Berwins Salon North Big ideas in intimate spaces In a world dominated by other people’s opinions, Salon gives you the knowledge to form your own. Three expert speakers deliver TED-style talks designed to challenge perceptions and change your life for the better. Showcasing the most stimulating ideas in arts, science, and history, each scintillating speaker has the challenge of engaging their audience within a 25-minute set, interspersed with intervals where you can chat, get a signed book from the speaker, or grab a drink at the bar. Voted number six in the ‘Top 100 Things to do in the World’ by GQ magazine, Salon is a night out that will enlighten, entertain, excite your curiosity and change your life for the better.

Programme to include poetry, stand-up comedy/impressions and around 7-14 short piano pieces by Satie, Grieg, Shostakovich, Bach, Debussy, Madeleine Dring. Alistair McGowan is a highly talented comedian, actor, impressionist, writer, and pianist, known as one of the best comedian-impressionists in the UK. He gained fame with his BAFTA-winning TV show The Big Impression, where he impersonated public figures. Alistair is a regular on BBC comedy programs and often hosts corporate events. After rediscovering his love for the piano later in life, he released The Piano Album in 2017, which topped the classical charts. His show offers a delightful mix of comedy, poetry, and music that will leave audiences both entertained and inspired. The programme includes a blend of stand-up, impressions, and short piano pieces by iconic composers such as Satie, Grieg, Shostakovich, Bach, Debussy, and Madeleine Dring, seamlessly woven together with Alistair’s unique charm. Don’t miss this perfect evening of light-hearted humour and beautiful music! The show will last c.2 hours including a 20 minute interval.

Pianist Fergus McCreadie’s trio is among the leaders of the exciting young wave currently energising the vibrant and creative Scottish jazz scene. A phenomenal technician, McCreadie has developed a deeply personal style that captures Scotland’s musical traditions and landscapes while honouring his American and Nordic influences. His trio with David Bowden (bass) and Stephen Henderson (drums) has already made a impression in the UK, winning the coveted Peter Whittingham Jazz Prize in 2016, and its debut album, Turas, as well as reaching the shortlist for the Scottish Album of the Year Award 2019, a rare feat for a jazz group, won Best Album at the Scottish Jazz Awards 2019. Their concerts, highlighting their thrilling virtuosity, brilliantly attuned collective dynamism and their music’s huge emotional charge, have earned five-star reviews and invitations to appear at London jazz mecca Ronnie Scotts’ International Piano Trio Festival as well as Oslo and Stockholm jazz festivals.