The legendary Blowzabella whom we featured in a series of our diaries earlier this year (links below) are gearing up for a very big year. Next month they will see the release of a new album. Strange News will be released on 10th October 2013, here’s a small taster:
The album was recorded in England and France and showcases their talent for writing great tunes while putting their inimitable slant on four traditional English folk songs. It’s partly a return to their roots as a band in love with playing dance tunes on folk and drone instruments – and partly it looks towards a more sophisticated approach to interpreting traditional folk music.
35th Anniversary
The band are also celebrating 35 years of independent music making with a short series of gigs in the UK. All the gigs are dances so come along and dance or just sit and listen. At all the gigs there is a dance floor and some limited unreserved seating. Contact venues for details.
Thursday 10 October 2013. 7:30pm. The David Hall. Roundwell Street, South Petherton, Somerset TA13 5AA Tickets 01460 240340
Saturday 12 October. Cecil Sharp House. English Folk Dance and Song Society, 2 Regent’s Park Rd, London NW1 7AY. Tickets search online WeGotTickets + Blowzabella + Cecil Sharp House. Kennedy Hall. Doors 7:00pm. On stage 8:00pm. Finishes 11:00pm. Dance Workshop 2-4pm (free to evening ticket holders). Trefusis Hall (downstairs). Led by Blowzabella’s Jo Freya and Dave Shepherd and with members of the band providing the music, the dance workshop is for all ages and abilities. The first half will be about the British and European couple dances that Blowzabella do at their dances – for example, schottishe, waltz, mazurka, bourree. The second half will concentrate on some unfamiliar traditional English country dances that the band are introducing into their repertoire. Food and session in the bar from 5pm. Blowzabella return to Cecil Sharp House (home of the English Folk Dance and Song Society), 35 years after the band went to the Vaughan Williams Library there to look for English tunes to play on the bagpipes. They found a tune called Blowzabella and the name stuck. They’ll be playing a lot material from their new album as well as some old favourites with special guests/ex-members of the band Dave Armitage, Nigel Eaton, Ian Luff, Bill O’Toole (who started the band with Jon Swayne and is coming from Australia), Sam Palmer and Cliff Stapleton.
Friday 18th October 2013. 7:30pm. Corn Exchange George St, Exeter EX1 1BU. Tickets 01392 665938.
Friday 1st November 2013. 7:30pm. Corn Hall. 10 St Nicholas St, Diss, Norfolk IP22 4LB. Tickets 01379 652241.
Saturday 2nd November 2013. 7:30pm. Huddersfield Rd, Holmfirth HD9 3AS. Tickets search online WeGotTickets + Blowzabella + Holmfirth Civic Hall
Dance workshop 2-4pm for evening ticket holders only.