Bellowhead At Komedia
Published 10th Jan 2007 by Chris Challis

Bellowhead are England’s mightiest big band, with a who’s who of today’s vibrant young folk scene including John Spiers, Jon Boden, Benji Kirkpatrick, Pete Flood. Playing English dance tunes in a funky, stomping style with a four-piece brass section, the Bellowhead live experience is not to be missed.

In two years, eleven piece folk-big-band Bellowhead have literally exploded onto the festival scene and fast became one of the most talked about bands on the contemporary folk circuit. Formed in 2004 by the duo Spiers & Boden to headline the first Oxford Folk Festival, Bellowhead have played some of the top festivals in the UK and Europe including Cambridge Folk Festival, The Big Chill, Summer Sundae and Roskilde Festival. In 2005 they received the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Best Live Act.

To describe Bellowhead’s music is a very difficult thing indeed - the material is steeped in the English folk traditions of song and dance, but the feel is exciting, intoxicating, slightly sinister and deeply funky... above all this is a BIG band.

A self-released demo, E.P.onymous was put out in October 2004 just to sell at gigs - with interest from the distribution companies it made the folk charts! The long awaited first full studio album by Bellowhead, Burlesque was released in October 2006 and has received rave reviews.

“this is the most important album of English traditional music since Fairport Convention’s Liege & Lief.” SONGLINES, OCT 2006

It has just been announced that Bellowhead have been nominated for 3 categories of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards; Best Album for Burlesque, Best Group, and Best Live Act (for the second time) - the results of which will be announced in Feb 2007.

BELLOWHEAD visit Komedia on Monday 29 January at 8pm. Tickets are £12.50/£10 conc. available on-line or from the Box Office on 01273 647100 (booking fees apply).

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