Gig preview: Litany at Bilton WMC, Harrogate

Set to headline at Bilton WMC shortly in a double bill with fellow successful young Harrogate musician Scott Quinn, electronic pop duo Litany have been together in one form or another since they first met at Harrogate Grammar School.

Litany’s vocalist Beth Cornell said: “We’ve worked hard to be a good pop writers. We’ve had the best year ever and we can’t wait to play in Harrogate.”

Now both aged 23, Beth and Jake Nicolaides are at the point where they headline gigs in London and their self-written singles and EPs are a major event. Boasting an irresistible musical mix of intelligence, emotion and melody, Litany’s early single Woman, in collaboration with Chicago-based rapper Appleby, earned them a Number 1 spot on The Hype Machine, followed by Work This Out which hit nearly two million streams on Spotify.

This melodic alternative-electronic pop duo’s debut EP Four Track made a similarly big impression earlier this year while the band’s music have also graced the soundtrack for TV show Made In Chelsea as well.

A fan of The Beatles, Animal Collective and Radiohead Jake, who also went to St Aidan’s High School, is slightly more leftfield and concerned with production. Beth, on the other hand, loves strong female vocalists such as Betty Wright and Jesse Ware.

Although several of their tracks betray dancefloor influences, they both love the intelligent pop of Metronomy.

Sophisticated on record releases, Beth’s power and emotion comes through on stage even more. Whether that side of her comes out in the series of releases this hard-working and talented duo already have planned for a busy 2018 schedule which also includes appearances at festivals is another matter.

But the crowd at their Charm Night show at Bilton WMC on Wednesday, December 13 will get the full picture with Beth (vocals) and Jake (keyboards and guitar) being joined by Hugh McDermott (bass and keyboards) and Michael Turnbull (drums).

Tickets are available at the Harrogate Theatre box office online or in person and from Bilton WMC. www.facebook.com/litanymusic/