The Swingles: Close Mic Classics

The Swingles return to York on Wednesday 14 October, playing the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall at Campus West. It's a show built around their musical legacy, with a programme that looks back at the group's early repertoire — the arrangements of founder Ward Swingle and the people who followed him — and puts their signature sound front and centre.

What that sound actually is comes through in the set: Bach classics sit alongside jazz standards, both delivered with the intimacy and precision of the group's trademark close-mic style. It's that particular way of singing — voices tight and clear, right up against the microphones — that's become their calling card. Gareth Malone described them as 'without question one of the best close harmony groups in the world ... fantastic singers'.

They've got five Grammys to their name, so there's a fair bit of history behind the group. This particular show leans into it, with the early arrangements as the starting point. If you're familiar with the Swingle sound, it's exactly that: the blend of classical and jazz, the close harmony, and the focus on the voice as the lead instrument.

The concert runs from 7.30pm to 9.30pm at the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, part of Campus West at the University of York in Heslington. Tickets are £10 to £25, and you'll need to book in advance. The venue is wheelchair accessible.