Salt House Illuminate Much Wenlock with Songs of Light, Land and Heart

Opening with Blackbird, sung with poise and clarity by Jenny Sturgeon, the tone was set for a night that celebrated nature, memory, and human connection. Their blend of fiddle, guitar, keys, shruti box and occasional stomp box created a subtle, organic texture that perfectly matched the poetry of their lyrics and the landscapes that inspired them.

Each member of Salt House took turns to lead, lending the evening a rhythm that showcased their individual strengths as much as their seamless unity. Anna Hughes’s delicate vocals shone on recent single Take This Day, while Ewan MacPherson’s reflective Cut Him Out In Little Stars—inspired by a note on a Covid memorial—was especially moving. The audience was gently drawn into the performance, joining in the outro of Snow Walking with soft, communal harmonies. Unspoken Waters, an instrumental interlude from the Riverwoods film soundtrack, displayed the band’s intricate musicianship, with fiddle lines and deft guitar work intertwining like roots beneath a riverbank.

The trio’s deep literary influences added an extra layer of richness, from a tender setting of Emily Dickinson’s Hope is a Thing with Feathers to the dreamlike I Met At Eve, based on a Walter de la Mare poem. Headed Our Way gave a voice to wildlife threatened by human disruption, while Waiting for Summer offered a hopeful lullaby for a friend’s unborn child. Closing with an acoustic encore of Share the Light, Salt House left the audience glowing and promised they would return one day. It was a magical, quietly transformative night at The Edge, the kind that lingers like the soft afterglow of a setting sun.

Next weekend The Edge Arts Centre welcomes Lady Nade in a tribute to Nina Simone (Saturday 11th). Buy your tickets from our box office at Penny-Farthing, 5 The Square, Much Wenlock (no fees, cash only), or search ‘Much Wenlock’ at www.ticketsource .co .uk. Full details at edgeartscentre.com

Transcendent photographs by Tom Foxall