Concert in Complete Darkness – In the Dark Presents Its First UK Tour
A 900-year-old church, 30 live, unamplified musicians, and complete darkness around you. This is In the Dark, a unique concert experience, like no other.
@urbanadventurerldn New ethereal live music experience in London and the UK 🎻🎺🥁 𝙄𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠 is a live music experience like no other. Taking place in epic historical venues after dark, visitors wear an eye mask and experience the world through sound alone 🎶 30 musicians around you. Zero distractions. Just you and the music. @in the dark official @RG Live * invite #InTheDark #DarkSpatial #DarkSounds #DarkExperience #LondonMusic
No Light. No Distractions. Just You and the Music.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
We went to the Press Night of In the Dark at St Bartholomew the Great Church, to experience a concert experience, so unique, critics say it “redefines the live music experience.”
Photo: Urban Adventurer
We had time to walk around the stunningly beautiful 12th-century church before the concert started. The arches and columns were lit in purple and red, providing a mysterious atmosphere with musical instruments scattered around the main hall. A harp here, a piano there, a cello waiting under a wrought iron candleholder, a guitar resting at a column, drums lit by the last rays of the setting sun.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
There are sleeping masks laying on each chair to help us shut out all the light that might naturally come inside the building through its windows during the concert.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
We waited till the sun went down before finding our chair and settle down.
After a brief introduction, we were told to put our eye masks on and wait. In the complete darkness we soon started to hear soft steps and clothes rustling as the 30 musicians took their positions at their instruments and around the hall.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Then the concert began and we started to understand what it really means when 80% of your perception – your vision – is taken away from you and you have to rely on your ears and other senses.
The musicians were constantly moving and changing positions throughout the performance, creating a concert experience like no other.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
One time you hear a singer’s ethereal voice from right next to you, in the next second you hear it from the other side of the hall, other times it seems they’re above you.
Historical buildings like St Bartholomew the Great Church famously have fantastic acoustics that worked absolutely perfectly during this concert.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
There was no programme before the show, so we had no idea what kind of music we would hear, and that was another exciting thing in the experience.
The genres crossed several musical worlds, including, ambient, Scandi, nu-folk and even experimental music with hints of electronic and classical sounds.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
The experience felt ethereal and cathartic and the music slowly surrounded us, as the sounds were echoing on the ancient walls…it felt like we were in another dimension.
There was a lady who became so moved; she ended up in tears by the end of the performance.
Image in courtesy of Deacon Communications
Credit: James Clifford Kent
When the concert ended, we removed our eye masks and suddenly all the 30 performers were standing in front of us, smiling. It was amazing to see the faces of the artists, we only heard the voices of and now they’re standing in front of us ready for a final song, so now we can hear and see them at the same time.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Tickets for In the Dark are now available for this year, and the experience is heading out on its first UK tour in 2027 (locations and dates to be announced soon).
If the experience comes near you and you have a chance, we highly recommend going because it’s so different from any other concert experience, and it will remain with you long after the concert ended.
Practical Info
Image in courtesy of Deacon Communications
Credit: James Clifford Kent
Tickets
Check available locations, dates and times on In the Dark’s official website.
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