Lancashire’s woman in black Toria Wooff returns to Manchester to haunt the stage of Hallé at St Michael’s on Halloween night. Following the success of her eponymous debut album (championed by the likes of Uncut, Clash, Shindig, Record Collector, 6 Music and Radio X) and last year’s sold out show at YES, Toria will be joined by her full band playing songs from both her first record and her yet-to-be-released sophomore record.

Containing tales of love, loss, hope, relationships and womanhood, the eponymous debut album is both an exorcism of torment and an invitation to feeling only what is good and as the record takes listeners deeper into her bittersweet world, it’s only a matter of time before countless others will fall under her spell.. Tugging at the cloaks of contemporary folk souls Jake Xerxes Fussell or Richard Dawson, it offers a contemporary twist on the Anglo folk tradition through a bloody cocktail of classic rock origins and transcends time as it nods to the lyrical narratives of Led Zeppelin, Fairport Convention and Townes Van Zandt – all the while infused with inspiration from her collection of gothic literature and historical texts. ‘The self-reflection in the title demonstrates a life lived,’ Toria tells. ‘The songs are chapters to dip in and out of, moments immortalised in time, bound together by nothing more than the human experience.’

Recorded with partner in rhyme and intuition, producer, mix engineer and guitarist James Wyatt in his Sloe Flower studio, the album honours songwriting’s roots with an authenticity captured by its delicate restraint. Only allowing pedal steel and wurlitzer to fill out the intimate space at just the right moment, opener The Plough introduces Toria’s affecting tone and guitar with intoxicating simplicity before a sonic expansion which explores the physical and metaphysical truth of womanhood. Grief comes to the fore in Song For A, which assuredly acknowledges helplessness in the face of an inevitably bad situation and is then healed by the love and commitment which eeks through the cracks on reassuringly uplifting live favourites That’s What Falling In Love Will Do and See Things Through. Toria’s story-first approach closely reflects the emotions of moments in time, and they’re never written down, only manifest as a result of her inspired process.

A painter, poet, songwriter and storyteller, music is just one facet of Toria’s wildly creative imagination which metamorphoses in many forms. Steeped in gothic romanticism, pagan and Germanic tradition, Toria’s unique view of the world is enchanting through an alchemy of sound and vision; a magical blend of her own spellbinding folk-rock concoction. ‘It’s mostly about making mundane things in life beautiful,’ Toria says. ‘There’s a pragmatic reason behind all I do, and I always take the most aesthetically pleasing approach. I combine everyday language with prettier, longer, and poetic words so the surface might have one meaning but there will be many others the deeper you go. The most beautiful words are desperate, pinning and punch at the gut.’

‘Darkly seductive… outstanding’ – Uncut

‘Potent gothic folk’ – Clash

This concert takes place in Hallé at St Michael’s – a former Roman Catholic church, which was founded in 1859 and became the heart of the Little Italy Community in Ancoats.

Poster hand-painted by Toria Wooff.

PLEASE NOTE: The ticket price includes a £1.20 venue levy.

Description supplied by the event organiser.