The Orb
Schedule
Thu Nov 20 2025 at 08:00 pm to 11:00 pm
UTC+00:00Location
Things Happen Here | Totnes, EN
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Second date added - please note earlier start and finish times on this date. Thursday November 20th is 8pm-11pm.Entry by ticket only. 18 plus. Date added due to popular demand - Friday 21st is sold out.
The Orb and friends head to Things Happen Here, playing LIVE to celebrate the release of their new album and also bringing the best of the rest and classics!
In a changing, unpredictable and turbulent world, something we can always rely on is a new Orb album, with the next holiday-for-the-head never far away. On what is quite possibly the millionth long player helmed by electronic lifer Alex Paterson; partnered with the now firmly-entrenched boy wonder Michael Rendall; the inspirationally productive outfit yet again deliver the goods, with one of their best yet.
“I was having a dream, and in this dream was an escalator descending out of the clouds, upon which were Buddhists and hipsters travelling downwards, and beckoning me down from the top, was Roger Eno. When I woke up, I had a text from him, asking if we fancied more collabs, so he’s on the record, amongst other friends.
Recording the album and playing recent gigs have been comfortable, happy and therapeutic experiences, largely due to Michael Rendall, who’s a genius that picks up anything he turns his hand to. We have a wonderful, simpatico relationship on record and on stage. Overall, the length, arc and energy of Buddhist Hipsters energy mirrors one our fans’ faves, U.F. Orb.” Alex Paterson
‘Spontaneously Combust’ kicks off in fine style, with Steve Hillage’s unmistakeable guitar, Miquette Giraudy on vintage EMS synth, plus blue roomy bass, backwards vocals and gentle dream house grooves. It features a top-secret sample, suggested to Alex by shopkeeper-par-excellence Michael King, taken from his mythical basement vaults at West Norwood’s Book and Record Bar.
A recent live set starter, ‘P~1’ slowly builds into firing cosmic D&B cyclones, whilst the bleeped-up late 70s synth of ‘Baraka’ is an ode to a famous Kenyan blind rhino, who, tellingly is known as a symbol of resilience. Already a firm live favourite, ‘A Sacred Choice’ is prime leaping reggae skank, with Youth on bass, Paul Ferguson on drums, Andy Falconer on atmospherics, and vocals by Eric Von Skywalker.
The title of the eastern influenced, orchestral drama of hip hop banger ‘Arabebonics’ is a word invented by rapper Rrome Alone, who lends vocals to the track, with added BVs and strings from Violeta Vicci.
Andy Cain’s dulcet tones grace the plaintive-arpeggiated-prog-throbber ‘It’s Coming Soon’, on which Alex managed to smuggle a nod to his aunties Rose and June into the lyrics. Coining a genre that might just catch on, the dusty nostalgic vibes of ‘Doll’s House’ glows and pulsates in all the right ways, scattering sound beams like a planet sized disco ball.
With Alex having met lovers rock legend Trevor Waters and discovering his classic ‘Love Me Tonight’, Rendall isolated the vocal using Logic, transforming the original into the pinnacle of the LP’s house music passage. Newly titled ‘The Oort Cloud (Too Night)’ and aided by cult Manchester disc jockey Dr D, they embark on a classic NYC deepside journey, for a moment of dancefloor ecstasy.
Joined by cohort Andy Falconer whom Alex calls “an ambient god”, the pair go so many fathoms deep that they aren’t merely out of their pit, but ‘Under The Bed’, which displays of the awe of the cosmos like a planetarium from heaven. Named after the sister planet of Pluto, the delightful ‘Khàron’ conjures a universe alive with light and celestial beings, largely aided by Rober Eno’s stunningly sparing piano. Finishing on a high, it bids us a warm goodnight.
‘Buddhist Hipsters’ is released on October 10 th via Cooking Vinyl and will be available on CD with a 6 panel fold out sleeve, black double LP vinyl with a gatefold sleeve and limited-edition rust red, pink marble and yellow marble vinyl.
###This event is 18 plus - advance ticket only. Tickets are not available to buy on the door on the night###
Things Happen Here is open 1pm-11am.
Food is available.
The Things Happen Here taproom is nearby the Totnes-Dartington cycle path. You can find us by walking to Dartington Primary and the Meadowbrook car park.
The following taxi companies give a 10% discount to people travelling to and from Things Happen Here (other taxis are available!)
Marathon Taxis 07799 111231
DW Cabs 07396757738 (quote discount code THH10)
There is an X80 Gold bus stop 5 minutes from the taproom. .
Parking is available in the nearby public car park. Please do not park to the rear of our taproom - these spaces are private parking.
Please be considerate to our neighbours at Robbins Respite Centre & Bidwell Brook School and keep noise down when leaving our taproom-thank you.
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Where is it happening?
Things Happen Here, TEXACO, Shinner's Bridge, Totnes, TQ9 6, United KingdomEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
