FRoots called them “a landmark… astonishing”; Mojo said they are “formidable… thrilling”; to Stirrings magazine their sound is “a quantum jump for English Traditional music”. They are Bellowhead, a huge and joyful band whose carnival take on folk music has made them one of the most popular groups on the live music circuit.

The band was created in 2004 when acclaimed duo John Spiers and Jon Boden conceived a seemingly bonkers scheme to mash together folk music with big band jazz and funk. Since then the eleven piece has been busy pushing the boundaries of English roots music into regions where few have previously dared to tread.

Their gorgeous good-time sound has won them enthusiastic admirers young and old, and amongst music fans from far beyond the folk scene – as The Met saw in April, when they played an astonishing gig which brought a sellout crowd to their feet in multiple standing ovations. BBC Radio 2 recognised this popularity by awarding Bellowhead the Best Live Act prize at the 2006 Folk Awards.