Amy Thatcher & Francesca Knowles

Amy Thatcher and Francesca Knowles perform together as a Newcastle-connected duo built around accordion, drums, vocals and electronics. The pairing takes instruments often associated with folk and pushes them into a much broader space, where rhythmic experimentation, synth texture and improvisation sit comfortably alongside melody.

Thatcher is a well-established accordionist and composer in the North East, while Knowles brings a percussion-led approach that gives the duo unusual weight for just two performers. The result can move from intricate folk-influenced passages into something much more driving and contemporary without sounding forced.

The project reflects the crossover that runs through Newcastle’s folk, jazz and experimental scenes. Their performances favour interaction and momentum, with the limited line-up becoming a strength rather than a restriction: every beat, harmony and change in texture is exposed and part of the conversation.