Accidental freak-folk matriarch Vashti Bunyan will make a rare live appearance February 4, the last night of a weekend festival put on by the artsy cousin of the BBC, BBC Four. This historical event will be recorded for BBC Four's three-part documentary "Folk Britannia," which explores the history of folk and traditional music in the UK. The night is dubbed "Into The Mystic" and will also feature Bert Jansch, Mike Heron and King Creosote, whose music reflects the current influence that artists like Vashti had on the neo-folk and psychedelic culture of the '60s and '70s. With some gentle prodding from Devendra Banhart, Bunyan is scheduled to perform during the first weekend of the United Sounds of ATP festival in England May 12-14, and May 19-21. The festival stretches over three days and two weekends, each day being curated by a different artist (Mudhoney, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Banhart, then Sleater-Kinney, Ween and the Shins). Banhart is partly responsible for re-rediscovering Vashti, as she appeared on his Rejoicing In The Hands. Bunyan also collaborated on the Prospect Hummer EP last year with Animal Collective, before releasing her second album, Lookaftering, over 30 years after her debut record Just Another Diamond Day. Her performances so far have consisted of a handful of shows, usually at the invitation of admirers like Banhart and Stephen Malkmus, though these appearances may signal more live shows to come from the reclusive songstress. www.anotherday.co.uk
