The Charmers

The Work

COMING SOON! THE CHARMERS…
‘The Charmers’ are a (possibly fictional) band, formed by seven queer time-travelling-players. These accused ‘witches’ were discovered on a 17th century scroll by an artist researching the Scottish witch trials: recorded as ‘gone away’ ‘not to be found’. They’ve made a 4-track vinyl EP: ‘Not To Be Found‘ and are out on tour in 2025..

Follow Bandcamp link for EP HERE

GIGS: catch us for a live gig.. our first gig this century was at ‘Messed Up Folk’ at Triangle Centre on April 26th.. go to the NEWS page for more details and dates, follow @anrobs on instagram and watch this space!

This is a visual art project in diverse forms: performance, exhibition, sound, broadside ballads, prints, short films, gatherings, workshops and conversations.

VISUALS:

A series of nine short films by Anne have been shown as part of the Charmers’ gigs in 2025 and are available to view from this website for a limited time..

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO SHOWCASE 2025

Not To Be Found

Extracts from recent tracks:

Song For The Leaving

Swift Song

Ballad In Transfigured Time

If You Say So, So I Am

Chick here for more details about The Charmers’ 2025 EP

How I found The Charmers: FILM LINK

Click on the image below for a short film about how the band emerged from my archival journey into the 17th century Scottish witch trials..

The Artist

Click HERE to find out more about other work by artist Anne Robinson including recent contributions for ‘Women in Revolt!’ at Tate and HERE for ‘The Hurrier (2021).

The Band

Click HERE to find out more about Vi, Peggy, Jonny, Nan, RJ, Jack and Maggie..

(aka: Deb Smith, Maggie Nicols, Tansy Spinks, Jo Gate-Eastley, Lisa Lux, Debbie Armour and Anne Robinson)

Coming soon.. the song-films..

Completed during in 2025, four short song-films, following the tracks EP tracks – explore the space between frames where seven time-travelling ‘witches’ land : drawing, animation, landscapes and studio work with amazing performers: Helen Spackma, Charlie Wood, Loussin-Torah Pelikian, and Rachel Gomme. See link at top of the page for Vimeo showcase,

Click here to read more and see a short film from my 2022 artist’s residency at Beaconsfield in summer 2022, building stories for imaginary women, as these queer fugitives emerge from a grim time of terror and misogyny.. bringing ‘newes’ of the beginning of the end of patriarchy..

and on the image below to see a ‘scratch’ video made for ‘Ballad in Transfigured Time’ 2024

With huge thanks to the following..

For the music to: Deb Smith: electric guitars and musical arrangements on ‘Swift Song’ and ‘Ballad in Treansfigured Time, Jo Gate-Eastley: Bass, Tansy Spinks, : Violin, Electric Violin, Maggie Nicols: vocals and Piano, Limpe Fuchs: additional percussion on ‘If You Say So’, Debbie Armour: ballad work.

For support from: Arts Council England DYCP and Lottery funds, Middlesex University, Space Arts, Dimple Discs.

For all the amazing venue and artist support from Five Years, Dimple Discs, Narture, Ayr, Joan Eliot, Naomi Siderfin, David Crawforth, Beaconsfield Contemporary Art, Iain Morrison at Fruitmarket, Queer Materialities Group at GSoA, Triangle LGBT+ Cultural Centre.

For filming the gigs: Dianne Barry, Jamal Jabbar, Lisa Gorman, and Abigail Alvarez. For technical, visuals and touring support: Karina Townsend, Music and venue tech: Matt Peet, Craig Gaskin, Smalltown Audio, DM Audio, Edwin Mingard, Kim Coleman, Deborah Astell, Sound Services Hire.

Recordings: Nic Howiantz, Karina Townsend, Lukasz Soltysiak for mix on Song For The Leaving, Anthony Chapman for track mastering Brian O’Neill for record production, Brixton Hill Studios,.

For film and performances to: Helen Spackman, Louissin Torah Pilikian, Charlie Wood, Rachel Gomme. Crew: Edwin Mingard, Peter Beverstock, Phoebe Dyer.

Supported by:

‘The Charmers’ are supported by a National Lottery Project Grant from Arts Council England.

ACE DYCP: 2023-24, Lottery Project Grant 2025-26