After 12 amazing years, the UK’s most successful folk band Bellowhead called it a day in 2016 going out in characteristic style with a sell-out show at the London Palladium. It’s taken a few years and a global pandemic, but to the delight of their many fans, the band is pleased to announce they are reuniting for a ONE-OFF worldwide concert stream on Saturday 05 December 2020 at 8pm. This will mark the 10th anniversary of their 3rd album Hedonism (which features songs including their breakthrough hit ‘New York Girls’).
Released in 2010, Hedonism went silver and it was while the band were on tour that they, along with the legendary producer John Leckie, were presented with the silver disc by BBC Radio 2’s Simon Mayo backstage at the Shepherds Bush Empire. With over 75,000 copies sold to date, Hedonism is the highest-selling independently released folk album of all time.
Since 2016, Bellowhead band members have spent the intervening years performing solo and in different groups as well as developing other successful new music projects. It was during Lockdown, however, that they re-connected online and for the sheer fun of it remotely made and released ‘New York Girls At Home’ – all from their respective homes around the UK.
This unplanned performance was incredibly warmly received and ignited another idea: to mark the anniversary of Hedonism by reuniting the band – in person – for a full, one-off performance to be streamed online. This very special one-off performance from a Covid-safe location will be streamed live on the 05 December at 8pm and will feature the band performing tracks from this significant album, plus a host of other favourites including Roll Alabama, London Town and Roll the Woodpile Down. To coincide with the anniversary, Navigator Records have announced a 10th Anniversary Limited Edition Red & Black Marble effect vinyl of ‘Hedonism’ including new liner notes by the band. Hedonism was produced by (the legendary) John Leckie at Abbey Road Studios.
The band say “”Hedonism was such a joyous album to make, and the response was so fantastic, that it feels really good to be revisiting it in these difficult times. We’re really looking forward to playing together again and reigniting the party vibe.“
It’s hard to believe that Hedonism is now ready to celebrate its tenth anniversary but a look at David Angel’s beautifully staged photo on the album cover and you can spot some very fresh faces including Sam Sweeney who joined in time for their 2008 studio album Matachin. When we interviewed Sam in 2012 he recalled being asked by Jon Boden:
I was in the last few months of my sixth form education when I got a call from Jon Boden asking if I could dep for Giles Lewin [in Bellowhead] at the reopening of the South Bank Centre. I jumped at the chance but had to learn the English Bagpipes for the gig, which was only six weeks away. I then did five more depping gigs with the band a few months later on their Autumn tour. Then, the following January, Giles left the band and I joined the band full time.
The Hedonism tour was particularly memorable, not just for their incredible energetic stage perfomances but also their off-stage antics which gave us their cult series of ‘A Bus Song a Day’ which comprised of 18 ‘unexpected’ music covers performed at 55mph on Britain’s road network.
Bellowhead formed in 2004 – in their active years this dynamic, ground-breaking 11-piece played to thousands of people at festivals and on tour, recorded 5 studio albums (selling over a quarter of a million copies), were the proud recipients of 2 x silver discs, were play-listed at BBC Radio 2 and won a staggering 8 x BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. In addition, the band spent 8 years as Artists in Residence at London’s Southbank Centre where they hosted numerous shows and special events. They also performed sell-out shows at the Shepherds Bush Empire (on several occasions) and The Royal Albert Hall. On top of this they recorded theme tunes for The Archers and The Simpsons (at the request of the producers) and were one of the first bands to brew their own beer!
Bellowhead Concert Stream Tickets
CONCERT: Saturday 5th December 2020 at 8:00pm
For early access to tickets & exclusive merchandise fans can sign up here:
Tickets for the one-off stream go on general sale on Monday 19 October 2020 10am.
Tickets: http://stabal.com/stabal_media/bellowhead & See Tickets: bellowhead.seetickets.com
www.bellowhead.co.uk | www.facebook.com/bellowhead
Hedonism Ltd Edition Vinyl
Pre-Order Hedonism – https://smarturl.it/hedonismLP
Photo Credit: Mark Holloway (Concert image)