ROBERT Burns was born on January 25, 1759, and this weekend, the life and works of Scotland's national bard will be celebrated far and wide.

On Saturday (January 26), Kendal's Brewery Arts Centre hosts Band of Burns a unique collaboration of 12 musicians from the top echelons of the folk scene paying tribute to the work of the Scottish poet.

The band are renowned for their powerful and compelling sounds of folk and world and include members of such prestigious groups as Afro Celt Sound System and The Langan Band. They come together to perform a truly distinct show which celebrates the life, works and philosophies of Robert Burns, sharing a profound belief in the values he championed - equality, social justice and the power of love. The birth of Band of Burns came after several years of one-off Burns Night gigs in London’s famous Wilton’s Music Hall. The team behind the band – musicians Alastair Caplin and Dila Vardar – put together a more permanent group of musicians who relished playing together but had too little opportunity and were hungry for more. Bringing elements of the musical traditions of their homelands - Scotland, Ireland, England, Wales, and Turkey - the final selection of musicians was an easy choice to make: all had played together at some point in the past, all had shared the highest level of mutual respect for each other’s musical skill, and all had a deep regard for the works of Robert Burns.

Brewery box office 01539-725133.