Salt Works Sessions

The next Salt Works Sessions will be with Kit Hawes & Aaron Catlow on 28th October.

The Lion Salt Works in Northwich has been running the Salt Works Sessions for nearly 5 years, welcoming audiences to nationally acclaimed live musicians in this unique and intimate venue in mid-Cheshire. 

One of the most exciting duos to emerge from the UK in recent times, Kit Hawes & Aaron Catlow combine heartfelt musicality, unparalleled virtuosity and vocal harmony. Using the folk music of the British Isles as a catalyst, Kit and Aaron create dynamic and effervescent interpretations of centuries-old material as well as original songs and compositions, all the while celebrating the timeless aural quality of a guitar, fiddle and vocals duet.

Tickets available from: 

https://www.wegottickets.com/event/588754     

In December the Salt Works welcomes Benji Kirkpatrick & The Excess (9th December). Benji Kirkpatrick is a singer, songwriter and musician who has been performing solo for nearly 25 years.  He’s a key member of multiple award winners, Bellowhead, and the acclaimed ‘bloke folk’ trio, Faustus.  He is a long-term collaborator with Seth Lakeman and has also worked with a roll call of other artists including Oysterband, Thea Gilmore, Nancy Kerr to name just a few.

Joelle Barker and Pete Thomas, The Excess, both have diverse and impressive CV’s, and together with Benji, produce a rhythmic alt roots sound, with beautiful emotional moments and a strong underlying power.

Tickets available from: 

https://www.wegottickets.com/event/590695

Martin Joseph returns to the Lion Salt Works on 3rd February 2024

Councillor Lisa Denson, Cabinet Member for A Fairer Future, said:

“Cheshire residents and those from further afield are so lucky to have this calibre of artist playing live in such an iconic venue.  The ticket price is maintained as low as possible to keep the sessions accessible and it’s great to hear that the reputation of the sessions is beginning to draw an increasing number of younger people.

“We have Bev Dutton, and her late husband Ian, to thank for these sessions after they approached the Lion Salt Works in 2018 with a passion for live music, establishing the Sessions as affordable and accessible roots music at its very best.” 

The aim is to promote a non-for-profit programme of quality acoustic roots music and raise the profile of a local heritage landmark at the same time.

The list of past guest artists runs like a who’s-who of music legends including Martyn Joseph, Merry Hell, Martin Simpson, Sam Kelly & Jamie Francis, Edgelarks, Rod Clements and Martin Harley.  Bev works hard to include young and emerging artists and has brought incredible performances by Luke Jackson and The Little Unsaid to the Salt Works.

The venue is very much a part of the Salt Works Sessions, based in the iconic re-built Stove House of the salt industry.  Musicians are offered a site tour to get a feel of the importance of this Scheduled Ancient Monument and its significance in the development of Cheshire. 

Lion Salt Works tells the story of open-pan salt production in Cheshire.  The site is the starting place for understanding the salt geology of the region and its impact on the development of industry, transport routes, connections with the wider world, the environment, the growth of communities and their stories. 

Pictured - Past performance by Sam Kelly and Jamie Frances.