Tree Music 5 at The Strines Nightingale, 10.05.2025

Marple is a small town on the outskirts of Manchester. Well, it’s not that simple. It’s 9 miles or so away from the big city. It’s only 5 miles away from Stockport Town Centre (or from Edgeley Park, as I like to measure it), and we have an SK postcode. To add to that, it used to come under Cheshire, and it’s right on the edge of the Peak District. (In fact, if you drive about 5 minutes away from my house, you cross into Derbyshire just to add another variable into the mix.)

That’s a longwinded way of saying Marple is unique. It’s close to the places mentioned, but it has its own spirit, community, vibes. And all this was showcased at Tree Music 5, which took place at The Strines Nightingale last Saturday evening.

Curated by renowned DJs – and Marple residents – Andy Votel & Ashley Kennerley, Tree Music is an eclectic gathering. It brings together DJs, musicians, singers, poets, enthusiasts. And this edition featured a beekeeper, a witch, and a real life Geography teacher.

The beekeeper taught us about bees; the witch delivered a stirring rendition of poetry and song. The real life geographer teacher gave us all a test – this time about the sounds of various insects. (I got 0% correct.)

Aside from Andy & Ash, the main character in this event was the setting of The Strines Nightingale itself. A brilliant pub, it hosts numerous musicians and events throughout the year. Its secret weapon is the forest stage and thankfully the weather allowed it to be used to its full potential. It’s a beautiful setting and complemented the irreverence of Tree Music 5 to a tee.

Best of all – this was free entry to everyone. Roll on Tree Music 6!