The Glasshouse

Just like clockwork (or Santa!), folk star Kate Rusby brings her Christmas cheer to us each year. In our conversation, she tells us what to expect from her December concert and what makes coming here so special.

What inspired you to blend Christmas music with folk?

Thanks to my parents, my main reason for starting the Christmas tour arose from my love of South Yorkshire Carols. They thrive in our local pubs, and there are Christmas Sings dotted around the South Yorkshire countryside each year.

My seven Christmas albums contain local carols, with my latest record, Light Years, no exception. The songs are ‘Rusbyfied’ versions of the carols I sang many times growing up, usually in the taproom with other children. These lovely memories ignited my love of festive music.

And what exactly does ‘Rusbyfied’ mean?

My favourite, Sweet Bells, was ‘Rusbyfied’ by my dad. He went to the Christmas Sings when he was little. One day, he put the verse’s tune from a version of Sweet Bells with a chorus from a different version purely by accident. Then, he taught it to my two siblings and me, and we’d sing it at Christmas. I’ve recorded, performed and passed it around, so it’s become a version in its own right – a ‘Rusbyfied’ version.

In 2023, you released your seventh Christmas album, Light Years. What song holds special significance?

We’ve loved performing a self-penned song called Glorious. I wrote it one February evening after standing in my garden with my dogs. The warm glow of the evening sun illuminated half of the snow-laden trees, buildings and the world. While it was beautiful, I was longing for spring to come.

An image of a lost and broken angel appeared in my head. He was sitting in one of the trees, waiting to heal and return to where he came from. And so, the song was born. I sat at my piano and played around – Glorious just appeared.

We can’t wait for your show on 18 December. What makes performing here so special?

We adore coming to The Glasshouse and have brought the Christmas show here for the last few years – it’s lovely to return. Everyone comes along smiling and singing. We’re lucky to have the privilege of watching families in the audience grow up.

The sound is spectacular in Sage One. I can’t wait for the lights, sparkles, love, laughter and our Christmas fancy dress. There’s a new theme each year, and the band don’t find out until the first gig on the tour.

Do you have a special memory from a Christmas show here?

One year, we performed for a livestream. My sister helped, our best friend directed the cameras, and another old friend was the programmer. We all had the loveliest catch-up and felt honoured to work in the music scene we’d grown up in. We shared a life-affirming moment just before we took our positions for the show. The audience greeted us enthusiastically – it was one of those heart-fly-high moments.

How does the audience’s energy impact your performance?

I love seeing how the audience reacts to the different songs, and I enjoy making them laugh, getting them to sing, and seeing them moved physically when a song connects with them. It’s what music is all about – human emotions.

I can’t think of a better way to end the year. It will be our nineteenth Christmas tour, so the audience knows they’ll have a good old singsong and a giggle with their friends and family- their energy feeds us. I also take a photo of the audience from on stage so they can see what we see.

It’s fabulous to be surrounded by some of the best musicians and friends with brilliant audiences. There’s nothing else like it.

Why are places like The Glasshouse so important for communities?

I wish we had a venue like The Glasshouse closer to where I live. Everything that happens here is invaluable for the community. My husband has a brother who lives close to The Glasshouse, so he and his family always come along to our Christmas gig. They’re full of stories about workshops, youth ensemble opportunities, baby music sessions, not to mention all the incredible acts coming to perform here. It’s a brilliant music centre for the whole area.