The Blackheart Orchestra
at The Keay Theatre, St Austell
£20.00
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Please note: Info provided by the Event Organiser
The Blackheart Orchestra are British multi-award winning, multi-instrumentalists Chrissy Mostyn and Rick Pilkington. They comprise a two person ‘orchestra’ playing up to 13 instruments in their unique live show. From their onstage ‘musical space station’ they create highly emotional contemporary rock music featuring a multitude of sounds and atmospheres from acoustic and electric guitars, bass and bowed guitar to piano, organ, vintage synthesisers, omnichord, melodica and electric percussion.
They have been described as a modern day Pink Floyd with influences from as far afield as Kate Bush, Portishead and Cocteau Twins to modern composers Steve Reich and Philip Glass. They combine their folk and rock roots with electronica and classical with Genesis founder Steve Hackett calling their music “Powerful and inspiring”.
Their last two albums both achieved Top 20 positions with latest album Hotel Utopia charting at #13 in the UK and winning Best British Album, Best Song and Best Female Vocalist in the USA Progressive Rock Awards. The Blackheart Orchestra currently sits on six Best Albums of The Year lists in the UK.
The Blackheart Orchestra
"Taking the more muted moments of Florence + The Machine, a more accessible Portishead and Ellie Goulding’s angrier little sister and mixing it in a sparse little electro sound-lab has created something particularly enthralling. The beats gently lurch forwards while the electric melodies pulse and sparkle in the shadows allowing Mostyn’s voice to take centre stage in all its breathy elegance." Listen with Monger blogspot. The Blackheart Orchestra are a British singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist duo comprising long term collaborators Chrissy Mostyn and Richard Pilkington. The band blend musical styles in a non-conformist way seamlessly sidestepping boundaries to create their unique, highly individual, emotion-drenched music. One moment their sound is minimalist and fragile, weaving melodies and atmospherics with silence to create ethereal musical landscapes that leave audiences and critics describing their work as haunting, enchanting and captivating. Other times the pair create a mountain-like wall of sound using ancient synthesisers, electronic drums, acoustic, electric and bowed guitars and bass to create vast energetic symphonic climaxes. The band have drawn comparisons to Kate Bush, Ellie Goulding, London Grammar, Pink Floyd, Steve Reich and Ludovico Einaudi. The Blackheart Orchestra have toured extensively in the UK, Australia and New Zealand and are touring with 60s legend Melanie Safka before embarking on a headline tour of Europe in November. “A great band” Aled Jones BBC Radio 2 “Beautiful and powerful. Their music is inspiring.” Steve Hackett, Genesis “Their music gives me the chills! So beautiful.” Melanie Safka “Utterly magical” John Gilmore, BBC “Absolutely beautiful” Good Morning TV (New Zealand) “They take their audience from heartbreaking to uplifting in a single song” Western Star (Australia) “The Blackheart Orchestra remind us why music lifts us up” Dalton Delan, American Public Television (USA) “The pair sound like an 8 piece band, incredible” Sally Naden, BBC Radio “Supremely gifted” Nottingham Post “Stunningly beautiful, this duo are on the fringe of true greatness” Kensington and Chelsea Today, London
See The Blackheart Orchestra tour dates
The Keay Theatre
Cornwall College
Tregonissey Road
St Austell
PL25 4DJ
- Website:
- keaytheatre.co.uk
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on Sat 14 February 2026