Concert “Serenade form the Sewer” | United Kingdom
Creators: The Tiger Lillies
Text: Martyn Jacques
Music: Martyn Jacques
Band members:
Martyn Jacques - Vocals, Accordion, Piano, Guitar
Adrian Stout - Double Bass, Musical Saw, Theremin, Vocals
Budi Butenop - Drums
Date: August 22, 2026 | Saturday
Time: 7 pm
Place: Stage, Art Factory in Łódź, 3 Tymienieckiego Street
Tickets: 25 PLN - industry | 40 PLN - early bird | 50 PLN - reduced | 70 PLN - regular
Early bird tickets: on sale from June 23, 2026 until July 7, 2026 or until they are sold out | via biletomat.pl portal | online payment
Regular and reduced tickets: on sale from July 8, 2026 until they are sold out | via biletomat.pl portal | online payment
Industry tickets: for cultural workers, on sale one hour before the selected event, at the Festival Office | cash or contactless card payment | booking: from June 23, 2026, by mail:biuro@retroperspektywy.com
Duration: 90 minutes
Age restrictions: 16+
Language: English
DESCRIPTION OF THE CONCERT
The world of The Tiger Lillies is dark, peculiar and varied, with moments of deep sadness, cruel black humour and immense beauty. This unique “anarchic Brechtian street opera trio” tours the world playing songs about “anything that doesn’t involve beautiful blonde girls and boys running at the meadow” to quote their founder Martyn Jacques.
The Tiger Lillies, Britain’s legendary death-oompah trio, return with a brand-new collection of songs that plunge into the darker corners of human experience. Known for their singular fusion of dark cabaret, punk opera and Brechtian theatricality, the Olivier Award-winning and Grammy-nominated band are unveiling their latest album - “Serenade from the Sewer” - in a live concert that promises equal parts beauty, grotesquery and unforgettable storytelling.
For more than 35 years, The Tiger Lillies have haunted stages across the world with their unmistakable sound and visual flair. Led by frontman and songwriter Martyn Jacques, the trio has earned a devoted international following through critically acclaimed productions such as “Shockheaded Peter” and “Rime Of The Ancient Mariner”. Their concerts remain remarkable for their emotional intensity, outlandish humour and macabre charm.
The new album draws on Jacques’ memories of the violent, volatile Soho of the 1980s, a world marked by social inequality, poverty, drug dealing and the constant threat of danger. From his window, he witnessed a neighbourhood caught between desperation and survival, its characters forming a raw and unsettling tapestry of life on the margins. These real encounters shape “Serenade from the Sewer”, including the track “Stabbed in the Back,” inspired by the night Jacques himself was attacked and knifed near the railway tracks. The result is a collection of songs delivered with Jacques’ unmistakable falsetto, brooding accordion lines and mordant, unflinching lyricism - brought to life by the current trio: Martyn Jacques (vocals, accordion, piano, ukulele), Adrian Stout (double bass, musical saw, theremin, vocals), and Budi Butenop (drums, vocals).
Jacques reflects on the themes behind the album:
“A major theme of the many hundreds of songs I have written are the people living in the margins. When I moved to Soho in the 1980s I spent many hours just looking out of my window… “Serenade from the Sewer” presents some memories of that time. It was a happy time for me, but it was tragic for many of the people I knew and watched from my window.”
Longtime fans can expect the band’s signature blend of eerie ballads, cabaret chaos and haunting storytelling, while newcomers will find themselves drawn into a performance style that critics have long struggled - and delighted - to describe:
“Phenomenal… a molten cascade.” (The Guardian)
“A journey into wild emotion… bizarre beauty.” (London Evening Standard)
“A provocative mix of anarchic opera and gypsy street theatre.” (The Guardian)
“A brilliant marriage of music hall, punk rock, and Brechtian cabaret.” (The Independent)
“One of the most unique and subversive acts in contemporary performance.” (The New York Times)
“Grotesque and beautiful.” (Time Out)
Formed in 1989, The Tiger Lillies have released more than 40 albums, collaborated with artists across film, theatre and visual art - from the Kronos Quartet to Nan Goldin - and most recently performed the soundtrack for Johnny Depp’s film “Modi: Three Days on Wings of Madness”. Their unmistakable style has reimagined works ranging from “The Little Matchgirl” to “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” and “Hamlet”.
With “Serenade from the Sewer”, the trio opens a new chapter: a stark, personal and poetic return to the shadows that shaped them. Whether you’re a longtime devotee or discovering The Tiger Lillies for the first time, this concert offers a rare chance to witness one of the world’s most original bands at the height of their storytelling powers.
REVIEWS
“One of the most unique and subversive acts in contemporary performance.”
(The New York Times)
“This delicious dark cabaret is Kurt Weill as scripted by Aleister Crowley, and the execution is impeccable throughout. Phenomenal. Brilliantly twisted.”
(The Guardian)
“It’s not surprising that their cult following is worldwide - a Tiger Lillies gig is a journey into wild emotion which passes right through melodrama and out the other side into bizarre beauty.”
(Evening Standard)
“There is nothing else like them. Any description of them is an injustice - they are completely peerless.”
(Alex Kapranos, Franz Ferdinand)
“Just brilliant and utterly fantastic!! You’ll never hear more perverse and twisted as well as haunting and sorrowful songs.”
(Marc Almond)
AWARDS
- The Tiger Lillies in “Macbeth Song” - Critics’ Award for Best Original Music at the XXVIII Critics Awards for Performing Arts in Catalonia 2026
- Olivier Award 2002 winners
- “Shockheaded Peter” - Winner Best Entertainment
- “Shockheaded Peter” - Winner Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical (Martyn Jacques)
- Grammy Nomination 2003 “The Gorey End” - Best Classical Crossover Album - Tiger Lillies/Kronos Quartet
- “Die Weberischen”, dir. Stephanie Mohr - Winner Nestroy-Theaterpreises 2007 Spezialpreis
- The Tiger Lillies perform “Hamlet” nominated for a 2012 Reumert Award
- Argus Angel Award - Winner 2013 “Rime of the Ancinet Mariner”
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ARTISTS
The Tiger Lillies - are a British musical trio, formed in 1989 by Martyn Jacques. Their music is often described as “death oompah” - a unique blend of dark cabaret, punk, chanson, and operatic elements - exploring macabre and melancholic themes through Jacques’ distinctive falsetto and accordion. Their highly theatrical performances have captivated audiences worldwide. They gained international acclaim with the stage production “Shockheaded Peter”, winning two Olivier Awards. The world of The Tiger Lillies is dark, peculiar and varied, with moments of deep sadness, cruel black humor and immense beauty. In 2003, they were nominated for a Grammy Award for their album “The Gorey End”, created in collaboration with the Kronos Quartet. With over 40 albums released, The Tiger Lillies have built a prolific and uncompromising body of work, collaborating across disciplines including film, theatre, and visual arts. Their music has been featured internationally on stage and screen, establishing them as one of the most distinctive and unconventional acts in contemporary performance.
