Hebden Bridge West Yorkshire Chamber Pop group Beware of Trains have released their new festive single ‘Forever Home’. Mixed and co-produced by acclaimed producer Darren Allison, this release comes ahead of a UK tour in Halifax, Newcastle, and Glasgow from 1st to 3rd December.
The group is comprised of Yorkshire-born singer/ songwriter Leighton Jones and Scottish soprano Marie Claire Breen, and they describe themselves as “Symphonic chamber pop and Music Hall for hapless romantics, shimmering strings, heavenly harmonies and a dollop of Disney on the side!”.
While performing in an operatic variety show in the back of an articulated lorry converted into a touring theatre in 2014, the duo formed to combine their shared love of performance, musical theatre, Kate Bush and The Divine Comedy.
“I’d been a songwriter and performer in Scotland since 2001, touring as keyboardist for Celtic Fusion act ‘The Peatbog Faeries’, performing in piano bars around Glasgow and playing The Edinburgh Fringe with my folk quartet ‘The Dead Man’s Waltz’. Then all of a sudden I was stunned to land a part in a Scottish Opera show and find myself crammed into the back of a lorry with a cast of pro actors and Opera singers. Then hearing Marie Claire sing ‘Donizetti’ for the first time, I fell in love and didn’t want the show to end…so it didn’t!”
Leighton Jones
They returned to Yorkshire and released their first two singles in 2019, before being invited to perform ‘A Kitmas Concert’ to a packed audience at Bradford Cathedral with members of Leeds Opera North to raise funds for Allerton Cat Rescue.
Leighton explains: “We were inspired to write a festive song based on the rescue centre’s slogan ‘Helping cats and kittens find their Forever Home for over 40 years’. It stood out as a great title to explore that sense of longing and belonging the phrase conjures, at a time of year that is difficult for many people…”
Beware of Trains latest single, ‘Forever Home’, is a bittersweet symphonic festive tale that transports us into a snow globe and through to snowy Yorkshire fields and skies, revelling in the spirit of homecoming the festive season brings whilst reflecting on the passing years and sadness of saying goodbye to the people and places we love.
The single and exclusive limited-edition artwork is available now for purchase and download on Bandcamp. It will then be out for general release on 24th November.
UK Tour dates 2023
1st December – HALIFAX, Square Chapel Arts
2nd December – NEWCASTLE, The Globe Theatre
3rd December – GLASGOW, The Old Hairdressers
Buy tickets here
