Mellow piano melodies, virtuoso instrumentals and folk vocals from a composer and songwriter adept at capturing emotional depth.
THE MAGIC LANTERN
The Magic Lantern is the moniker of singer-songwriter and composer Jamie Doe, an artist blurring the boundaries between folk, jazz and contemporary music. Born in Australia before moving to the UK at 12, The Magic Lantern has released four full length albums and toured the UK, Europe and Australia alongside This Is The Kit, Sam Lee and Alabaster Deplume among others.
His fifth album ’To Everything A Season’ was written and recorded in the months following his daughters birth and his fathers death six weeks later. In their brief meeting in a dementia nursing home, two ends of the circle of life touched. Of that cathartic moment, Jamie says 'I saw myself in my father, and my daughter in me and I felt joy and grief in overlapping waves, beautiful and complicated, which continue to ripple outward' These songs are my attempt to make sense of this incredible time - ‘A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted’
Performing with a full band at Dalston Curve Garden, The Magic Lantern's live show captures a rich emotional immediacy through Jamie’s arresting vocal lyricism and piercing lyrics, crafting songs that examine the limitless depth of the human experience with devastating, joyous results.
‘To Everything A Season’ is out now.
Quotes:
"Gorgeous, beautiful. This stopped me in my tracks. Slightly surreal, in all the right ways. He’s just one of those artists who sounds totally like himself." - Jamie Cullum, BBC Radio 2
“Extraordinary. Beautiful poised singing, amazing lyrics and hypnotic production” - Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music
"Excellent, intriguing and compelling, a man to watch" - The Guardian
“Absolutely beautiful, SO beautiful!”- Huw Stephens, BBC Radio 1
“Throughout these moving four minutes, we experience the immersive glow of love. It’s an overwhelming weight and a dazzling thing of beauty, all at once bringing pain and joy, passion and euphoria – but perhaps most of all, as Doe sings in his lyrics, it gives us purpose and fills our days with meaning. “Without love a clanging cymbal be.”- Atwood Magazine
“Dreamy, beautiful. Something very, very special. ” - Lauren Laverne, BBC 6 Music
JAMES RILEY
London-born, half-American troubadour James Riley crafts music that bridges the timeless artistry of Sting, John Martyn, and Joni Mitchell with soulful, modern verve. His cinematic storytelling style and disarmingly candid folk voice have captivated audiences from Glastonbury Festival to New York City, earning praise from industry luminaries, including the late BBC DJ Janice Long, who hailed him as a "folk genius."
Renowned for creating pin-drop silences in noisy rooms or coaxing timid audiences into clamorous ovations, James has a distinct knack for building a sense of oneness in a crowd, taking audiences on a rapturous journey with understated yet unshakeable conviction.
In 2020, James released his debut album Transatlantica after a two-year writing and recording odyssey in Nashville. When the COVID-19 lockdown wiped an entire summer of touring off his calendar, James adapted by hosting full-band rooftop concerts live-streamed from his house in Tottenham, North London. These performances earned national media attention, helped to raise thousands of pounds for food banks, and led to the creation of the critically acclaimed folk-grime fusion project Rooftop Assembly.
Since then, James has returned to performing on more traditional stages, including festivals like Glastonbury, Shambala, Wilderness, and Towersey, with his power folk trio, featuring percussive guitar, fiery fiddle from James Patrick Gavin, and sonorous double bass grooves from Tim Fairhall.
In 2024, James spent time in the US writing new music and performing in Florida, Nashville, and New York City. 2025 marks the start of an exciting new chapter as he begins recording his sophomore album, slated for release in spring 2026.
Did you know? You can also buy a Season Pass getting you entry to all our events at Dalston Curve Garden for one low price.