Dylan Jones / Jess Elliot
Rock 'n' Soul Band
Barmouth Music
14 February 2026 8pm
Tickets £15
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Dylan Jones, Jess Elliot and the Barmouth Music Band will entertain us with a range of rock, Northern soul, Motown, party and dance music. An exciting lineup of nostalgic music. 3 hours of toe-tapping hits which will make you want to get up and dance.
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Doors open 7pm
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Folk, Fire & the Cello
Sinfonia Cymru + Laura van der Heijden
26 February 2026 7.00pm
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Adults £18 Children under 16 £5
From the stirring melodies of Dobrinka Tabakova to the raw energy of Bartók, this concert is a wild journey through earthy textures and thrilling contrasts. Join us as BBC Young Musician winner Laura van der Heijden, celebrated for her ‘deeply thoughtful, powerful and sincere’ playing (BBC Music Magazine), leads Sinfonia Cymru in an evening that’s as exhilarating as it is heartfelt.
At the heart of the programme is the Cello Concerto by British-Bulgarian composer Dobrinka Tabakova, a modern masterpiece that is frequently performed around the world. This composition of soaring beauty has folk-reminiscent themes, as a turbulent opening evolves into second and third movements so tender that they linger long after the final note.
We’ve paired it with Bartók’s electrifying Divertimento for Strings, a riotous ride that crackles with fiery folk dance-inspired energy.
For this journey we’re joined by cellist Laura van der Heijden. As winner of BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2012, she’s the perfect foil for the talented under 30s professional musicians that make up our orchestra. For this tour, she’s curated several medleys to weave into the concert, blending traditional Welsh songs, folk melodies and fairy tales into a seamless, spellbinding whole.
Whether you’re drawn to raw energy, heart-wrenching beauty, or the intimate charm of Welsh folk songs, we promise an evening that will move, thrill and surprise you.
Is there anybody there?
Triongl Theatr
24 March 2026 7.30pm
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Adults £15
Children aged 12-16 £8
TRIONGL use their signature dark humour to explore death, living with death and the possibility of life beyond it all in this bilingual comedy.
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Inspired by evenings spent at psychic mediumship shows and personal stories of grief, Is there anybody there? questions how we interact with death, what lies on the other side and how do we, the living, come to terms with the great unknown?
Presented bilingually but accessible for Welsh Language learners and non Welsh language speakers.
Suitable for anyone aged 14 and upwards.
Supported by the Arts Council of Wales. In partnership with Theatr Soar, Merthyr.
Criccieth Memorial Hall Presents
NORTHERN SOUL
11 April 2026 2pm to Midnight
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Tickets £10
From Mod Roots to “Northern Soul”
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Northern Soul began as a music and dance movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s, born out of Britain’s mod subculture and a deep love for obscure American soul music. Young music enthusiasts in Northern England (and the Midlands) were drawn to imported 1960s soul records – especially up-tempo, Motown-style tracks with a heavy backbeat – that had been overlooked by the U.S. charts. In an era dominated by rock and pop, these “rare groove” soul singles became the soundtrack for a Northern working-class youth scene seeking an escape from the mainstream. Fans prized lesser-known Black American artists and B-sides, intentionally eschewing the big Motown hits in favour of discovering more underground soul gems. This gave Northern Soul its identity: it was about exclusivity and passion for the music, with DJs and collectors hunting down hard-to-find 45s.
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Northern Soul quickly grew into a dance-centric culture, famed for its all-night dances (“all-nighters”), energetic dance moves, and unique fashion. By the late ’60s, enthusiasts across Britain were converging on soul clubs to dance until dawn, fuelled by the pounding rhythm of soul. Dancers developed athletic moves – spins, high kicks, flips – inspired by the showmanship of American soul acts, foreshadowing elements of later breakdancing and disco styles. The atmosphere was one of intense, communal excitement: rather than alcohol, the focus was on the music and dancing. This communal obsession even had a name by 1970 – “Northern Soul,” a term coined by journalist Dave Godin after noticing northern kids hunting for old soul records in his London shop. Godin’s label helped define the movement’s ethos: if it’s what the northerners want, give them that soulful beat – “Northern Soul.”
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Now, the Criccieth Memorial Hall is delighted to welcome the Northern Soul movement to Criccieth for the very first time. Join us on 11th April 2026 for a celebration of Northern Soul and Motown from 2pm to Midnight. Tickets just £10 if bought in advance.
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Please note, this event is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18.
