May at The Apex 2023

>May Events / Art & Theatre / Business Editorials / Events in Norfolk and Suffolk / Music / Tourist Attractions Norfolk and Suffolk April 28, 2023

May at The Apex 2023

Events at the Apex Theatre

1 Charter Square, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3FD

Tel: 01284 758000

www.theapex.co.uk

Turin Brakes

Thu 4 May, 8pm

Turin Brakes lace their melodic acoustic musings with a healthy dose of indie rock, mind blowing vocals and awesome guitar.

Turin Brakes released the Mercury Prize shortlisted ‘Optimist’ LP in March 2001 (achieving gold status in the UK), followed up by 2003’s ‘Ether Song’ which featured the top 5 hit single ‘Pain Killer (Summer Rain)’. The band has since moved on to rack up seven top 40 singles, seven top 40 albums and over a million record sales worldwide.

Chantel McGregor

Fri 5 May, 7.30pm

Imagine the tone and inspiration of Jimi Hendrix, the energy of Royal Blood plus the intensity of Black Keys, contrasting with haunting vocal of Stevie Nicks all rolled into one… Chantel McGregor has been hailed as one of the UK’s most exciting blues-rock artists.

Chantel has built a loyal and growing fan base, stunning The Apex’s audience with her guitar virtuosity every time she plays here. Now she’s back to showcase her own style of contemporary rock-blues and debuting tracks from her new album.

“A musician born with an effortless virtuosity, peppered by flights of incendiary guitar and flanked by moments of poise, grace and fluidity.” GetReadyToRock.com

Big Country & Spear of Destiny

Sat 6 May, 7.45pm

Big Country celebrate their iconic 1983 debut LP ‘The Crossing’ 40 years on from release along with very special guests Spear of Destiny.

Big Country broke massively worldwide with the release of the album’s classic singles ‘Fields Of Fire’, ‘Chance’ and signature song ‘In A Big Country’, which went on to become massive worldwide hits.

Spear Of Destiny first appeared on the scene back in 1983 fronted by Kirk Brandon after the break-up of his previous band Theatre Of Hate. Spear of Destiny released a series of singles such as ‘Prisoner of Love’, ‘Liberator’, ‘The Wheel’ and ‘Never Take Me Alive’, the latter reaching the UK Top 20.

Eric Bibb

Mon 8 May, 7.30pm

The world-renowned Blues Troubadour and his band will perform the classics he is known and loved for, whilst introducing brand new material from his much-anticipated forthcoming album, Ridin’.

Grounded in blues and folk tradition with contemporary sensibilities, Bibb’s music continues to reflect his thoughts on current world events and his own lived experiences, whilst remaining entertaining, uplifting, inspirational and relevant.

“…one of the finest American exponents of acoustic blues, an engaging performer and rousing guitarist who is blessed with a quite remarkable voice.” – The Guardian.

The Tiger Lillies

Thu 11 May, 8pm

From the Circus to the Cemetery: The Grammy nominated Godfathers of alternative cabaret return with a career spanning concert. Expect dark and deviant theatrics as they delve into their back catalogue presenting their most famous songs alongside new surprises.

With an international reputation for being one of the foremost avant-garde bands in the world, Olivier award winners The Tiger Lillies never cease to surprise, shock and entertain with their inimitable musical style, conjuring up the macabre magic of pre-war Berlin and fusing it with the savage edge of punk.

‘‘Martyn Jacques is a charismatic focus. Trudging between his piano and accordion like a man weighed down by supernatural dread – yet his voice is a molten cascade. The execution is impeccable throughout. Phenomenal.’ ★★★★★ Guardian

Show of Hands with Michael Wood & Kirsty Merryn

Fri 12 May, 7.30pm

Songs from the English Radical tradition. West Country legends Show of Hands – Steve Knightley and Phil Beer join world renowned historian and broadcaster Michael Wood and singer songwriter Kirsty Merryn to take us on a chronological journey through 800 years of English radical songs.

Michael will provide the historical context and the three musicians will create the musical settings to songs that are the soundtrack to the People’s History.

From the Great Famine and the Peasant’s Revolt in the 14th century, the English Civil War, the Diggers and Levellers, Peterloo, the Chartists and Tolpuddle Martyrs these songs shine a light on the lives of ordinary men and women through times of struggle and hardship as they fought for the rights that are ours today.

Peter Cox

Mon 15 May, 7.30pm

Peter Cox is the vocalist and front man of Go West. With their iconic, signature keyboard riffs, Go West had a stream of hits during the 80s and 90s with singles such as ‘We Close Our Eyes’, ‘Call Me’, ‘Goodbye Girl’, ‘Don’t Look Down’ and ‘Faithful’. They are also known for their multi-award-winning song ‘The King Of Wishful Thinking’ from the soundtrack to the film ‘Pretty Woman’.

Peter’s eponymous solo album, released in 1997, included the singles ‘Ain’t Gonna Cry Again’, If You Walk Away’ and ‘What A Fool Believes’, all of which made the U.K. top 40.

Peter is back with a brand new album, the first two singles from which, ‘Too Far Gone’ and ‘She Wants Magic’, both reached No.1 on The Heritage Chart.

£26.50 standing / £28.50 seated

Gretchen Peters

Wed 17 May 7.30pm

Inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2014, Peters has accumulated accolades as a songwriter for artists as diverse as Etta James, Bonnie Raitt, The Neville Brothers, Patty Loveless, George Strait, Bryan Adams and Faith Hill.

Her 2015 album, ‘Blackbirds’, debuted at #1 on the UK Country chart and in the top 40 UK pop chart, and was awarded International Album of the Year and Song of the Year. In 2015, The Telegraph named her one of the greatest 60 female singer-songwriters of all time.

Her latest album, The Night You Wrote That Song: The Songs of Mickey Newbury, released in May 2020, is a loving tribute to another Hall of Fame songwriter and a profound influence on Peters’ own writing.

Tallis Scholars

Fri 19 May, 7pm

Early and Renaissance choral music ensemble celebrate 50 Glorious Years.

Gibbons O clap your hands

Tallis Suscipe quaeso

Muhly Rough Notes

Byrd Tribue domine

Palestrina Tu es Petrus

Rutter Hymn to the Creator of Light

Gombert Lugebat David

Josquin Absalon fili mi
Pärt Which was the son of…

Tracy Borman

Mon 22 May, 7.30pm

‘How to be a good monarch’. The British monarchy has survived rebellion, revolution and war. Royal Historian, broadcaster and Chief Curator of Hampton Court and The Tower of London, Tracy Borman takes us on a gripping, entertaining and informative audio-visual tour of 1000 years of rule, from William the Conqueror to Charles III, in a show packed with the good, the bad, the great and the mad, along with birth, romance, beheading, coronation, abdication, marriage, divorce, disaster and triumph.

Dr Amir Khan

Tue 23 May, 7.30pm

Doctor in the House. Join the family doctor, for a fascinating, heart-warming, and frequently hilarious evening as he shares stories about growing up in his British Asian family with 5 sisters, ruled by Mama Khan, and his life as a general practitioner.

And Dr Amir will bring the doctors surgery to you, taking questions from the audience. You will laugh, you might be shocked, and you’ll certainly be reminded just how special the NHS really is.

Amir is currently ITV’s Lorraine and Good Morning Britain doctor, the host of Channel 5’s You Are What You Eat, and author of bestselling book, The Doctor Will See You Now.

From Ukraine With Love

Thu 25 May, 7.30pm

Two Ukrainian opera singers from Odesa fled with their children to East Anglia. The purpose of this concert is to raise funds for the Odesa Military Hospital where the injured and disabled soldiers are being looked after.

Natalia Stepanova is a soprano in the Odesa National Academic Opera & Ballet Theatre, while mezzo-soprano Tatiana Belousova is a teacher of music in Odesa.

The two will perform popular arias from Ukrainian and Western European operas as well as traditional and modern Ukrainian songs. They will be accompanied by the brilliant Birgitta Kenyon on the piano who will also perform a number of piano solos.

Martin Taylor

Fri 26 May, 7.30pm

Widely considered to be the world’s foremost exponent of solo jazz and fingerstyle guitar playing, Martin possesses an inimitable style that has earned him global acclaim from fellow musicians, fans and critics alike. He dazzles audiences with a signature style that artfully combines his virtuosity, emotion and humour with a strong, engaging stage presence.

“Martin Taylor is one of the most awesome solo guitar players in the history of the instrument.” Pat Metheny

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Suffolk Philharmonic Orchestra

Sun 28 May, 4pm

In this second of three ‘Celebration Sunday’ concerts, Suffolk Philharmonic Orchestra, with the young Japanese violinist Yume Fujise, perform three works dating from the same moment in the life of Beethoven:

Beethoven: Coriolan Overture

Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D major

Beethoven: Symphony No.4 in B flat major

Dogged by worsening and devastating hearing loss, in 1806-7 Beethoven began to edge away from his stylistic predecessors, Haydn and Mozart. His Fourth Symphony, flanked by the mighty Third and the earth-shaking Fifth, sometimes seems overshadowed, but no lesser figures that Berlioz, Mendelssohn and Schumann admired it hugely.

The Violin Concerto, dating from the same years, is widely regarded as one of the greatest of its kind.