After six years of entertaining audiences with their high energy, boundary pushing performances, Dizraeli & The Small Gods are calling it a day. There’s no doubt they had a good run and thanks to the good people of Purbeck Folk Festival I saw them performing live in 2013. They were unforgettable as a band, they had a great energy and warmth and a big social conscience that we could do with more of. They made the audience feel like they were part of a big family.
The announcement was made to fans in an email today:
…having agonised and deliberated about the decision for many months, the members of Dizraeli & The Small Gods are parting ways to follow our own individual paths through sound.
We have had such a blessed time together, starting with our first tour in 2009 and onwards through a higgledy journey: so many festivals and venues around the UK and further; so many warm encounters with excellent humans who put us up in their houses and booked us to play in their places; so many mad trips in the tour bus; ferries and fields and service stations; levels of silliness nearing hysteria; levels of onstage connection nearing transcendental; levels of crowd love that have overwhelmed us and lifted us however tired we’ve been.
And honestly, the support we’ve had from you, the people who’ve listened, has been bloody magic. We’ve experimented with a lot of different sounds and feelings; taken it to darker places and lighter ones, hiphop and folk and jungly jazz weirds and all points between, and you’ve been with us listening, whether you’re fifteen or sixty five, a devoted rap head or a diehard folkie: you’ve been there. We haven’t had money or a big label backing us, just you coming to shows, buying our CDs and spreading the word. I always love meeting Small Gods fans because you are all open-minded, thinking people who are willing to be taken somewhere different. And often absolute loons in the best way possible.
Farewell Gigs
They will be playing two very special farewell gigs, featuring very special guests:
FRIDAY 25th SEPTEMBER at the Islington Assembly Hall, London
SATURDAY 26th SEPTEMBER at the Marble Factory in Bristol
They are also playing at Belladrum, Beautiful Days, Green Man, Shambala and Together The People festivals in August.
Dizraeli and DJ DownLow
DJ DownLow who became a member of The Small Gods in 2010 will continue his Hip Hop show with Dizraeli, he had this to say about the news via his facebook page:
“When Dizraelii first asked me to join The Small Gods in 2010, I had no idea how much of an important role it would play in my creative life. Now that it is coming to an end I have the opportunity to look back over countless amazing shows and writing sessions and feel truly blessed to have been a pat of it. In my early days as a scratch Dj i found it difficult to find a platform and get my sound out there. It was through The Small Gods that I found my creative voice and shared my sounds with a wider audience. They are my friends and family and I have learnt so much from each of them.”
The show must go on…