'WILD, joyous, perverse, bold, crazed, full-blooded, intricate, fearless, funny, epic and mostly big...'. You could be forgiven for thinking we're describing the latest Bond movie, but we're talking about an 11-piece musical collective known as Bellowhead, who are without doubt, one of the hottest properties on the folk music scene at the moment.
The brainchild of the acclaimed and award-winning folk duo Jon Boden and John Spiers (also of Eliza Carthy and The Ratcatchers), Bellowhead uniquely merges folk, rock, ska, jazz, soul and world music influences with dashes of English Music Hall and cabaret. Their arrangements are already the stuff of legend. Their brassy, big band sound has taken English roots music into areas few have previously dared to tread, and emerged triumphant with awards and rave reviews.
From fiddles and concertinas to frying pans, bouzoukis, banjos, flugelhorn, tuba and oboes and even, wait for it... wind-up toys, Bellowhead reinvigorate traditional songs, tackle old shanties, broadsides and drinking songs and even bring in a bit of disco music and Tom Waits, yet their music is nevertheless deeply rooted in the English folk dance tradition. Perhaps it comes as no surprise then that this band are fearless in taking outrageous but enthralling liberties with some of folk's hardy veterans. The result is joyous and uplifting.
Having won both Best Group and been voted Best Live Band an incredible three times already at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, once again Bellowhead have been nominated in several key categories in this year's awards (winners to be announced in February).
Their groundbreaking first album Burlesque (2006) was heralded as one of the most important folk recordings ever made. Their latest album, Matachin, hurtles along on an exhilarating journey filled with tales of whiskey and the high-seas and even manages to pull off songs about cholera and the Cold War. No surprise then that this album has been nominated for the fRoots Album of the Year Awards.
With their rampant imagination and brazen front, Bellowhead are the ultimate thrilling live performance in full romp. How lucky we are to be able to catch them here in Pembrokeshire. They can be seen at the Torch on January 28 - tickets can be reserved online at http://www.torchtheatre.co.uk">www.torchtheatre.co.uk, or by calling the theatre box office on 01646 695267.