Bellowhead - Great way to end a year!

****1/2 

A great way to see the new year in!

Bellowhead ****1/2 are famed for keeping, if not reinvigorating, the British Folk tradition alive. What is more traditional and British than a good old party to celebrate the end of one year and the start of the next. We were pleased to be in Bellowhead’s company in the Colston Hall in Bristol to do just that. One I admit this reviewer had been hoping to go to since I saw it advertised last time they played the venue in November 2012. 

The evening was broken into two sets by Bellowhead and supporting events throughout the building. Their first set kicking saw the vast majority of those present swell into the main hall shortly followed by quite a large number of the band too, I always wonder how they managed on the way up playing smaller venue, but back to tonight.

This set was a traditional Bellowhead set comprising most of their tunes that have brought them success these past few years. In a moment of solidarity for the M4 corridor there was a cheer for Swindon where the well received tune ‘Betsy Baker’ originated. This was shortly followed by probably my favourite of their offerings ’10,000 Miles Away’ the crowd really start to dance this party night away. ‘Jack Robinson’ caused mass participation in the form of clap along too. 

A then they play a non album track that I confess to being less familiar with ‘Unclothed nocturnal manuscript Crisis’ was certainly an interesting one in that it sounds like 70’s Funk mixed with a very Bristol friendly sea shanty. It almost sounded like it was going to morph into ‘Shaft’ at one point, but more on unexpected cover versions later. The first set due to a close all too song and they gave us one last airing for the year of ‘Christmas Bell’ which included one lone bell at the end causing a bit of a giggle amongst the crowd. 

The second set kicked off about 11.30pm all ready for the big moment at midnight. Now I think anybody who has seen Bellowhead would agree they like to have fun while playing, this sense of fun certainly showed in that we had Elvis on squeeze box and Batman on tuba amongst other costumes. They opened with ‘Disco 2000’, yes really the one by Pulp. Shortly before midnight they announced they would play ‘A traditional Folk song from Norway’ which turned out to be the ever so popular ‘Take on Me' by A-Ha. 

Midnight came following the countdown to a glitter cannon and what else but a massed version of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ and that was it we were now partying in 2014. They went back to Bellowhead songs with ‘Whisky Oh, Roll the woodpile Down’ and the live favourite ‘Frogs legs and dragons Teeth’. Two encores including ‘New York Girls' and 'London Town' to finish things off saw a wonderful evening come to a close Jon Boden with a glass of champagne in his hand and his band around him. It looks like he enjoyed almost as much as I did and I can't think a better way to spend new years than this.

Review and Photo's by Jon Cooper

Check Out! the Video for '10,000 Miles Away' Below...