Sunday November 16th 2025
ADRA Promotions as part of The Victoria Theatre’s Antidote series presents …
Širom
Highly praised Slovenian ‘Imaginary folk’ multi-instrumentalist trio. “Episodic, dreamlike voyages” The Guardian. “A deep-breathing, ecstatic joy” - Uncut
https://siromband.si/
ADRA
Andy Abbott’s ever-evolving immersive experimental and ambient music project
https://andyabbott.bandcamp.com/
Green Room Bar at The Victoria Theatre, 2 Fountain St, Halifax HX1 1BP
First act 7pm. Finished by 9:30pm.
£12.50/£10.50 from
https://victoriatheatre.co.uk/whats-on/antidote-nov25
--- Further Info ---
Širom
The intertwining of diverse musical approaches and tools, histories of sounds and unbridled musical imagination and craftsmanship is the expansive guiding principle of the Širom trio. More than a dozen instruments can be found in the repertoire of Iztok Koren, Samo Kutin and Ana Kravanja and at least as many given musical forms that can be perceived as an inspiration behind the character of this ensemble. However, in their practice as well as experience they remain anchored in their creative process to an extent that allows them to avoid merely reflecting existing patterns. What this generates in an original, stylistically homogeneous form of expression that oscillates between a wide array of folk sounds and contemporary acoustic rock-style meditations. The end result is grounded yet still mystical minimalism. Širom’s music is contemplative, but can get harder when necessary, it is closer to being band- than chamber-like, to being street as opposed to urban in nature.
Line-up:
Ana Kravanja:
violin, viola, ribab, daf, ocarinas, mizmar, flute, balafon, cünbüs, kalimba, various objects, voice
Iztok Koren:
guembri, banjo, three-string banjo, tank drum, bass drum, percussion, balafon, chimes, various objects
Samo Kutin:
hurdy gurdy, tampura brač, lyre, lute, brač, chimes, balafon, frame drum, ocarina, ikitelia, one string bass, ukulele, mizmar, gongoma, acoustic resonators, various objects, voice
Media quotes:
"It occasionally recalls the junkyard compositions of Moondog, the hypnotic tuned percussion of Steve Reich, the controlled chaos of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, or the shanty-town minimalism of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra." **** The Guardian
“This music is syncretic, working folk, medieval, drone and traditional musics into complex, intuitive improvisations …. Full of guttural incantations, circling chants, clattering percussion. A deep-breathing, ecstatic joy.” 8/10 Uncut
“This is deeply enjoyable music that refuses to be anything but itself and is joyful because of it.” 5/5 UK Vibe
"Fascinating music that you can easily become addicted to, in short, that's what it comes down to." - Moors Magazine
Interview with The Guardian -
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/mar/06/songs-should-be-alive-slovenian-trio-sirom-on-their-imaginary-folk-music
Interview with The Quietus -
https://thequietus.com/interviews/sirom-interview/
ADRA
Andy Abbott is an artist, musician and writer who lives in West Yorkshire, UK. For a long time Andy was synonymous with pummelling noise; playing guitar in celebrated Leeds bands such as the ferocious duo That Fucking Tank or the double-drumming psych outfit Nope. However, in recent years – under his solo moniker ADRA – he has been making minimalist abstract music, alongside more acoustic and ambient-leaning explorations.
In 2024 Andy released 'Music For Psychiatric Wards (And Fluid Structures)'; a compilation of recordings inspired by his experiences as a creative practitioner performing ambient music in psychiatric wards across Yorkshire in 2023
Previous releases include tapes and vinyl for Bloxham Tapes, Reverb Worship and Folklore Tapes. He has collaborated with Alice Hubble, Aby Vulliamy and Dean McPhee; and shared tours and bills with Maurizio Abate and Above the Tree, Edgars Rubenis, Ex-Easter Island Head and Norway’s Soft Noise Ensemble.
"a beautifully structured hour of ambient music; reflective and calm with endlessly unravelling layers."
- Uncut
“...a genre-defying album that is as fluid as its title would suggest. From the patter of the steel pan to the whirr and drone of the organ, what unfurls in between these two harbours is a deeply searching travelogue; at times water-like, at others light-filled as if in some kind of morning glow.”
- The Quietus,
'a remarkably affecting series of tracks that vary quite wildly in terms of mood and instrumentation ... I could listen to it for weeks.'
- Norman Records
"the album is reminiscent of composers like La Monte Young, Hans Otto or Arco Part, where the approach is to pick out a nuanced emotion and explore it fully. That said, there is also adventure in the album’s minimalism. It feels much like a meandering, richly-adorned Greg Foat composition, split out into its constituent parts, each given the chance to live and breathe independently of one another.”
- Dirty Sunbeams
“This is another solo project helmed by the Bradford based musician Andrew DR Abbott, whose work cartwheels through genres the way fat old men wish they could move through cheese. It is the first documentation of ADRA, and it’s quite a package … The music is improvised on a variety of instruments (from baritone guitar to ocarina), and the pieces are designed to inspire us to dream of a post-capitalist utopia. Since I do that all the time already, this is just the sort of thing I should be listening to. As should you. A great offering of the minimal as maximal.” - Byron Coley for The Wire
Interview about Music for Psychiatric Wards (The Quietus 2024)
https://thequietus.com/interviews/andy-abbott-music-for-psychiatric-wards-interview-adra/
https://andyabbott.bandcamp.com/album/music-for-psychiatric-wards-and-fluid-structures
Antidote is a programme of artistes that see things from a slightly different point of view, for audiences who like to challenge their understanding of live music and features some of the UK's finest performers. Each event is unique and guest curated by Andy Abbott of ADRA Promotions.
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