The Rock Orchestra

Violins and cellos in skeleton masks, playing by candlelight, are an unlikely way to meet a heavy metal anthem, yet that is the premise of The Rock Orchestra. The British ensemble reworks well-known rock and metal songs as orchestral arrangements, treating the originals as raw material for a classical line-up. The look is part of the appeal: musicians wear skeletal attire and face masks, and giant headbanging skull puppets complete the picture. Electric instruments, effects pedals and amplifiers sit alongside the strings, producing a powerful and unconventional sound.

The show's creator, Nathan Reed, began it as a spin-off from the Festival of the Dead, which he describes as a carnival, circus and clubbing experience in one. Lockdown had curtailed those big weekend events, and the orchestra offered another way to stage something theatrical. Since then the group has toured in both the UK and the US. Putting it on the road is a serious operation: an 18-ton truck, two tour buses and a crew of 24 prepare each live performance.