Thurs 23 Oct | Blowzabella

Blowzabella’s first ever visit to Dorchester! They’ll be playing for dancing but if you just want to come and listen, that’s fine too. The band will be playing songs and tunes from across their colourful 47 year history. For those who prefer to sit and listen there will be some seating available. If you have a mobility problem, please talk to a member of staff when you arrive and we’ll make sure you get a seat. 

Blowzabella is a genuinely unique band that makes an inimitable, driving, drone-based wall-of-sound played with a fabulous sense of melody, rhythmic expertise and sheer feeling They compose their own music which is influenced by English and European traditional folk music and song – a shared culture with ancient roots.

Andy Cutting                     – diatonic button accordion; 

Jo Freya                               – vocals, saxophones, clarinet;

Paul James                        – vocals, bagpipes, saxophones;

Benoit Michaud               – hurdy-gurdy;

David Shepherd              – violin;

Barn Stradling                  – bass guitar;

Jon Swayne                       – bagpipes, saxophones. 

Many of their tunes are “standards” in the modern British/European folk repertoire and are played by people all over the world. Bands across Europe who experiment with folk music often cite Blowzabella as a major influence. Much loved and respected, there is no one else quite like them.