Published on May 29, 2010
We’re looking a little further ahead than usual to our 10th Birthday as a duo. To celebrate, we’re going to be putting on an extravaganza at Shepherd’s Bush Empire on May 11th 2011 – let’s put it this way … we’re going to make it a very special gig, and we’re trying to get as many of you from around the country to come down to this prestigious London venue to celebrate with us because the more tickets we can sell … the more special we can afford to make it … see! Tickets are already available from www.ticketweb.co.uk
So start telling all your friends, relations, people you’ve just met on the bus. It’s going to be amazing!
Published on April 16, 2010
Our gig at Vienna Konzerthaus has unfortunately been cancelled due to the flight restrictions following the volcanic erruption in Iceland. We are hoping to re-schedule this gig and will let you know as soon as we do.
Apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Published on March 21, 2010
Having just returned from a fortnight on the road, functioning in a mobile way was at the forefront of our thinking when we decided that we needed a mobile version of this website. Admittedly it is very much geared towards the iphone in styling but it works very well on the majority of the newer generation smartphones, you can see most of the content of the main website much faster with features such as google maps of all gig venues, a mobile version of the message board and streaming YouTube clips. Go to mobile.spiersandboden.com in your mobile browser.
Published on March 3, 2010
We’ve already completed the first 2 dates of our Spring tour and it’s been great fun. Both Colchester and Leicester were rammed and the audiences have been really up for a good night which makes us play better!
A lot of the gigs are now close to selling out or sold out completely – so if you’re thinking of coming along you might need to book tickets in advance to ensure you get in.
There are still tickets left for tonights gig at Milton Keynes and tomorrow at Luminaire in London, but Bury Met, Birmingham and Uffington are all practically sold out.
Published on February 3, 2010
The annual BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards were held last Monday and we are very proud to announce that Jon Boden was awarded Folk Singer of the Year and Bellowhead were recipients of the Best Live Act award for a staggering 4th time in 6 years. Another notable winner was Sam Carter who supported Bellowhead a few tours back – he got the Horizon award for best newcomer.
Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to everyone for your support of us and what we do.
Visit the BBC Folk Awards 2010 site at www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/events/folk-awards-2010/
Published on January 22, 2010
Spiers & Boden with Saltfishforty at Orkney Festival 2009
We’ve just had confirmation of 8 dates in Scotland this coming summer with the Orkney hi-octane fiddle/mandola duo Saltfishforty. We’re incredibly excited with this news for 2 reasons:
1. Every time we send out a newsletter with our UK dates on we get a lot of emails asking why we never play in Scotland. While not completely true, it’s a good 5 years since we toured there and we’re really looking forward to coming back again.
2. We first saw this incredible act back in 2004 while doing a live session for BBC Radio Scotland with Eliza Carthy. We immediately saw an act that was treating the music with exactly the same attitude as we try and give ours. We were invited to play with them at last years Orkney Festival and the results were really promising, you can read a review of the gig here … this tour is really going to be exciting.
The tour will be funded by the Tune Up scheme from the Scottish Arts Council to whom we are very grateful. Many thanks also have to go to our agent, Terry for putting this together at a time.
Published on December 14, 2009
You can vote for your … ahem … favourite acts in this year’s Spirals awards from the good people over at the Spiral Earth website. Jon Boden is up for Best Album and Best Original Song. Bellowhead have been nominated in the Best Group and Best DVD categories. This is a public vote so you can make your voice heard.
www.spiralearth.co.uk
Published on December 8, 2009
BBC4 will be showing their Christmas session: Fire & Ice on Thu 17th Dec at 9pm and Christmas Eve at 10.30pm. Hosted by Bellowhead’s very own Paul Sartin and featuring the music of Bellowhead, The Unthanks, Lisa Knapp, Thea Gilmore and Jim Moray. The programme is a seasonal folk/victorian music hall musical party and was filmed at the beautifully seedy Shoreditch Town Hall.
It will also be available on BBC HD and BBC online nearer the date.
Update: To promote this show and other things – 5 members of Bellowhead including Spiers & Boden will be on BBC Breakfast on the morning of the 17th to play live.
Published on December 3, 2009
It’s been a while but we’ve been so busy over the summer period that the site has been a little bereft of updates. With the autumn touring over we can now announce the dates for our next tour commencing on 1st March next year over at the tour dates page. Although not yet complete our summer festival dates are starting to appear there too, as well as the first dates going in for a two duos tour with the fabulous Saltfishforty around Scotland supported by the Tune Up scheme from the Scottish Arts Council.
Published on December 2, 2009
Bellowhead were live on BBC Radio 2 on Tuesday 1st December. If you are looking for the iPlayer link – I’m afraid you’ve missed the boat … sorry! The numbers played were Fakenham Fair, Cold Blows the Wind and London Town
Published on July 14, 2009
We’re very sorry to have to announce that the Morwellham Quay Folk Festival which we were due to be playing on 2nd August has been cancelled due to low ticket sales (presumably a result of the recession which has hit everyone). Fortunately they will have Martyn Joseph and Mike Silver headlining a fundraising day for the festival on August 1st – if you are in the area and were thinking of coming, please help support your local festival as they are working very hard to bring music of the highest quality to your area. Visit www.morwellham-quay.co.uk for more details.
Published on May 18, 2009
We’re very excited to announce that Bellowhead have been nominated in two categories (Best Folk Group and Best Overseas Act) in Ireland’s Music Awards. The great thing about this is that it is open to a public vote so we thought we would give you the chance to vote for us should you wish to (or your friends, families and everyone else come to that).
Click here to cast your votes
We promise (as both Spiers and Boden) that we have never made any extravagant claims for expenses with Bellowhead and as such you can vote with confidence!
Published on April 24, 2009
Visit our tour dates page to see the first dates announced in our Autumn tour for 2009. Keep checking back though as there are still a few being tied up as we speak. Other updates include details of Bellowhead’s July dates in Canada and a new RSS feed that you can subscribe to for this very news page.
Published on April 10, 2009
The results are out and as suspected, ever since their scintillating display of singing prowess early on in the tour, the Cumberland Arms in Newcastle-upon-Tyne are the winners of the 2009 Spiers & Boden Spring Tour Singing the Chorus in Bold Sir Rylas Division One Trophy Premier sponsored by Magnets competition. The top 3 venues are listed below. Alan Shearer take note!
Our heartfelt thanks go to all the people who took part. It’s a game of two halves and unfortunately for some, Bold Sir Rylas was sung in the second. We can say in all seriousness that a suitable trophy might be made and be sent to the worthy winners.
Published on March 15, 2009
Only a few tickets left for the whole festival, so we’re told. If you’re thinking of coming please visit www.musicinireby.co.uk to secure your ticket.
UPDATE – THIS HAS NOW SOLD OUT
Published on March 3, 2009
Some archive BBC video and mp3 track are now available on our media player click on the music & video link at the top to see.
Published on February 28, 2009
You can now get the Bellowhead DVD (which has been consistently in Amazon.co.uk’s top ten Music DVDs for 3 weeks now) from the Spiers & Boden online shop.
Published on February 28, 2009
Fear not – the Cumberland Arms gig is not quite sold out yet! More tickets have been made available from wegottickets.com
Published on February 5, 2009
We’re very happy to announce that we’ve replaced the cancelled Brighton gig on Sat 18th March with one in Newcastle (mainly because it means we don’t have a 500 mile drive between gigs!). It will be fantastic to be returning to the Cumberland for it’s lively intimate atmosphere. Be sure to get your tickets for this one early as numbers are limited.
Published on February 3, 2009
Hello and a belated Happy New Year to everyone. It’s been a fairly hectic opening to 2009 for us so sorry for the lack of updates – we’ve completed the very successful run of Junctions gigs collaborating with the Tacet Ensemble and completed the first Bellowhead tour of the year in Wales. It’s a fairly furious after this little break with our English leg of the Bellowhead UK tour starting in London on Saturday 15th Feb with an evening of bawdy songs at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre.
Published on January 28, 2009
We’d like to apologise for putting an incorrect telephone number on all the publicity material for our gig at the Leopard. The correct number is 01782 514896 – if you can’t get through on that one you could also try 01782 523277 during the month of February. Thanks to Eric Cox who runs the show for his understanding.
Published on October 28, 2008
We’re really sorry to have to announce that our date advertised at the Komedia on 25th March 2009 has been cancelled by the venue. We’re hoping to find something else nearby as soon as we can – keep watching this space for all the latest news.
Published on October 15, 2008
Spiers and Boden will be on tour with Bellowhead between October 23rd and November 2nd to promote the new album, Matachin which has been getting some very good reviews in the national press. After that we will be concentrating on rehearsals for the Junctions project with the Tacet Ensemble. The newly commissioned compositions are nearing completion and our first gig will be on 29th November at the Komedia in Brighton. The format of these gigs will be a set each from us and the Tacet Ensemble plus performances of the four new compositions.
Published on September 29, 2008
Thanks to everyone who came to all our gigs this September. Sorry to anyone who we didn’t get near enough to! We do get some feedback telling us that we don’t get to many local areas on our tours – and we’re trying to get it right. You can also help out – if you don’t think we come close enough to you on our tours – get in touch with your local venues and promoters and ask them to book us!
Published on July 27, 2008
Oh yes! Now for a limited run of 500 you too can own a lovely shiny red vinyl disc of Spiers & Boden. It will be available from our online shop very soon as well as from gigs. The stock has just been received by our distributors at Proper and we’re very very excited. Jon is going to be trying out some melodeon hip-hop and John has not got a fruit bowl.
Published on July 23, 2008
We’ve just come back after playing 4 festival dates with Bellowhead culminating in a fantastic folk prom at the Royal Albert Hall (or Kensington Folk Club as Paul put it). If you didn’t see it on the BBC coverage you can do so here on the BBC iPlayer until Sunday 27th July. Bellowhead are also playing at Proms in the Park on 13th September along with José Carreras, Terry Wogan, Lesley Garrett, Aled Jones and most importantly Bjorn Again! If only celebrity squares was still going.
Published on June 6, 2008
We are pleased to announce that Terry O’Brien will be taking on all of our bookings. Current bookings taken under John Spiers should still contact him regarding those gigs. Terry’s contact details can now be found on the contacts page.
Published on June 4, 2008
Starting this month, the duo will begin several collaboration days with the Brighton based Tacet Ensemble to compose new music which will be performed at several concerts in December and January.
Published on May 31, 2008
The launch tour has finished after 3 weeks on the road. Thank you to everyone who came for making it such a success, and the album was launched on the 26th May. There were lots of high points on the tour and just the one low one when all us (including Faustus) had our stuff nicked from backstage at the Union Chapel. We’re currently working on September ‘08 and March/April ‘09 dates. Keep checking back to see where we’ll be coming or sign up to the mailing list here
Published on March 29, 2008
Some of you may be aware that there was a video of us playing Captain Ward for the BBC Glastonbury coverage last year. Well we’ve lost it! If anyone has any kind of video of this then we’d be very grateful for a copy. e-mail us here.
Published on March 29, 2008
Welcome to the new Spiers & Boden website – sit back and make yourself comfortable! Now you’re here you can have a good look round – join the mailing list, have a nose through the new links. If you find anything not working please contact the webmaster.
Published on March 26, 2008
We’re pleased to announce that we have signed a new deal with Navigator records and our next album, Vagabond will be released on that label in May 2008. We’re very excited to be part of this new project which include the likes of Lau, John McCusker, Mawkin:Causley and Heidi Talbot along with Bellowhead, Faustus and Benji.
Thanks to Tom at Navigator for making the transition so easy. We’d also like to thank Paul and Linda Adams at Fellside Records for our long and fruitful collaboration.
Published on December 1, 2007
We’ve finished our marathon touring period (see below) and will be taking some time out to work on new material and of course have a Christmas break. Keep watching here for news of a new album when we have some. Our next touring period will be in May 2008 – details will be posted on the tour dates page very soon.
Published on November 18, 2007
You can now talk on the brand new message board here – get chatting!
Published on September 21, 2007
Bellowhead have been chosen to succeed St. Etienne as the South Bank Centre’s new band in residence. More news will follow at www.bellowhead.co.uk
Published on September 16, 2007
It’s certainly a packed autumn for us. Having just finished a tour with Eliza Carthy’s Ratcatchers. We’ll be on the road with Bellowhead from the 21st to the 30th of September. Then the duo will be back on the road in October and November – see the tour dates page for full details
Published on July 1, 2007
We’ll be dashing around the country for the next month or two with Bellowhead and Eliza Carthy, but are touring again in the autumn. The gigs will be in October and November, check the tour dates to find a gig near you. In September we will be undertaking 2 tours – first with Eliza, then with Bellowhead – the highlight will be our special Bellowhead show at the Shepherds Bush Empire - for the first time in their history www.amazon.com will be selling tickets for this concert which will almost certainly be recorded for a live DVD.
Published on May 1, 2007
We’ve got 2 extra-special shows coming up in the next month to celebrate the coming of the summer. Starting off on the 16th at Norden Farm Arts Centre, Maidenhead where we’ll be doing some May songs and tunes to get you ready for the coming summer. Then we’re at the prestigious .Winchester Guildhall as part of the MayFest celebrations on Friday 18th. More details from the tour dates page
Published on January 3, 2007
The end of January sees us going back out on the road, firstly with Bellowhead (see the Feb tour dates here). Then in March we are on tour in England and you can find all the details here.
Published on January 3, 2007
Bellowhead have been shortlisted for the BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards. You can vote for your favourite act by clicking here or by phoning 08700 100 300. Voting closes on January 31st 2007.
Published on December 15, 2006
John & Jon have been nominated for the best duo category of the BBC Radio 2 folk awards for the 4th year running (they won in 2004 and 2006!). Bellowhead have been nominated for best group, best live act and best album for Burlesque. Bellowhead have also been nominated for the Critics poll album of the year in the 2007 Radio 3 Planets Award for world music.
Published on December 7, 2006
You can bid for the entire S&B back catalogue signed (including the Bellowhead ones if we can find all the members). It is in support of the Aplastic Anaemia Trust who have been giving Anna Esslemont of Uiscedwr a great amount of support in her fight against this rare disease. You can also bid for many other items donated by members of the folk community at www.spyboy.com
Published on December 1, 2006
Bellowhead played the edition of Later with Jools that was transmitted on 1st December 2006. Sharing the bill with such great support acts as Thom Yorke and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. You can see clips of us playing the show (and others) if you search for Bellowhead on www.youtube.com
Published on October 7, 2006
We’re back on the road again! Kicking off with the Loughborough Folk Festival on 13th Oct right through to the Red Lion Folk Club in Birmingham (BBC Radio 2 Folk Club of the Year 2006) on December 2nd – you can catch us somewhere near you … See the tour dates page.
Published on October 6, 2006
Bellowhead played a live version of Jordan on Radio 4’s popular show Loose Ends hosted by Ned Sherrin. You can listen to it again until Saturday 14th October.
Published on July 29, 2006
The Spiers & Boden gig at the WOMAD festival is going to be available to listen to for the forseeable future from the BBC Radio 3 World Music website.
Published on June 11, 2006
Burlesque – the 1st full Bellowhead album is released on 18th Septermber – pre-order your copies at the Spiers & Boden shop.
Published on May 18, 2006
Jon Boden’s debut solo album, Painted Lady was released on 15th May. You can pre-order the CD from our shop – click here . For full details and mp3 previews of some tracks visit www.jonboden.com. You will also be able to buy the album at our duo gigs on the May tour.
Published on February 7, 2006
At the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Spiers & Boden were presented with the award for best duo by Frank Skinner. “We’re absolutely delighted to win this award for the 2nd time in 3 years – thank you to everyone who came to our gigs last year.”
Published on November 1, 2005
12 year old web-genius, Ollie has created a video to go with the Prickle-Eye Bush. Click here to see it.