Full steam ahead

Leading ceilidh band Steamchicken play Arlington tonight (Friday)

The remarkable album ‘Look Both Ways’, was a sharp turn left for one of the country’s leading ceilidh bands STEAMCHICKEN. A conflation of British and Greek folk forms, musical theatre, jazz and soul, astonished critics and delighted audiences, with a sell-out tours of Boomtown, Stainsby, Warwick and Sidmouth festivals.

They are now on their first major tour - a cornucopia of instrumental virtuosity, a tight rhythm section, four horns and, of course, the unique vocal style that Amy Kakoura brings. Exciting, beautiful, majestic, powerful, playful, funny and always entertaining.

Steamchicken is Ted Crum (harmonica - Peeping Tom, Somerville Gents) and his sons, Matt (sop sax - Demon Barber XL) and Joe (drums), with Tim Yates (bass - Sweet Visitor Band, Blackbeard’s Tea Party, Shake the Chains, Albion Band) the latter three ex-the QP. Katy Oliver (trumpet - Just Say Nay) was found in a pub. Like Ted, Mandy Sutton (tenor sax) is a refugee from Chinewrde Morris, as is her husband, playwright and co-founder Andrew Sharpe (keys), who met Amy Kakoura (vocals) when they co-wrote the musical Songs from a Ledge featuring music therapist Becky Eden Green (clarinet, alto sax, BVs- Brightside Music) who was at Uni with Matt and in Sciorr Staged with Matt, Tim and Joe.

Catch them at Arlington Arts tonight

Show 8pm Tickets £12 Tel. 01635 244246 www.arlingtonarts.co.uk