BAT FOR LASHES SIGN US DEAL

12:14 PM GMT 04/05/2007

The MOJO sponsored WAI Festival takes place in the intimate surroundings of the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal, Cumbria and runs until 24 May. The charismatic Brighton quartet join legendary performers like Marianne Faithfull, Patti Smith and Bettye LaVette as well as a host of new talent on what is part of a packed line-up.

Tipped as one to watch in 2006 by MOJO favourite Devendra Banhart, Bat For Lashes have gone from strength to strength since releasing their debut album Fur and Gold last year. Thom Yorke recently named them as one of his favourite bands and their rapidly expanding fanbase includes Bjork and producer Nellee Hooper. Fronted by charismatic multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Natasha Khan, Bat For Lashes create intimate and atmospheric songs that draw upon psyche-folk and rock. For their latest single Prescilla, Khan flew to New York to re-record the song with a horn section. She also reinterpreted Springsteen’s ‘I’m On Fire’ as a sensual piano ballad for the B-side.

A special limited midnight blue version of Fur And Gold is also set for release in the US via Californian boutique label Manimal. For more on this 1000 copies edition of the album visit: www.manimalvinyl.com/index.php?shop

Bat For Lashes play the WAI Festival on Sun 6 May with support from Jane Weaver.

The full line-up reads as follows (all shows at the Brewery Arts Centre unless indicated):

Friday 4: MARIANNE FAITHFULLSaturday 5: MARVA WHITNEYSunday 6: BAT FOR LASHESTuesday 8: MARISSA NADLER AND EMMY THE GREATWednesday 9: KAREN MATHESONThursday 10: PATTI SMITH - ACOUSTIC POETRY AND SPOKEN WORDThursday 10: BETTYE LAVETTE (at Coronation Hall)Friday 11: PATTI SMITH & BAND (at Coronation Hall)Saturday 12: PEGGY SEEGERSunday 13: KAREN DALTON TRIBUTE WITH PETRA JEAN PHILIPSONWednesday 16: ALICE RUSSELLThursday 17: RACHELLE VAN ZANTEN AND ANGIE PALMERFriday 18: LURASaturday 19: THEA GILMORE AND KATHRYN WILLIAMSTuesday 22: HANNE HUKKELBERG AND SUSANNA & THE MAGICAL ORCHESTRAWednesday 23: MOJO PRESENTS IN CONVERSATION WITH... SANDIE SHAWWednesday 23 : WINE, WOMEN& SONG: GRETCHEN PETERS, SUZY BOGUS & MATRACA BERGThursday 24: JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN