Songlines World Music News » bellowhead

From bus songs to Movember tashes; Bellowhead know how to throw a party

Sophie Atkinson — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:00:06 +0000

As it may or may not be apparent, we here at Songlines are a tad biased towards one particular big, rollicking, bouncing, British folk band – Bellowhead.

And last Thursday night, they unleashed their seemingly endless supply of energy on the packed-out Shepherd’s Bush Empire. During the evening, the 11-piece showcased their own take on traditional folk songs (mainly on the subjects of whiskey, prostitutes and, erm, whiskey), including several from last year’s Hedonism, which the band announced on the night has just earned them their first silver disc, having sold 60,000 copies.

As always, the band were on stupendous form and demonstrated their usual, unique camaraderie between songs – with lead singer Jon Boden explaining to the audience that “traditional folk songs” means that they were “written by God.” There was also the usual instrument swapping and morris dancing, while John ‘Squeezy’ Spiers sported a very dapper ‘Movember’ moustache.

For a further insight into the hilarious, if not slightly concerning, antics keeping the band occupied while on tour, be sure to check out their ‘Bus Song a Day’ videos on Youtube…

All photos courtesy of Liam Smith

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BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2012 nominees announced

Alexandra Petropoulos — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 10:00:07 +0000

BBC Radio 2 has announced their Folk Awards 2012 nominees and folk lovers are now looking forward to the February event. For the the first time, the awards show will be held outside of London at The Lowry, Salford.

And the nominees are (drumroll please)…

FOLK SINGER OF THE YEAR
Jon Boden
Jackie Oates
Emily Smith
June Tabor

BEST DUO
Tim Edey & Brendan Power
Jonny Kearney & Lucy Farrell
Spiers & Boden
Marry Waterson & Oliver Knight

BEST GROUP
Bellowhead
The Home Service
June Tabor & Oysterband
The Unthanks

BEST ALBUM
Last – The Unthanks
Purpose & Grace – Martin Simpson
Ragged Kingdom – June Tabor & Oysterband
Saturnine – Jackie Oates

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
‘The Herring Girl’ – Bella Hardy
‘Last ‘– Adrian McNally (performed by The Unthanks)
‘On Morecambe Bay’ – Kevin Littlewood (performed by Christy Moore)
‘The Reckoning’ – Steve Tilston

BEST TRADITIONAL TRACK

‘Bonny Bunch of Roses’ – June Tabor & Oysterband
‘Lakes of Ponchartrain’ – Martin Simpson
‘Maids When You’re Young’– Lucy Ward
‘Sweet Lover of Mine’ – Emily Smith

HORIZON AWARD
Megan Henwood
Lady Maisery
Pilgrims’ Way
Lucy Ward

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Andy Cutting
Tim Edey
Will Pound
Martin Simpson

BEST LIVE ACT
Bellowhead
The Home Service
Peatbog Faeries
The Unthanks

BBC RADIO 2 YOUNG FOLK AWARD
Sunjay Brayne
Blair Dunlop
Ioscaid
Graham Mackenzie

For more information, please visit the Radio 2 website.

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Bellowhead in Hyde Park

Jo Frost — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:08:59 +0000

There was lots going on in London on Sunday – 9/11 memorials, the Thames Festival, the Klezmer in the Park festival in Regents Park and Radio 2′s Live in Hyde Park concert which is where I was. Billed as a ‘Festival in a Day,’ the weather certainly lived up to what we’ve come to expect from a typical English summer festival (i.e wind and rain interspersed with fleeting moments of sun). The line-up was also what you’d expect from a Radio 2 playlist (a right old mixed bag) with artists ranging from headliner Gary Barlow, Imelda May, Lenny Kravitz, James Blunt and Chic. So why, you may be wondering, was I there? Well, besides the fact that Hyde Park is practically my back garden, there was one gem amongst the otherwise seriously middle-of-the road line-up and that was Bellowhead. OK, so I’m not exactly impartial to the brilliance of a Bellowhead live show as they were winners of our Best Group award this year. It wasn’t ever going to be the easiest of gigs, being only the second act on after Jools Holland and his orchestra, plus they were given a ridiculously short set time of just 15 minutes. But at least the sun shone during their three songs and they got the crowd singing along to ‘London Town’ and ‘New York Girls.’ And after Jon Boden’s introduction to ‘Cold Blows the Wind,’ a few Radio 2 listeners are now fully aware of “the dangers of dating dead people.”

You can check out Bellowhead’s performance, plus video clips from all the other acts on http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0140qt1#clips

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Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park

Sophie Atkinson — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:02:56 +0000

Nestled between pop stars including Will Young, James Blunt, Lenny Kravitz and Imelda May – Songlines’ favourite folk big band, Bellowhead, will take to the Radio 2 stage in Hyde Park this weekend to showcase some of their biggest hits, including – we hope – ‘New York Girls’ and ‘Yarmouth Town’.

Radio 2 Live In Hyde Park is a festival in a day to celebrate the best of the station’s music with one special day of live performances from a starry array of top UK and international artists at Hyde Park in London on Sunday 11th September 2011.

Also performing are disco legends Chic, Beverley Knight, Dutch jazz star Caro Emerald, Irish vocalist and musician Imelda May, US sisters The Pierces, and Jonathan Jeremiah. Jools Holland and his band will also join the line-up with special guests Sandie Shaw and Ruby Turner.

The event will be hosted by Chris Evans with other Radio 2 presenters.

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Shrewsbury here we come!

Jo Frost — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 14:03:17 +0000

Only two days till we head up the M5 to Shrewsbury for their annual Folk shindig. We’re all busy doing sun dances here at Songlines HQ, and praying for fine weather, but sadly the forecast doesn’t look too bright. Never mind, at least there’s plenty of wonderful music on over the weekend to keep us smiling even if we do get rained on.

Here are just a few things I’m particularly looking forward to seeing:

Cecil Sharp Project – saw this at Cecil Sharp House back in March and the album has been a constant on the Songlines office stereo, so I can’t wait to see them again. I’m also looking forward to all of the Project’s members’ individual sets, so Steve Knightley with Show of Hands, Caroline Herring (the lady has a voice that is guaranteed to warm up a chilly Shropshire evening), Kathryn with her husband Sean Lakeman; Patsy with Breabach; Andy who’s playing with Chris Wood; Leonard with his new Duhks offshoot band, the Turtle Duhks and last but not least, siblings Jim Moray and Jackie Oates. You can read all about the Project in the current issue and hear a track on the covermount CD.

Bellowhead – well, it’s no secret that the Songlines team are all Bellowhead groupies, especially after their fabulous opening gig at WOMAD. I hope they’ll be bringing along their Songlines award along as a mascot (or maybe Pete Flood has incorporated it into his percussion kit!).

17 Hippies – my favourite German big band.

Walsh & Pound – we featured them in Songlines a couple of issues back (#76) and I’m rather partial to a bit of harmonica and banjo, so keen to check these guys out.

Lots more great stuff to check out. If you’re going, then come along to the CD Artists signing tent, where you’ll find some of the Songlines crew (Jo, Alex, Sophie and Chris).

Right, now where are my wellies…?

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Cambridge Folk Festival

Sophie Atkinson — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 14:00:24 +0000

Also taking place this weekend is the mighty Cambridge Folk Festival at Cherry Hinton Hall Grounds, Cambridge.

The festival, which first took place in autumn 1964, is renowned for its eclectic mix of music and a wide definition of what might be considered ‘folk’. The best traditional folk artists from the UK and Ireland rub shoulders with more contemporary acts, the finest American country, blues and roots artists, acclaimed singer-songwriters and even the odd pop star. Bluegrass, gospel, cajun, zydeco, jazz, world, klezmer and a ceilidh are also regular features. The line-up has reflected the many changes in the music scene from the 60s to the present and is always a hotbed mix of the old and the new. The list of performers who have appeared reads like a who’s who and the festival has been a launching pad for many now well-known artists.

This year’s eclectic line-up includes: The Robert Cray Band, Frank Turner, Pentangle, Penguin Cafe, Femi Kuti And The Postive force, The Fisherman’s Friends, Chris Wood, The Secret Sisters, Newton Faulkner, Bellowhead, Richard Thompson, Kate Rusby, Raul Malo, Laura Marling, and Mary Chapin Carpenter Rumer, James Vincent McMorrow, Hobo Jones & The Junkyard Dogs, Danú, Justin Townes Earle, Orkestra del Sol, Saltfishforty, Tickled Pink, Bedlam, The Peatbog Faeries featuring The Wayward Boys, Frankie Gavin & De Dannan, Spiers & Boden, Anxo Lorenzo Band, Jim Moray’s Silent Ceilidh, The Spooky Men’s Chorale, Admiral Fallow, The Peatbog Faeries featuring The Wayward Boys, Home Service, Villagers, Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill, Caitlin Rose, Abigail Washburn & The Village, Damien O’Kane, Moore Moss Rutter, and more.

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