Folk music has lost its way, and people have lost track of their geographical heritage. The working classes made music as a provocation and this is a tradition Jennifer Reid continues. She is a performer of nineteenth century Lancashire dialect and Victorian broadside ballads.

Jennifer plays the character of Barb in Shane Meadows’ period drama The Gallows Pole. She has recently supported Pulp and John Cooper Clarke, latterly for Chanel’s prestigious Metiers d’Art show.

After volunteering at Chetham's Library and the Working Class Movement Library, Jennifer completed an Advanced Diploma in Local History at Oxford University.

She researches nineteenth century music to: - educate students from primary school to university level - perform the songs and stories live - develop talks, seminars and traditional craft workshops for history and community groups - contribute academically to the field with funded research and artistic projects

Her work has taken her to Venice, Croatia, New York and lately Bangladesh, where she tested the idea that the Industrial Revolution never stopped, it just moved to Dhaka. She spoke at the first ethnomusicography conference on the Indian sub-continent about her research into Bangladeshi and Mancunian weaving songs.

She has been a creative partner on projects with the Universities of Leeds, Manchester and Stirling and a cultural consultant to the Science Museum Group. She has also researched and provided music for period-specific stage TV and radio productions.

Jennifer researches ballads and applies them to modern life. You may have seen her on the television in both factual and entertainment programming.

Innovator, award winning, multi-instrumentalist Malin Lewis melds Scottish West coast tradition with a newly invented, self-made bagpipe alongside fiddle and guitar. Hair tingling, philosophical and dance inducing melodies inspired by European folk traditions, queerness and the universe.

Having toured across the UK, Canada and Europe, Malin released their debut album 'Halocline' in May 2024 on Hudson Records. A Halocline is a visible layer that forms between salt and fresh water and is home to a unique microbial ecosystem. Halocline is a metaphor for Malin’s trans identity and living in a space in between; a beautiful space between a binary.

Malin's unique timbre is born from the deep connection that comes from making and composing for their own instrument. Their one of a kind two-octave Smallpipe creates a whole new world of sound, captivating audiences at every opportunity.

Inspired by the likes of Martyn Bennett, Duncan Chisholm and Sharron Shannon their music is as lively as it is thought provoking and sensitive. Recently Malin has been recording music for The Outrun starring Saoirse Ronan, composing for contemporary dance and theatre and has been learning the tradition of the extinct Finnish Bagpipes.

Access Guide and Tickets for Personal Assistants

You can view/download The Glad Cafe's Access Guide here. If you require a ticket for a Personal Assistant/Gig Buddy (at no extra cost), please contact kim@thegladcafe.co.uk.