MUSICIANS from one of York’s most popular monthly music nights are packing up their guitar cases and heading off to Helmsley.

Chris Helme and Andy Gaines’s acoustic night, The Little Num Num Club – which usually takes place at Basement Bar, City Screen – is on tour at Helmsley Arts Centre, tomorrow.

As well as Chris and Andy, the troupe of troubadours features other York musicians including The Wayfaring Strangers, David Ward Maclean, Holly Taymar and Andy Stones.

This is the first time Chris and Andy have taken the Little Num Num Club on the road. The club has a big following in York, where its name is synonymous with great music and a fantastic ambience.

“The Little Num Num Club is a great place to see quality people purveying their musical wares,” says Andy.

Adds Chris: “This is good, honest, heartfelt stuff, music with soul.”

Chris and Andy played at Helmsley Arts Centre last summer and enjoyed it.

“It was a great night of music,” said Andy.

“We were keen to play there again, and we thought why not take our favourite artists from York, it’s not too far to travel, but we can still play to a new audience.

“There’s a really good atmosphere in York, there’s intimacy with the audience who are close to the stage, we can have lots of banter as its friendly and relaxed and we want to keep the same sort of feel at Helmsley. It’s a good venue and a similar sort of set up, not huge with seating up to the stage, so we can capture that same vibe.”

A bus will leave York from Exhibition Square at 6pm, returning after the show. Tickets costing £10 for coach and show are available from Dusk in New Street or online at myspace.com/littlenumnumclub

For tickets for the event only, costing £8, phone 01439 771700 or visit helmsleyarts.co.uk