Multi-award winning British Progressive Folk Rockers Solstice are back out on the road in the UK throughout April to promote their brand-new studio album ‘Clann’ which was released on the 4th of April 2025. This is the third album in a trilogy that started with ‘Sia’ in 2020, followed by ‘Light Up’ in 2022. 'Clann' is a Gaelic word for an extended family, which accurately sums up the combined philosophy of this band.

The final night of this nine-date tour culminated at the London Prog Gigs promoted show billed as 'The Final Gathering' at the Downstairs at The Dome venue, next to the Boston Arms in Tufnell Park, North London on Easter Sunday. The current lineup of Solstice features founder and leader Andy Glass on guitar and vocals, Jenny Newman on violin, Pete Hemsley on drums, Robin Phillips on bass, Steven McDaniel on keyboards, Jess Holland on vocals and acoustic guitar, Ebony Buckle on backing vocals and additional keyboards, and Dyane Crutcher on backing vocals.

Solstice was formed in Milton Keynes, England in 1980 by guitarist/songwriter Andy Glass who is the sole founding member still in the band. During Solstice’s initial five-year run from 1980 - 1985 the band played many gigs and festivals but only released one studio album called ‘Silent Dance’ in 1984. After which the band split up, reuniting in 1993 and then going on to release the studio albums ‘New Life’ (1993) and ‘Circles’ (1997), and the live album ‘The Cropredy Set’ in 2002. Glass once more put the band on hold to focus on his other band ‘3 Sticks’ and spend time on studio sessions, sound engineering and tours with Bill Withers. It was around this time that Andy was invited to take the job of 'front of house' sound engineer with Jethro Tull leading to five American tours and several tours through Europe and the UK.

In 2007 Andy decided to resurrect Solstice once again, which resulted in two further studio albums ‘Spirit’ (2010) and ‘Prophecy’ (2013). When long-time vocalist Emma Brown decided to leave the band, Andy only had one name in mind to replace her and that was Jess Holland. Jess had been working with Andy and violinist Jenny Newman since 2018 in Jenny's highly successful Festival ceilidh band, FCPB. Since Jess joined in 2020, and with the release of the well-received ‘Sia’ album, a renewed interest in the band’s music has escalated considerably in the ensuing years. Indeed, in 2024 the band were widely nominated in the prestigious Prog Magazine Awards, going on to win not only 'Best Band', but with Andy Glass then winning 'Best Guitarist'. Further categories that featured nominations of other band members included 'Best Vocalist' - No. 2 - Jess Holland, 'Best Keyboardist' - No. 3 - Steve McDaniel, 'Best Drummer' - No. 8 - Pete Hemsley, 'Best New Band/Artist' - No. 1 - Ebony Buckle.

The support for the evening’s musical feast came in the form of the delightfully wonderful award-winning singer-songwriter Ebony Buckle, who is also a backing vocalist for Solstice. Ebony is an Australian-born singer/songwriter/actor now based in London. She has joined forces with her husband Nick Burns to make lush Folk-Pop music. Their debut album, ‘Disco Lasers’ was released in 2021 with a second covers album ‘Myths from The Megaverse’ in 2022. Her much-anticipated third studio album ‘Hearts Get Started’ was released in 2024. Joining Ebony for her forty-five-minute set was her husband on guitar. The eight songs played included ‘Fall Behind’, ‘I Think I Just Saved My Own Life’, the brand new unreleased 'Wild Romance', ‘Russian Dolls’, ‘900 Years’, 'Lord Of The Flies', ‘Jupiter Rising’ and ‘Disco Lasers’. Ebony has one of the most elegantly mellifluous soprano voices that make the hairs on the back of the neck stand up. A gloriously elegant performance had the audience in raptures and suitably warmed up for the headliners.

After a thirty-minute break, Solstice got their spiritual gathering underway with the sensuously seductive ‘Firefly’ from the new ‘Clann’ album. When the house lights dimmed, the gradual drone of the opening notes manifested in unison before the band sprung to life with gleaming smiles and animated movements. The distinctly Wakeman sounding keyboard flourishes dominated and filled the room with tingling sensations. Steven McDaniel held court and set the tone for the others to lock in and transport the party into outer space. The word ‘joyous’ could be overused to describe their music, but it does sum it up to a tee.

The rapturously jubilant ‘Shout’ from the 2020 ‘Sia’ album warmly soaked our hearts and softly caressed our souls. A vibrantly vivacious song, with an infectiously tenacious groove and multiple intertwining layers of delectably catchy hooks. Vocalist Jess Holland commanded the stage with her compelling charisma, buoyant energy and expressive delivery. Backing vocalists Ebony and Dyane complimented Jess with their illustriously ebullient harmonies. Jumping back in time came the enthralling ‘Guardian’ from the 1993 ‘New Life’ album. A captivatingly chilled song, that mellowed us out nicely. Gorgeous fiddle lilts from Jenny garnished the ambience with Jess’s vocal performance elevating the majesty of the song to another level of elegance.

The time seemed appropriate to delve into the new 'Clann' album with three massive tunes, commencing with the philosophically summery Folk Pop ‘Life’. A buoyantly breezy song, that sparkled and grooved with smooth elation. Jess owned it with her spirited uplifting vocal delivery. Truly life-affirming sentiments that tug at the heart strings and dig deep down into the psyche. Time to get funky with ‘Plunk’. A hybrid song Andy built around a classical Proggy sounding riff combined with an immeasurably chasmic Funk groove. The band played like a well-oiled machine, locked in tight and bouncing with effervescently sparkling cheer. There was a strong sense of oneness in the room as we all joined in with free form expressive movements to the insistent beat. The third song in a row from 'Clann' was the crazy ‘Frippa’, apparently inspired by the sonic compositions of the great Robert Fripp. Andy tried his best to get us all to clap in time with the 7/4 time signature, sadly, with little success! We would have needed several rehearsals to nail this one! Backing singer Dyane had the daunting task of singing the lead vocal on this insanely bonkers track to which she nailed it with flying colours.

All three singers on the stage got the chance to take a lead vocal, with Ebony up next for the hypnotisingly rootsy ‘Earthsong', an old Solstice classic from their very first album ‘Silent Dance’, originally released in 1984. Jenny’s decorous fiddle sweeps magnified the melodic structure with ravishingly symphonic overtones. Indeed, a voluptuously enchanting performance from all. Moving onto the 2023 ‘Light Up’ album came the funky ‘Wongle No.9’. An eclectic blend of James Brown and Fairport Convention made for an interesting aural feast! A solid steadfast drum beat from Pete set the scene with slinky bass lines from Robin snaking in and out with cheeky menace. Zippy violin phrases from Jenny hovered over Jess's sumptuously teasing vocal lines, with bubbly guitar riffs from Andy meshing between the thumping grooves. Chargingly funky Rhodes piano from Steven added mind bending dimensions to the sparky scene.

In keeping with the blithesome vibe came another delightfully exhilarating track from the ‘Light Up’ album in the form of the dazzlingly lively ‘Mount Ephraim’. A dynamically irresistible Celtic Folk Rock stomper named after Mount Ephraim Gardens located in the heart of the Kent countryside near Faversham. The ultimate driving force on this track is Jenny’s nimble fingered fiddle jigging which aided in whipping up a right barnstorm and had us all bouncing on our toes. Jess’s velvety vocal expressions interjected between the energetic hoedown adding sultry warm textures. Steven's deeply resonant Moog synthesizer phrases added to the overall mystical feeling.

The stunningly beautiful ‘A New Day’ from the 2020 ‘Sia’ album delighted and charmed us with its softly strummed acoustic guitar intro played by Jess over which Andy added ravishingly radiant electric guitar arpeggios. Jess's beguilingly angelic vocals glided softly as the track built in intensity before rising to an almighty crescendo! A spine-tingling performance had tears flowing. The penultimate song of this wonderfully exultant set was the stirringly moving ‘Sacred Run’ from the 1997 ‘Circles’ album. Soaring fiddle and driving guitar harmonised blissfully together. Jess’s vivaciously rousing vocals drove home the spiritual theme affirming the emotive intent. Andy’s stratospheric guitar soloing was jaw-droppingly nimble and added much gravitas to the overall emotional intensity.

Bringing the mesmerising set to a triumphant conclusion with inimitable style was the inspirational epic 'Morning Light' from the 1984 ‘Silent Dance’ album. An eminently absorbing Solstice masterpiece that dramatically ascends and builds with hypnotic intensions before climaxing with a majestically rapturous guitar solo from Andy. A breathtaking performance from a band clearly at the top of their game.

A Solstice gig is not only a celebration of life, but a truly uplifting heartwarming experience that manifests positivity, transporting souls to eternal bliss where everyone is united in oneness with the universe and each other. Just the tonic we need in this mad world we find ourselves living in!

Steven C. Gilbert

Photos: Bruce Biege