Mock Deer

Martha Hill is a Newcastle-based singer-songwriter rooted in the kind of DIY spirit that’s shaped by years of busking and intimate live shows. Known for her raw alt/indie-pop sound and sharp northern storytelling, her more recent music leans into the loose emotional intimacy of indie folk, drawing from the cracked-open vulnerability of Hayley Heynderickx, Big Thief’s organic conversational poetry, and the atmospheric textures of Bon Iver. The result is a quieter, more elemental sound. Since her first release in 2018, Martha Hill, supported by BBC6music, BBC1, and Spotify, has become a regular presence on the UK independent scene. Her debut album Football Heid, released last year, led to a live session on Cerys Matthews’ Sunday morning show on 6Music and sold-out shows across the UK. Entirely DIY in her approach, Hill continues to carve her own path, pushing back against industry expectations with honesty, independence, and an unmistakably human sound. Rather than bringing a full band, Martha Hill will be touring alongside collaborator and guitarist Jordie Cooke, their stripped-back sound weaving together fingerpicked guitars, layered harmonies, and songs that feel both deeply personal and slightly otherworldly. Support from MOCK DEER: Mock Deer is London-based songwriter Ricky Damiani. His songs sit with uncertainty, exploring the fragile balance between hope and despair, acceptance and resistance through a blend of contemporary folk, art rock and subtle psychedelia. Having lived in North Wales, Manchester and London, place continues to shape his writing. He has toured extensively throughout the UK and Europe, alongside two tours of Canada, sharing stages with artists including Willy Mason, Joan Shelley and The Burning Hell, while becoming a familiar presence within London’s independent music community through years of collaboration. Alongside several EPs, Mock Deer has composed original music for theatre, with some songs also featured on television. His debut album, The Art of Loneliness, released in 2020 and recorded with long-time collaborator Scott Fitzgerald, was warmly received by the UK music press. His latest EP, Pilgrims, continues that exploration, pairing expansive arrangements with the quiet intimacy that defines his work. Incredible. — Rough Trade Transfixing, crushing, cinematically resonant, alt-indie folk.  — AnR Factory Doors open 7pm, Music starts 8.30pm. The venue is mixed seated and standing. Tables are limited, and available on a first come first served basis, so if you’d like a seat, we recommend arriving early!