By Imogen Hope

Published: Thursday, 05 January 2023 at 12:00 am

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The winter months can be tricky for lots of people. The sun isn’t rising until after 8am and sets soon after 4pm, meaning that only a lucky few actually get to be outside in the daylight. And even if you do manage to go for a walk on your lunch break, the chances are the weather will be clouded over with a veil of light drizzle, rather than letting you bask in dazzling sunshine.

If you’re looking for ways to cheer up your evenings, or to embrace the long nights, we think we’ve found a solution — candlelight concerts.

These concerts are a great way to experience you favourite music in, well, a different light. Not only does the candlelight allow you to focus on the sound away from any distractions (phones are strictly banned at most events), but it also lets you appreciate the atmosphere only the early evenings can provide.

Many of these concerts also take place in unique setting, adding to the ambiance. Whether it’s in a church, cathedral or something more unusual like outside in some gardens (wrap up warm for that one) these concerts are a way to experience your music away from the formality of concert halls.

So, whether you’re a fan of classical string music or pop tunes are more your taste, there’s a candlelight concert to suit everyone. Here is our list of the best ones taking place across the UK this year.

Best candlelight concerts to see in 2023 at a glance

• Tribute to Coldplay at Birmingham Cathedral from £15
• Vivaldi and Mozart at Palm House from £20
• A Tribute to Taylor Swift at Southwark Cathedral from £20
• Hans Zimmer’s Best Works at Central Hall Westminster from £22
• Candlelight: A Tribute to Beyonce from £25
• Vivaldi at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens from £25
• Candlelight Concord: Sci-Fi and Fantasy Film Scores under a Plane from £25
• A Tribute to Amy Winehouse from £25
• A Tribute to ABBA at Birmingham Botanical Gardens from £25
• Candlelight Ballet: Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker and more from £25
• A Tribute to Calvin Harris with Kaleidoscope Orchestra from £27.50
• The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight from £30

Best candlelight concerts to see across the UK in 2023

Best candlelight concerts in London

Candlelight: A Tribute to Beyonce

She’s known as Queen B for a reason. If you or someone you know are fans of Beyonce (and let’s face it, who isn’t?) tickets to this tribute would make an amazing gift. The City String Ensemble will perform Beyonce’s hits in a way you’ve never heard them before, and surrounded by candlelight. It might be a slightly different atmosphere from attending one of Beyonce’s own concerts, but promises to be no less special.

With one date on 15th January and the other 17th February, there’s not long to wait until you can hear Drunk in Love performed by a violin. What’re you waiting for?

Buy tickets for Candlelight: A Tribute to Beyonce from £25 at Fever

Hans Zimmer’s Best Works at Central Hall Westminster

Hans Zimmer has written some of the most memorable and well loved scores for the big and small screen. And what better way to experience his music than played by the Avra Quartet, surrounded by candles. You’ll hear music from Pirates of the Caribbean, The Crown and The Lion King to name just a few.

This concert has two dates this month, as well as one in February. It’s looking really popular so we’d recommend acting quickly if you’ve got your eye on some tickets.

Buy tickets for Hans Zimmer’s Best Works at Central Hall Westminster from £22 at Fever

A Tribute to Taylor Swift at Southwark Cathedral

UK fans of Taylor Swift might be keenly waiting for her to announce any tour dates, and we count ourselves among them – but in the meantime, this is a pretty good way to hear Swift’s music in a unique setting.

Southwark Cathedral is new to hosting candlelight concerts, and this promises to be one to remember, with a string quartet performing some of Swift’s biggest hits including Shake It Off, Cardigan and Invisible String.

This concert takes place on 14th January and 11th February, with each date hosting a performance at 7pm and 9pm.

Buy tickets for A Tribute to Taylor Swift at Southwark Cathedral from £20 at Fever

Best candlelight concerts in Manchester

Candlelight Concord: Sci-Fi and Fantasy Film Scores under a Plane

For any sci-fi lover, this promises to be an out of this world experience. The concert takes place at Manchester Airport, underneath the wings of a concord jet, where you’ll hear film scores performed by a string quartet.

Music will be performed from 2001: A Space Odyssey, Back to the Future and Avatar on 11th March with tickets ranging from  the affordable at £25, to £45 for the best seats in the house.

Buy tickets for Candlelight Concord: Sci-Fi and Fantasy Film Scores under a Plane from £25 at Fever

The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight

The Festival of the Dead are heading on tour with a brand new show, and one of their destinations is the Opera House in Manchester. The 13-piece orchestra performs rock and metal music from the likes of Metallica, Rage Against the Machine and Led Zeppelin while gently lit by candlelight.

The Rock Orchestra will be in Manchester on 1st March, with other dates around the country including Glasgow, Edinburgh and Milton Keynes.

Buy tickets for The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight from £30 at ATG Tickets

A Tribute to Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse’s music is known for it’s soulful sound and jazz influences. An artist lost too soon, this candlelight concert taking place at Halle St Peter’s is a tribute to her greatest work and will include hits like Back to Black and You Know I’m No Good.

It’s taking place for one night only on 12th January and tickets are selling fast, so we recommend you buy now to avoid disappointment.

Buy tickets for A Tribute to Amy Winehouse from £25 at Fever

Best candlelight concerts in Liverpool 

Vivaldi and Mozart at Palm House

The magic of many candlelight concerts lies not only in the ambiance of the music, but in the amazing setting. This performance of music by classical composers Vivaldi and Mozart will take place in Palm House at Sefton Park. The Victorian glass conservatory was given to the city of Liverpool in the late 1800s and houses a number or tropical plants that should add to the ambiance of the flickering candles and string music.

Taking place on 25th February, we think this would make a great date night.

Buy tickets for Vivaldi and Mozart at Palm House from £20 at Fever

A Tribute to Calvin Harris with Kaleidoscope Orchestra

While many candlelight concerts lend themselves to being performed by just a few musicians, often in the form of a string quartet, this performance showcases the talents of the full 14-piece Kaleidoscope Orchestra.

Taking place at St George’s Hall on 10th March, this concert will feature some of Calvin Harris’s most popular songs like One Kiss and Feel So Close.

Buy tickets for A Tribute to Calvin Harris with Kaleidoscope Orchestra from £27.50 at Fever

Candlelight Ballet: Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker and more

We can’t imagine a more inspiring way to spend an evening than by watching ballet being performed by candlelight. Taking place on 4th February, this concert will feature music by Tchaikovsky including form the Nutcracker and Swan Lake, with dancers performing ballet for selected pieces in the programme.

Buy tickets for Candlelight Ballet: Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker and more from £25 at Fever

Best candlelight concerts in Birmingham

Vivaldi at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Where better to listen to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons than in a botanical garden? The Birmingham Botanical Gardens make a stunning backdrop for this concert, which will also feature several of the musician’s best known concertos.

Whether you’re a big fan of Vivaldi or looking for an introduction to classical music, listening surrounded by candlelight lets you just sit back and enjoy the music.

This concert is taking place on 20th January and 17th February.

Buy tickets for Vivaldi at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens from £25 at Fever

Tribute to Coldplay at Birmingham Cathedral

This concert proves that candlelight doesn’t just have to be for classical music. Coldplay are well known for the light displays put on in their own shows, but lit by candles alone, this tribute concert to the band will have quite a different atmosphere altogether. Set in the beauty of Birmingham Cathedral, the Sekine Quartet will transport you as they perform songs including Fix You and Yellow.

You can attend the concert on 19th or 20th January, or next month on 16th February.

Buy tickets for Tribute to Coldplay at Birmingham Cathedral from £15 at Fever

A Tribute to ABBA at Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Are you a dancing queen, young and sweet, only 17? Well get yourself down to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens on 17th February, for this looks to be an ABBA tribute unlike any other. ABBA has been inspiring tribute bands for years, including the recent ABBA Voyage tour, but we imagine few of them were made up exclusively of string instruments.

You’ll get to hear all the hits, including Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia and Thank You For the Music.

Buy tickets for A Tribute to ABBA at Birmingham Botanical Gardens from £25 at Fever

How long are candlelight concerts?

Much like normal concerts, the length of candlelight concerts can vary quite a bit. Most of them last around an hour, with some stretching to 75 minutes, which make them the perfect event to pair with a meal out or even just a quick drink.

A lot of these performances also open their doors up to an hour before the performance begins, giving you time to find a seat (most seats are sold in pricing bands rather than as individual seats) and maybe even grab a refreshment before the music begins.

Which UK cities have candlelight concerts?

We’ve heard about candlelight concerts taking place across the UK. There are a lot of shows in the capital, but with many groups touring around, you’re likely to be able to find one in your local city. From Edinburgh and Glasgow to Birmingham and Bristol, candlelight concerts seem only to be growing in popularity, and we’ll keep updating this page with our favourite ones from across the UK.

If you’re interested in staying up to date on concerts across the UK, check out our Going Out section. We’ve got everything to keep you entertained this winter, like the best immersive experiences in London and the best West End shows.

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