for a twice extended fortnightly residency continuing in to 2024. Matt has brought Parliament to life with his stand-up and debate with some of politics’ most powerful figures including Keir Starmer, Nicola Sturgeon, Tony Blair, Eddie Izzard, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Angela Rayner, Michael Heseltine, Anthony Scaramucci, Alastair Campbell, Gordon Brown and Gary Neville. Matt has received numerous nominations from award bodies including the British Podcast Awards and Chortle Awards and the show is regularly highlighted as a top podcast pick in the press.

Matt wrote and voiced characters for Spitting Image (BritBox/ITV) including Boris Johnson, Keir Starmer and Donald Trump. Matt currently presents Absolute Radio’s weekly Rock ‘n’ Roll Football Show. He is also the co-host of Wondery’s flagship British Podcast Award winning British Scandal alongside Alice Levine.

In 2019 alone, Matt hosted the Alternative News Desk for Channel 4’s election night coverage, chaired the One Nation Conservative leadership hustings and debated Britain’s withdrawal from the EU with Tony Blair for the Institute of Global Change.

Matt hosted four series of Unspun with Matt Forde on Dave, receiving several nominations at the Broadcast Digital Awards, and has numerous other broadcast credits including: Have I Got News For You (BBC One), The Royal Variety Performance (ITV), Mock The Week (BBC Two), 8 out of 10 Cats (Channel 4), Hypothetical (Dave) Rory Bremner’s Coalition Report and Rory Bremner’s Election Report (BBC Two), Question Time (BBC One), This Week (BBC One), Newsnight (BBC Two) and Daily Politics (BBC Two).

Matt’s first book Politically Homeless was listed by The Sunday Times as one the Best Political Books of 2020.

Bilal Zafar

Bilal Zafar was nominated for the lastminute.com Best Newcomer Award for his debut show at the Edinburgh Fringe. Bilal also won the New Act of the Year award joining the company of previous winners such as Stewart Lee, Ardal O’Hanlon, Joe Wilkinson and Linda Smith.

He was the runner up at the Leicester Square Theatre New Comedian of the Year competition. He has appeared on BBC3, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Asian Network, and has written for The Independent.

An accomplished actor, he has appeared in Channel 4 sitcom Catastrophe, Sky sitcom Sick of It and the Paul Feig directed feature film Last Christmas.

He also runs a successful Twitch page which has racked up over 12.3K followers. He streams an interactive, improvised comedy show three times a week where he plays a football manager embroiled in scandal, featuring various special guests. The show is growing every day and has been picked up by multiple radio shows and newspapers.

Avalon Edinburgh Preview line ups are subject to change.

Studio
£12

Matt Forde
Matt's website

X MattForde

Bilal Zafar
X @Zafarcakes

•  15 May LIMITED

An energetic and creative music and movement class for babies and children under 5.

This fun and funky session uses lights, puppets, parachute, instruments and music to get your little ones moving!

Suitable for ages 9 months - 5 years.

Summer
Fri 9 May - 25 Jul (excluding 28 May)

11am - 11.45am

£8.50 | Siblings (9 months +) £4 | £45 for 6 sessions a term (this offer doesn't include the sibling ticket)

If you would like to book the offer price for 6 sessions, please enter a ticket for each date you would like to attend into your basket and the offer will apply automatically.

•  16 May from £4
•  23 May from £4
• 9 more dates...

Led by Julie Potter

This class is suited to those who have been practising for at least 6. My intention for this class is to move our practise forward, explore different avenues and approaches to the traditional postures. We will be aiming to be going deeper into awareness and noticing.

The yoga I teach is an evolution of over 20 years of practice and study, perhaps moving away from external evaluation of the postures and moving towards an internal sense of the postures, moving away from the more used traditional approach of systemised yoga to a more experiential approach. Whilst looking at traditional Hatha Yoga postures and pranayamas, I will be encouraging fun and freedom within the traditional structure, whilst taking into our awareness fundamental anatomical and functional aspects required by our bodies for maximum wellbeing benefits.

Please bring a blanket, a Yoga / Pilates mat, and wear loose comfortable clothing.

Spring
Fri 10 Jan - 7 Feb (5 weeks)
Fri 14 Feb - 14 Mar (5 weeks)
Fri 21 Mar - 25 Apr (5 weeks)

Summer
Fri 2 May - 6 Jun (6 weeks)
Fri 13 Jun - 25 Jul (6 weeks) (excl 4 Jul)

Please note that the sessions on Fri 6 and 13 Jun will be covered by a different teacher.

11am - 12.15pm
£12 per session | £50 per 5 week course

This class will take place both in person and online via Zoom.

You will find the link to access the session in your booking confirmation email.

•  16 May from £12
•  23 May from £12
• 8 more dates...

Led by SalsaStyle

Specialising for twenty years in providing individual attention to help you develop dance techniques and grow in confidence. SalsaStyle will ensure everyone feels welcome no matter what level.

Spring
Fri 10 Jan - 7 Feb (5 weeks)
Fri 14 Feb - 14 Mar (5 weeks)
Fri 21 Mar - 25 Apr (5 weeks) (excl 18 Apr)

Summer
Fri 2 May - 6 Jun (6 weeks)
Fri 13 Jun - 11 Jul (5 weeks)
Fri 18 Jul - 15 Aug (5 weeks)

8.15pm - 9.15pm
£12 per session | £50 per 5 week course

Don't forget to stay for the Salsa Social from 9.15pm - 10pm: stay after the class for a dance and drink!

Box Office closes at 8pm but online booking is still available.

•  16 May from £12
•  23 May from £12
• 12 more dates...