A popular monthly acoustic music night hosted by a Wrexham based folk-pop band is set to celebrate its second birthday with a special evening of live music at Storyhouse in Chester.

The brainchild of Wrexham band Igloo Hearts – husband and wife duo Katie and James McGregor who have appeared on Channel 4’s The Piano and S4C’s Y Llais (The Voice Wales), The Blue Lantern Sessions were launched in collaboration with Storyhouse 2 years ago, in September 2024. Inspired by the magic of the Blue Lantern Open Mic nights at which they met, Igloo Hearts have crafted an immersive experience for the audience, akin to being in the cozy atmosphere of their own living room.

Staged once a month in the intimate surroundings of Storyhouse’s Garret Theatre, The Blue Lantern Sessions have built up a loyal following and have attracted a stellar line-up of big name artists including Michele Stodart (The Magic Numbers), BBC Radio 2 Folk Show presenter Mark Radcliffe’s band (Radco), Welsh Music Prize-winner The Gentle Good, songwriting royalty Boo Hewerdine, Amsterdam and Pele frontman Ian Prowse, Fiona Bevan, who has co-written songs with Ed Sheeran, rising folk star Rachel Croft, Robert Vincent, who has recently supported Robert Plant, and Welsh Music Prize winner Gareth Bonello, amongst others.

To celebrate two years of The Blue Lantern Sessions, a special evening of live music will be staged in The Garret Theatre at Storyhouse on Tuesday 15th September at 7.30pm where Katie and James will be joined by Welsh singer-songwriter Georgia Ruth, a Welsh Music Prize winner from Aberystwyth who has sold out shows across the country as well as collaborating with the Manic Street Preachers. The evening will also showcase Panedeni, a cross-cultural ensemble fronted by Yasmine Latkowski.

Known for her distinctive voice, beautiful melodies and captivating songwriting, Georgia Ruth uses folk influences to create a truly unique sound and has a warm and quirky way of making audiences feel like old friends. Her debut album Week of Pines won the Welsh Music Prize in 2013 and was nominated for two BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. A second album, Fossil Scale soon followed and In 2020, Georgia released her third album – Mai – through Bubblewrap Records. Following this, she released an accompanying EP Mai: 2, featuring remixes from the likes of Gwenno, plus an EP of brand new music, Kingfisher. 2024 saw the release of Georgia’s fourth studio album – Cool Head.

North Wales based Panedeni blends Arabic and Welsh music to create a distinctive folk-fusion sound. Sung in four languages, their vibrant music ranges from belly dance rhythms to Welsh border pipes, combining original music with reimagined folk styles. Most recently, Panedeni appeared at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod.

Speaking about celebrating The Blue Lanterns Session’s second birthday, Katie and James said “When we founded The Blue Lantern Sessions in 2024, we wanted to create something a little different from a traditional gig. As touring musicians ourselves, we had encountered countless incredible artists on our musical travels and wanted to create opportunities for them to perform in a setting where the audience could experience their music at its most intimate. Our aim was to create a Jools Holland-style setting, where audiences are close to the performers and the atmosphere feels almost like artists are playing in your living room. For us, that is what live music is ultimately about: connection, emotion and feeling part of something.”

The couple added “Over the past two years, the audiences have continued to grow as word has spread about these special monthly nights. The sessions have become about much more than simply watching a gig. They are a coming together of musicians and music lovers, with conversations, stories, laughter and shared musical experiences all forming part of the evening. We’ve had some truly magical evenings, there have been standing ovations, tears, laughter, hands-in-the-air moments and plenty of goosebumps. We can’t wait to celebrate the sessions second birthday with what promises to be an eclectic evening of live music, including a very special Blue Lantern Sessions finale.”

Full details of The Blue Lantern Sessions Second Birthday Celebrations at Storyhouse can be found at www.storyhouse.com where tickets can be booked online.