Chris Brain

Event information

Divine Schism welcome Chris Brain to Oxford for the first time.

Chris is a Yorkshire-based folk singer-songwriter whose work sits firmly in the British pastoral tradition, shaped by close attention to place, memory and emotional nuance. His fourth album, Red Sun Rising (2026), is a quietly powerful collection of songs centred on yearning, restlessness and the desire for change

Rooted in acoustic textures and intimate storytelling, Red Sun Rising feels like a record made in motion: landscapes shifting, seasons turning, inner lives gently unsettled. Brain’s songwriting balances melody and restraint.

A familiar voice on BBC Radio 6 Music and the BBC Radio 2 Folk Show, Chris Brain has toured extensively across the UK and internationally, including a seven-date sold-out tour of Japan. In 2026, he returns with a UK & Ireland tour to accompany the release of Red Sun Rising.

“There are shades of the master Ralph McTell here and I can think of no greater compliment than that, I love It” – Mark Radcliffe, BBC 2 Folk Show

"Yorkshire singer songwriter Brain consistently impresses with his third album” - ★★★★ Daily Express

“Contemporary folk song at its finest” - ★★★★ Songlines Magazine