Oates & Spiers weave music highlight 

Liz Nicholls

Jackie Oates & John Spiers will perform Lace – A Musical Celebration of at 7pm on 5th July at All Saints Church as part of Marlow Museum’s exhibition of local lacemaking 

Multi award-winning folk legends Jackie Oates and John Spiers will weave the magical story of 400 years of lacemaking in Marlow, with fellow Melodeon player Roger Watson.  

The concert will explore how the craft shaped communities; from the hardships of the dextrous child lace maker through to entrepreneurial merchants and aristocratic fashion. 

The show is the highlight of Marlow Museum’s summer programme to accompany the free exhibition Lace: from William Borlase to Pamela Nottingham, which runs until 7th September. This display focuses on the story of renowned Marlow-born lacemaker, and long-time supporter of the museum, Pamela, who was instrumental in reviving the art of lacemaking in the UK.  

Jackie and John’s work as a duo began when the pair first started playing together for fun during guest spots at a local folk club in Henley. Recognising the potential, they began working together on material from their native county of Oxfordshire. Following their first performances in 2016, they went on to tour and perform at festivals in the UK, releasing their first full-length studio album, Needle Pin, Needle Pin in 2020. Find out more about both titans at jackieoates.co.uk & johnspiers.co.uk 

Concert tickets £15pp/£6pp u16s. For further info about the show and the museum’s events including free demos please visit marlowmuseum.org/events-news