To celebrate their tenth birthday, Bellowhead – Radio 2 and Chris Evans’ favourite folk band – have hired a pretty monumental venue. Despite the fact that their music is arguably more suited to a local act in the corner of a rustic, country pub – all real ale, odd glasses, bearded men and wonky pictures – the 11-piece multi-instrumentalists have sold out Royal Albert Hall. Of course, this is no shocking statistic; during their decade together they have released four studio albums, breaking independent sales records on their way. The magic of Bellowhead lies within the fact that the spirit of those stone walls, glowing fires and maypoles is brought with them and transported through the many elements that make up their music; filling the hall until it almost overflows with sea shanties, experimental jazz and traditional dance.
Working through their career chronologically, all but one of the five tracks from ‘E.P. Onymous’ (with a cover designed on Microsoft Word according to frontman/showman Jon Boden) open Part One of the show. Generally speaking, if a band member can dance while performing (quite a difficult task while playing the tuba or cello) they will, in a move that highlights the fact that this is a party that they aren’t willing to miss due to the pressures of hosting. Among the odd balloon and sporadically-pulled party poppers, men resembling rebellious teachers take turns in jigging across to the front stage, usually reserved for four female Morris dancers.
Part Two of the evening stars ‘Burlesque’, the band’s debut full length album, which includes ‘Flash Company’ (“A song designed so you couldn’t decid if we were drunk or not when we played it” according to founding member John Spiers) and ‘Hopkinson’s Favourite’ (“…One you can’t do when drunk, so good luck chaps!”).
While it’s difficult to pick-up on how the band has progressed during their time, this is only because of an apparent instant ability to create tracks that swirl through the ears and mind, making not-dancing nearly impossible. (The standing crowd tonight -featuring attendees from 7-75 – clearly agree.) Counting in the band throughout the set, beat-keeper and percussionist Pete Flood is surrounded by drums and an ever-changing collection of household objects, which include a frying pan, cutlery, a toy megaphone and old machine parts. He isn’t the only member swapping instruments, but the eccentricity only adds to the electricity the band create.
Parts Three (‘Matachin’), Four (‘Hedonism’) and Five (‘Broadside’) keep a seemingly non-stop celebration ongoing, with slight pauses in dance numbers for the ghost story of ‘Cold Blows The Wind’, and the eerie ‘Black Beetle Pies’ (both the only tracks to feature accompanying films), while even ’10, 000 Miles’ (about that common subject where “your girlfriend is deported to Australia against her will”) can’t keep people in balconies and “the gods” off their feet. For die-hard fans, Part Six may be the highlight of the evening, where songs from forthcoming album ‘Revival’ are heard for the first time, which is only slightly bettered by an encore that sees the entire hall united in one giant jig – but not before they bring out their own cake, and demand a rendition of Happy Birthday.
Whether a die-hard fan or a first timer, it’s near impossible to ignore the enthusiasm that Bellowhead have their passion. Whether spontaneously forgetting the music before all picking up copies of their new songbook or simply playing (not that there’s anything simple about a guitarist taking over drums while the frontman plays fiddle so casually it renders his chin-rest unnecessary) Bellowhead’s live show is a triumph. When reminiscing about their first show in Oxford’s Town Hall a song is dedicated to the band’s plastic surgeon, while the crowd are asked “haven’t we aged well?”. With music this timeless it’s inevitable, and with the lease of life that Bellowhead have given it, it should be live and very much kicking for some time.
Dan Bull
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