Turn on the Sunlight (ft Miles Spilsbury) + Mia Doi Todd at Sy ; Gigs, St. Alkmund’s Church, Shrewsbury.
Date: Friday, July 16, 2027
More details
Chris Taylor of Sy : Gigs writes;
Turn on the Sunlight (ft Miles Spilsbury) + Mia Doi Todd - Jul 16
Deferred during both Season 3.0 and Season 4.0, this is an event we’ve been determined to bring to Shrewsbury for some time. We’re delighted that it’s finally coming together for next summer, when we’ll welcome this very special collaboration to the beautiful surroundings of St Alkmund’s Church.
Expect an evening of warm, gently expansive music, where psychedelic folk, ambient textures and exploratory jazz come together. Blending soulful melodies, meditative instrumentals and the spontaneous interplay of a close-knit group of musicians, Turn On The Sunlight create a sound that feels both intimate and uplifting, offering space to pause, listen and get lost in the moment.
Turn On The Sunlight is a rotating collective centred around producer and multi-instrumentalist Jesse Peterson. Initially formed as a duo with his dear friend and frequent collaborator Carlos Niño, the project often features Jesse’s wife, singer-songwriter Mia Doi Todd, and has since grown to include an extended circle of friends and family. Together, they explore the uplifting possibilities of musical connection, creating warm, open-ended performances that invite reflection and discovery.
Joining the collective is Miles Spilsbury, who previously performed with his ensemble during SY.Gigs Season 2.0. We’re delighted to welcome him back to Shrewsbury for this very special collaboration.
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Mini Newsletter 18.1 - Final Season 4 Gig!
Next Event - Nov 29, The Unitarian Church, Shrewsbury, UK
SY.GIGS
Nov 10
READ IN APP
Hello all,
Time for another mini newsletter!
As a reminder, these smaller editions are a little more frequent, popping into your inbox just ahead of an upcoming gig. The larger broadsheet version arrives midway through each season. Only four of those behemoths to endure, alongside the occasional little pre-gig reminder, so do keep subscribed!
As we slip deeper into the cooler months, with the landscape revealing its starker, monochrome silhouettes, I’m reminded of the wonderful experiences we’ve been able to share with you here in our town. Experiences that, not so long ago, you might ordinarily have had to travel to one of our major cities to discover.
It’s something I remain particularly proud of: bringing adventurous music, extraordinary artists and unexpected discoveries to Shrewsbury, and creating opportunities for us to experience them together.
Sunday 25 October was undoubtedly one of the highlights of Season 4.0. I know I say this frequently, but Midori and her wonderful band were simply exceptional, delivering a performance of extraordinary refinement, beauty and emotional depth. A truly special gig.
The event had been sold out for some time, and I’m sure those lucky enough to have been there will remember the sheer beauty and delicacy of the performance for a long time to come.
On a positive note, we also managed to capture a significant proportion of the performance (a little sampler below). With the appropriate permissions in place, we hope to make some of this available through an online channel at some point. Another job for the fallow year!
A huge thank you to everyone who came along and supported the event. Your continued enthusiasm and support are what make these special experiences possible.
Video courtesy of Tristan Copeland
Event 7.0 - Nov 29 Momen + rhubiqs
Last event of Season 4.0
75% of tickets have now been sold! It would be wonderful to make this another early sell-out, not least for the artists. If you’ve been thinking about coming along, now would be a good time to book. And if you love hearing a church organ as part of a performance, this is definitely the one!
Momen are the London-based duo of Iván Muela (piano, guitar and electronics) and Nat Philipps (saxophone and electronics). Across the eight movements of their debut album, Sympathetic Resonance, they balance poise with catharsis, drawing on influences ranging from Bach and Sakamoto to their experiences in post-punk bands.
Their distinctive sound brings together jazz-influenced experimentation and spacious ambient textures, finding beauty in subtle transformations and the possibilities that emerge from apparent stillness.
Sympathetic Resonance, by Momen
TAR / MM / UOH
8 track album
Support comes from rhubiqs, the solo project of London-based composer and sound designer Tom Squires.
Squires’ music creates a world where Actress meets Kranky, with a side dose of Aphex Twin’s Selected Ambient Works for good measure. These are far-reaching electronic and ambient sounds that provide immersive soundscapes for listeners to lose themselves in amidst thought-provoking textures, samples and field recordings.
Spectral Passage, by rhubiqs
rhubiqs
8 track album
Tickets - Momen + Rhubiqs Nov 29
Season 5.0 ‘Music for the Moment’ - New Gigs
We’ve already announced the first two events of Season 5.0, with all early-bird tickets selling out. Now there’s another opportunity for subscribers to get ahead of the crowd and take advantage of early-bird tickets for three more shows planned for 2027.
PLEASE NOTE: Tickets, including early-bird offers, will be exclusively available to newsletter subscribers until Monday 16 November, after which any remaining tickets will go on general sale.
A little reminder that 2027 will be SY.Gigs’ final year before we take a planned break. So please make the most of the opportunities to join us, discover some incredible artists and share a few more special events with us before before we step away in 2028.
Rory Green - March 21
I am very excited to be presenting Rory Green and his band in March at the Darwin Room.
Rory is a Manchester-based composer, guitarist and bandleader whose debut album releasing this month, Moments Brighter Than The Sun, weaves together contemporary ambient, jazz and folk influences to create music of remarkable warmth, depth and togetherness.
Rory Green
Drawing on childhood memories spanning Ghana and the mill towns of Northern England, his richly textured ensemble sound transforms personal stories into expansive, deeply emotive compositions.
Rory is signed to the wonderful Gondwana Records, the Manchester-based label founded by our friend Matthew Halsall who played for us in Shrewsbury in 2023.
Rory Green Tickets
Turn on the Sunlight (ft Miles Spilsbury) + Mia Doi Todd - Jul 16
Deferred during both Season 3.0 and Season 4.0, this is an event we’ve been determined to bring to Shrewsbury for some time. We’re delighted that it’s finally coming together for next summer, when we’ll welcome this very special collaboration to the beautiful surroundings of St Alkmund’s Church.
Jesse Peterson - Turn on the Sunlight bandleader
Expect an evening of warm, gently expansive music, where psychedelic folk, ambient textures and exploratory jazz come together. Blending soulful melodies, meditative instrumentals and the spontaneous interplay of a close-knit group of musicians, Turn On The Sunlight create a sound that feels both intimate and uplifting, offering space to pause, listen and get lost in the moment.
Turn On The Sunlight is a rotating collective centred around producer and multi-instrumentalist Jesse Peterson. Initially formed as a duo with his dear friend and frequent collaborator Carlos Niño, the project often features Jesse’s wife, singer-songwriter Mia Doi Todd, and has since grown to include an extended circle of friends and family. Together, they explore the uplifting possibilities of musical connection, creating warm, open-ended performances that invite reflection and discovery.
Joining the collective is Miles Spilsbury, who previously performed with his ensemble during SY.Gigs Season 2.0. We’re delighted to welcome him back to Shrewsbury for this very special collaboration.
Mia Doi Todd
Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Mia Doi Todd is celebrated for her gentle, haunting songs and instantly recognisable voice. Across a career spanning more than twelve albums, her music moves fluidly between folk, ambient, jazz and experimental sounds, always guided by emotional clarity and quiet depth.
Her 2021 album Music Life reflects on motherhood and creative practice, while Morning Music explores a more meditative, entirely instrumental sound. Her latest album, Human Experience (2026), takes inspiration from family life on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Produced by Micah Nelson (Particle Kid), the ten-track collection has a warm, sun-drenched folk sensibility, celebrating connection, everyday experiences and the complexities of being human.
Tickets;
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/sygigs/2496021
Fri 16 Jul 2027 6:30 PM - 9:45 PM
Saint Alkmund’s Church, SY1 1UL