Beck’s inspired by local folk in Haworth

7:57am Thursday 23rd August 2007

Circles within circles and the repetition of family ties are themes woven throughout Wuthering Heights - and for singer Beck Siàn that will certainly be the case when she performs at Haworth Festival next week.

It was, of course, Emily Bronte's novel that inspired Kate Bush to write her hit Wuthering Heights at the age of 14.

It topped the charts in 1978, launching Kate's career, and it had a strong influence on Beck as a child - not least because she happens to be Kate Bush's cousin.

"I was four when Wuthering Heights came out and it later inspired me to read the book," says Beck. "Kate used to send me her albums when they came out and I loved what she came up with. She's always done everything her own way, she has to be admired for being fearless.

"She was a big influence on me musically and she's been very encouraging, telling me she likes my voice and the songs I've written."

Beck, a rising star on the folk circuit, has written her own Bronte-inspired song especially for her Haworth gig.

"I loved Jane Eyre and I've written a song called Thornfield which will be on the next album," she says. "This will be my first time performing in Haworth but I've visited it before. There's a beautiful, warm atmosphere among the people up there in contrast with the bleak landscape around the village. It's a special place."

She may even perform her own version of Kate's Wuthering Heights in Haworth. "I do a kind of jokey version of it, it goes down well," she smiles.

Beck, 32, was born in Melbourne, Australia, to British parents, and her music is partly influenced by Australian landscapes, particularly rainforests.

"I spent most of my life in Australia and there's a flavour of the country in my songwriting," she says. "I take audiences on a journey through the forests, it can be haunting, moving or uplifting. I play the didgeridoo, there's something ancient and spiritual about that, it lends itself well to Celtic music."

Beck also plays the guitar and tin whistle but, as a striking soprano, she says her main love is singing. As well as her famous cousin, her influences include Clannad - her music has been likened to the Irish Celtic folk legends - and she admits to having a thing for Iron Maiden. "In the Eighties my main love was heavy metal and I still love Iron Maiden," she says.

Words like ethereal', mystical', spiritual' and enchanting' have been used to describe Beck's music. She's currently working on her second album, the intriguingly titled Luminous Wings and Unseen Things.

She's already making her mark on the music scene, with Steve Harley describing her as having "bucketloads of charisma and a fabulous, enchanting delivery."

Her debut album, Unfurling is a concept album, set within a haunted forest.' "It's about the dark and light places in a forest, how nature changes," says Beck. "My family has an Irish background so there's a strong Celtic thread running through my work. I take traditional sounds and give them a contemporary twist, a broad definition would be Celtic, gothic, world music and contemporary folk."

What was originally a six-month UK tour has been extended well into next year, and Beck is enjoying travelling around the country. "I love castles and stately homes, and I'm into ghost stories. I'm driving around Britain in awe at all these amazing historic places. And I can't get enough of charity shops!" she laughs. "Wherever I'm playing I like to get there a day in advance so I can get a feel for the place before I perform. I'm playing lots of different venues; village halls, folk clubs and theatres, and next year I'm focusing on the big festival circuit.

"There's a pretty healthy folk scene out there, it's grown with the rise of younger artists like Kate Rusby and Seth Lakeman. They're attracting more young people to folk festivals, it's great.

"It's important that we keep folk songs alive, they're a big part of our heritage. There's a folk scene in Australia but it tends to be blues and electric guitar. Over here there's a strong sense of preserving ancient songs."

Beck will be performing a mixture of her own material as well as traditional songs such as Greensleeves, Danny Boy and her rendition of Waltzing Matilda. "I like to get the crowd involved," she says. "People come up afterwards and have a laugh with me or hug me and tell me, with a tear in their eye, how moved they were by the journey I took them on. Creating a song is my art, and I'll always love recording, but making that connection with people on stage is magical."

• Beck Sian is at Parkside Club, Haworth, on Saturday, September 1. Pay on the door.

Festival line-up

Haworth Arts Festival runs from Thursday August 30 to Sunday September 2.

August 30 Guide to Yorkshire Rivers, a three-screen installation of a duck's eye tour down the Aire, Wharfe and Ouse.

The Haworth Tea Party Exhibit, a ceramic installation piece created by youngsters from Haworth Primary school.

Local musicians free open mic session at Cobbles and Clay Café, 8pm August 31 Pink & Ruby plus local singers at the Parkside Club; Haworth Thornton Artists' exchange project showing at locations around Haworth; September 1 Arts and crafts at Haworth Community Centre, led by community artists, 1pm to 3.30pm. Includes a family creative event with clay modelling, painting and have-a-go sessions on a potter's wheel; Tim and Lucy Moon present an internet radio broadcast featuring the music and artists of the festival. Visit www.dry stoneradio.co.uk; Life drawing for adults, Community Centre, 10am -12.30pm; free watercolour painting workshops, 1pm to 3.30pm; Blues café, Cobbles and Clay Café.

Capoeira, a dramatic blend of fight-dance and martial arts developed by Brazilian slaves in the 19th century' at Haworth School, followed by workshops, 3pm to 5pm; Poet, magician, stand-up comic, puppeteer and children's storyteller Nick Toczek tells stories in Haworth Park; Haworth As We See It, a switching-on ceremony at 8pm will reveal 100 paintings created by members of the community displayed on the gable-end of the Black Bull pub; Sex Patels - Bhangra meets punk' - Community Centre, 8pm. Think Pretty Vacant as an Asian-flavoured lounge song, supported by the 21st Centre Urban Blues Men; Nyah and Beck Sian, Parkside Club, 8pm. Nyah is a musical exchange between the Nyah Festival from County Cavan in Ireland and the Haworth Arts Group.

September 2 Blues café in Cobbles and Clay Café; Storyteller Wizard Marra and stilt-walking troupe Fire Fly, Main Street; Les Panards Dansant, Parkside Club, 3pm to 5pm; Ker Brize plays traditional music from Brittany, with the chance to join some circle dances Keighley rock band Fairy Dog Mother, Crossroads pub, 4pm; Nyah monster jam session, Crossroads pub, 7pm; John Shuttleworth, Haworth Community Centre, 8pm. John will be delivering tips on healthy eating and will even prepare a meal on stage.

• For tickets for festival events ring (01535) 642329.

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