Past Concerts

Escape From Tiki Island!

21st March 2026, St John's College Bar, Cambridge

A concert revolving around Tiki music and culture, during which the players are mysteriously killing each other off under the influence of a talking exotic pot plant. Music by Sohan Kalirai, Martin Denny, Arthur Lyman, Milhaud, Mozart, Schnittke, Esquivel!, Nina Rota, Charles Ives, and more.

Judy Drownded!

29th Nov 2025, Old Divinity School, Cambridge

A Christmas-themed concert/assemblage about a preacher exorcising their memories of Judy's death, with music by Sohan Kalirai, Harry Belafonte, Rameau, Piazzolla, Esquivel!, Schnittke, Engelbert Humperdinck, and more.

Big Lips Presents... Cocktail Hour!

18th June 2025, Old Divinity School, Cambridge

The first of our Tiki-themed concerts, following a character mixing a bizarre cocktail under the paranoid surveillance of the musicians. With exotica music by Martin Denny, Arthur Lyman, Les Baxter and Esquivel! Plus late works by Schnittke, Saint-Saens, and Schubert.

Don't Blow Your Cool! Part 2

7th March 2025, Trinity College Chapel, Cambridge

Chamber works by Poulenc, film music by Schnittke, frenzied Xenakis, David Byrne, Balkan Brass music. A monologuing cowboy, a sinister circus troupe, calypso tunes, Mr. Blue, and a family of three losing their minds in a kitchen.

Don't Blow Your Cool! Part 1

15th Nov 2024, St John's College Chapel, Cambridge

A soaking wet televangelist relentlessly preaching over Moondog and Nyman, a whodunnit unfolding over 60s lounge music, and a terrifying figure crawling towards the audience over Piazzolla's lurching tangos.

Big Lips Rendering

12th March 2024, St John's College Chapel, Cambridge

A concert is interrupting by a series of characters, including a surreal figure who gradually takes control of the orchestra and music. With Berio's Rendering, chansons' by Jacque Brel, Swiss yodelling, Nyman films scores, and live painting.

My Wrongs

28th Nov 2023, St John's College Chapel, Cambridge

Scelsi, Feldman, Milhaud and Schnittke play as the orchestra give their confessions to the audience with monologues by Chris Morris and James Tate.

Rococo Tangos

29th April 2023, Old Divinity School, Cambridge

Recompositions by Sohan Kalirai of keyboard works by Rameau and tangos by Piazzolla.

Stay On It

29th Jan 2023, Old Divinity School, Cambridge

(in collaboration with the Cambridge Centre for Visual and Performing Arts): Julius Eastman's Stay On It, Andriessen's Facing Death, Sohan Kalirai's Side Chaser, Berio's Homaggio a Joyce, Swiss yodelling, with live painting and video works.

1st Dec 2022, Old Divinity School, Cambridge

Rossini's Thieving Magpie Overture recomposed by Sohan Kalirai, Webern's Concerto op.24, Sohan Kalirai's Big Lips, and arrangements of Soviet Accordion Music.

Big Lips