FOLK duo Belshazzar’s Feast will perform in the region during a tour of England this month.

Now in their 21st year together, Paul Sartin and Paul Hutchinson bring a wealth of talent to the stage in an act that combines traditional folk music with a bit of classical, jazz, pop, music hall and comedy.

Mr Sartin is a member of the multi-BBC Radio 2 Award-winning big band Bellowhead and of Faustus, works as a composer, director and writes about music.

Mr Hutchinson is the founder member of progressive folk band The Playford Liberation Front, successful trio Hoover the Dog which recently morphed into the quartet Pagoda, is a composer and tutor.

Belshazzar’s Feast received a coveted nomination for the best duo award at the 2010 BBC Folk Awards, are festival regulars and have released a series of critically acclaimed albums.

Dates include:

* Thursday, May 12, St Thomas Church Hall, Stanhope, County Durham, call 01388-528673;

* Saturday, May 14, St Cuthbert's Centre, Crook, County Durham, call 01388-65 002;

* Thursday, May 26, St Mary’s Church, Wycliffe, near Barnard Castle, call 01833-627540.

For listings further afield, including venues in Cumbria and Northumberland, and for tickets visit highlightsnorth.co.uk