Eliza’s campaigning spirit reaches new audiences for folk

ELIZA CARTHY and The Wayward Band are bringing their huge 12-piece set up to Llangollen Town Hall on Thursday, July 26, joining an incredible line-up for the festival’s 21st birthday.

Pioneering English traditional folk powerhouse, Eliza Carthy, first assembled the Wayward Band in 2013, in order to explore and celebrate her long and varied career in folk music – “the last truly underground music scene”.

To do this, Eliza put together a team of hugely talented people from across the UK, and set out on the road to promote her “Best Of” compilation, Wayward Daughter (Topic Records), which coincided with a biography of the same name. Since then, the band has become a festival favourite, and Eliza has been awarded an MBE for services to folk music.

Eliza and the Wayward Band loved playing together so much, it seemed natural and inevitable, as well as characteristically ambitious, that this 12-piece would set about recording an album. Early in 2016, they did just that.

Big Machine is the result and the renowned Real World and Rockfield Studios are where it all happened. Big Machine, produced by Jim Sutherland, was released on February 3 last year.

During a journey/career of more than 20 years, Eliza has become one of the most dazzling and recognised folk musicians of her generation.

She has revitalised and made folk music relevant to new audiences and has convince the most hardened of dissenters with canny, charismatic and boundary-crossing performances. Many of the current crop of young professional folk musicians owe their successes in part to her determination, standard-bearing and campaigning spirit.

As the Telegraph writes: “Bold, funny and subversive ... Those who think folk is quiet music for dull bearded blokes will have their illusions shattered by the stomp of Big Machine, the brassy, Kurt Weill-ish cabaret tune that’s the title track of her new album.’’

Tickets for Eliza Carthy and The Wayward Band are just £20, and on sale now atwww. ll an gol len fringe. co.uk

Eliza Carthy is joined on a stellar bill (the festival’s biggest to date) by Lee Scratch Perry, Craig Charles, Mark Radcliffe’s Galleon Blast, Laura Cortese & The Dance Cards, Linton Kwesi Johnson and Lloyd Langford. Plus the return of Band For A Day, the music-themed Steam Train and Aqueduct Boat trips, and many other fringe events.

The Event rounds off with its now legendary closing concert in the stunning surrounds of Valle Crucis Abbey, which will this year feature the ethereal sound of Golden Fable and The New Sinfonia Orchestra.

Tickets for all other Llangollen Fringe performances are also available from the website, or from the Fringe box office, on 0800 1455 779. ● You can find out more about Eliza Carthy and her band, including preview tracks of music from Big Machine, and videos of performances, from the website elizawayward.com ● Eliza Carthy and The Wayward Band will form part of the finale concert at the Llangollen Fringe Festival