THE DESTROYERS
Originally conceived as the rogue offspring of legendary Birmingham basement jam sessions, The Destroyers have grown to become the exemplar of Megafolk, with a truly unique sound that is "absolutely the finest 'take' on the whole mix of Eastern music and Western culture" (Continental Drifts).
The Destroyers have been consistently knocking the socks off of audiences at clubs, festivals and arts centres, accumulating a diverse fanbase and earning places on major stages at UK festivals such as Cambridge Folk Festival, Glastonbury and Boomtown Fair plus appearances on Sky Arts TV, and BBC Radio 2, 3 and 6. They have had the honour of being invited to play at major international events in Warsaw, Bern, Pennabilli and Waterford, and are currently promoting a new album titled "The Massive Gong".
During a period spent busily biding their time with writing, touring, recording EPs and making videos, The Destroyers have been honing their craft to distil the fervour of a live performance into an album bursting with creative energy.
Complete with original songs and instrumentals plus inventive arrangements of traditional songs and dance tunes, the Massive Gong will take you from the banks of Spey, to the theatres of Saratov via the streets of Sofia with a tongue in the cheek of Broadway. There is music of the most tender sentiment, through to dance anthems and on to pummelling thrash metal annihilation.
The Destroyers' live show inspires awe with music of explosive vitality; virtuosic but wildly chaotic, effortlessly eclectic, often dark, sometimes outright silly. Much like a massive gong.
Lemez Lovas | Songlines
"And so, out of the inane cavalcade of Balkan Gypsy sound-alikes comes a blow-your-mind original... Minimum pretence and maximum style"
Steve Lamacq | BBC 6Music
"The sort of rogues who would take you out for a night, fill you full of mead, strip you to your
underwear and then tie you to a lamp-post."
Stereokill
“You owe it to the primal, uninhibited part of yourself to experience the frenetic glory of their live show”
AGBEKO
Drawing their inspiration and energy from the golden age of 1970s' Nigerian, Ghanaian and Ethiopian dancefloors, AGBEKO command a wealth of powerful sing-along originals and unique arrangements of afrobeat and ethiojazz rarities. Expect punchy horns, choppy guitars and wailing organs, all underpinned by a powerful groove, infectious enthusiasm and a healthy dose of sub-standard dancing.
Since their formation in 2015, AGBEKO have enjoyed enthusiastically received performances at festivals including Secret Garden Party, Green Man, Kendal Calling, Tramlines and at the Manchester Jazz Festival. Airplay on US online radio shows followed, along with plans next summer for their first foray onto mainland Europe. They are currently working towards the release of their first record in early 2017.