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The Unthanks at 20

An Anniversary Special with Royal Northern Sinfonia 

Marking two decades of music-making, and the 10th anniversary of their BBC Folk Album of the Year Mount The Air, Northumbrian folk group The Unthanks return to the Barbican with a special concert alongside Royal Northern Sinfonia. Conducted by Ellie Slorach, the performance presents highlights from across their 15 albums in new orchestral arrangements by band member, pianist and composer Adrian McNally.

Known for their ability to enrich folk traditions with orchestral depth, the band continue to push boundaries while staying true to the stories and songs at the heart of their music. The Unthanks have built a reputation for carefully developing their own orchestral arrangements, ensuring the songs remain closely connected to their origins. Their approach highlights the stories and traditions at the centre of their music while expanding the scale and colour of its presentation.

This concert celebrates a remarkable 20-year journey for The Unthanks. Founded by sisters Rachel and Becky Unthank, with McNally as arranger and composer, the group emerged from the folk clubs of North-East England to become one of the UK’s most distinctive musical voices. Their career spans 15 albums and a Mercury Prize nomination, with projects that range from traditional Northumbrian ballads to large-scale collaborations and reinterpretations of the music of Robert Wyatt, Antony & The Johnsons, and Molly Drake. Always rooted in storytelling, their work has consistently challenged expectations of what folk music can be.

Over the years, The Unthanks have earned admiration for their ambitious collaborations, performing with the BBC Concert Orchestra at the Proms, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band, and Charles Hazlewood’s Army of Generals. Their partnership with NewcastleGateshead’s Royal Northern Sinfonia now provides a fitting way to mark 20 years of innovation and artistry — cementing their reputation as a group whose music bridges tradition and invention, intimacy and scale.

Generously supported by Trevor Fenwick and Jane Hindley.

Produced by the Barbican

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