Date/Time Sun 15 Mar 2015 7:45 PM

Price Online - £10 + £1 booking fee; On The Door - £12

Website: http://www.sykespreston.com/

Miranda Sykes and Rex Preston have a unique connection – which is a pleasure to listen to and plain to see when they share a stage together.

Miranda Sykes is well known as the third member of Show of Hands. She is one of the few female double bassists in England and is an accomplished singer in her own right. Miranda holds her audience spellbound: it is the emotional quality of her voice that makes her musical partnership with Rex so engaging, rather than the novelty of such an unusual musical pairing as the double bass and mandolin.

Rex Preston has a reputation as a fine and imaginative mandolin player and is a leading light in a new wave of British Bluegrass musicians. He is a rising star in mandolin-playing circles and with 20 years of playing behind him, he possesses a wonderfully sensitive musicality and a dexterous, flamboyant playing style.

The rare fusion of double bass and mandolin makes for one of the most exciting new pairings on the acoustic roots scene. Miranda and Rex interweave timeless, well chosen covers with one or two Preston originals. Their backgrounds, as well as skilful instrumentation and warm engaging vocals have shaped their unique sound.

Here’s Miranda and Rex performing “One Good Year”: