It’s music month in Otley thanks to the fabulous Otley Live festival that takes place from Friday July 30th and ends on Yorkshire Day, Sunday August 1.
The weekender includes gigs by national and local artists at some of the town’s most loved venues, including the Black Horse, Otta’s Leah, The Rookery, Upstairs at the Labour Rooms and the Otley Taphouse, as well as the Courthouse and Woolpack Studios that are both hosting evening events with bigger acts, as well as showcases for emerging talent and choirs during daytime sessions over the weekend. For a full list of events, see https://www.visitotley.co.uk/otley-live/otley-live-weekend/
The festival has been organised by the Otley Music Alliance a new collaboration between a select number of venues for now but with plans to expand. The OMA, now has it’s own microsite within Visit Otley website so people can find out what’s happening in Otley’s legendary music scene thanks a dedicated music events calendar. The OMA microsite can be found here https://www.visitotley.co.uk/otley-live, with gig listings for the town’s venues here https://www.visitotley.co.uk/otley-live/live-gigs-in-otley/. The listings also include venues that are not part of OMA, to ensure visitors and residents have the widest selection of live music options available to them.
There’s great music outside of those three days this month too. Open mic sessions have restarted at Otley’s Yorkshire pub with an Irish twist, the Manor House. Those can be seen at 8.30pm every Friday night. Weekend sessions are also going strong at the Otley Taphouse which has live music almost every Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the month.
If rock ’n’ roll is not your bag, fear not. The fabulous Otley Baroque returns with a gig at the Wesley Hall on Sunday July 4. Starting at 3pm, the concert features performances by award-wining guitarist/lutenist Johan Löfving from London and Otley Baroque founder Asuka Sumi. Still not had your fill of classical? Michael Ball and Alfie Boe are ‘Back Together’ in a recorded performance at the Courthouse, also on Sunday July 4 at 7.30pm, while the Whistlestop Opera will be taking in two performances, also at the Courthouse on July 24 at 11am and 2pm.
After almost 18 months of lockdowns, gigs and concerts are bound to be popular, so make sure to book ahead by visiting our events listings here