Liked this loads – sounds like the celtarabia rhythm section for more info – check out www.airtist-music.com
Author: Quentin Budworth
Quentin Budworth is a hurdy-gurdy virtuoso, composer, and award-winning filmmaker, blending European folk traditions with drone music, while cycling the Highlands, indulging in cheese, and leading bands Celtarabia and Agent Starling.
Author: The Secret Life of the Hurdy-Gurdy - Field Notes On Playing
https://quentinbudworthmusic.com/book/
What festival organisers say about Celtarabia
Celtarabia have played at Dogs in Space in both their ‘sound system’ and ‘unplugged’ formats a number of times over the years and have gone down a storm every time!
Unplugged, they breathe fresh air into traditional and ancient folk tunes, combining skilled musicianship on instruments rarely heard with strong vocals and a brilliant sense of humour, to produce a set that has the audience dancing right from the word go.
In their sound system format, they go one step further, taking a traditional folk/dance sound as a starting point and skilfully augmenting that with solid trance and dub beats and basslines, bleeps and sequencing to produce a truly unique ‘sound’ that gets even the most dyed in the wool technoheads up and dancing to what is essentially, dance music from a forgotten time!
‘Electro folk’, ‘medieval techno’, call them what you like but these skilled exponents of ancient instruments and music are genuinely a pleasure to work with and to behold.
Unplugged, they breathe fresh air into traditional and ancient folk tunes, combining skilled musicianship on instruments rarely heard with strong vocals and a brilliant sense of humour, to produce a set that has the audience dancing right from the word go.
In their sound system format, they go one step further, taking a traditional folk/dance sound as a starting point and skilfully augmenting that with solid trance and dub beats and basslines, bleeps and sequencing to produce a truly unique ‘sound’ that gets even the most dyed in the wool technoheads up and dancing to what is essentially, dance music from a forgotten time!
‘Electro folk’, ‘medieval techno’, call them what you like but these skilled exponents of ancient instruments and music are genuinely a pleasure to work with and to behold.
Michael Dog
Programmer of Dogs in Space,
Solfest, Cumbria
Celtarabia Unplugged – The magical combination of hurdy gurdy and hammered dulcimer brought together by two inspired musicians Quentin & Amanda creates a spell-binding aural feast that provides the missing link between medieval and contemporary cutting edge dance music. Great audience rapport coupled with fine musicianship and music that has wide genre-crossing appeal gives this duo an appeal that will ensure they go from strength to strength as they build on the firm foundations they established many years back with the excellent full band Celtarabia.
Jim McLaughlin
Artistic Director,
Musicport
They are playing our tune
Birmingham band ‘The Destroyers’ are playing one of our tunes on their new album ‘Hole In The Universe’ to be released in Spring 2012. They have ve put up a 40 second taster of it over on their Pledge Music site, where they are raising money to release said new album.
Arid Land a tune that I wrote for our first album has had a serious make over you can hear some of it here
http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/thedestroyers
Check it out – it’s a really interesting take on Arid Land
Celtarabia – a poem used as an introduction by Adrian Spendlow
Celtarabia.
Dynamic – complex
(where) East & West clash
Analogue & digital
Ancient & Modern
In yer face – Subtle
Hammer n Hurdy
Sweaty – No mercy
Stunning musicianship
Did I say stunning – Yes!
Stonking good dance
Throat grabbing – Hypnotic;
Vocals entrance
This is the culture
Of audio
Calling you
Get ready to party
Bop
Like an egg in a boine
Ancient voices
Call us from inside
Call us for – The Ride
Dr Q and his cohort,
Hurdy n hammer,
Out feet and our heart
Kick off with The Chanter
Dance is our mantra
Lose yourself with no fear
Celtarabia.
Dynamic – complex
(where) East & West clash
Analogue & digital
Ancient & Modern
In yer face – Subtle
Hammer n Hurdy
Sweaty – No mercy
Stunning musicianship
Did I say stunning – Yes!
Stonking good dance
Throat grabbing – Hypnotic;
Vocals entrance
This is the culture
Of audio
Calling you
Get ready to party
Bop
Like an egg in a boine
Ancient voices
Call us from inside
Call us for – The Ride
Dr Q and his cohort,
Hurdy n hammer,
Out feet and our heart
Kick off with The Chanter
Dance is our mantra
Lose yourself with no fear
Celtarabia.
You can find out about Adrian Spendlow and read more of Adrian’s poetry at his website www.adrianspendlow.co.uk
Celtarabia live at Pave, Hull November 17th
Exciting news Celtarabia have a special gig coming up – the full band are playing live at Pave on Prince’s Avenue, Hull on November 17th tickets are only £5.00 and a full on and fantastic night is inevitable. Quentin and Amanda will be joined by Steve Wright on Didjeridu, Mark Chillington on Kit Drums and a number of very special guests. Tickets can be bought on the door we’re looking forward to it and hope to see loads of friends and Celtarabia fans for a great night.
Solfest
Solfest was amazing , The Club Dog tent a joy and the vibe amazing – We had really lovely gigs one for the sound system and one as the unplugged duo. A top time met loads of old friend and made some new ones special mentions to Michael S, Len, DJ Axis all the the VJs in the tent Dom the sound man and the irrepressible Taffy Thomas. Here is the photo I took of Mandi and I playing the Celtarabia unplugged set the photo was taken by me, from the stage – with crowd in the background waving before the final encore, we had a top time at Solfest with brilliant audiences and an amazing response. Many thanks to everyone who came and said hello after the show and around the site.
Musicport Bridlington 2011
Celtarabia unplugged are to play Musicport festival during the day on the 5th of November timings are:
12-12.45 North Sea Stage
Celtarabia Warm Up Gigs In Hull Ssshhhh……
We are playing a couple of low key warm up gigs at The Laundry on Princes Avenue in Hull they will be taking place from 9pm on the following dates:
August 8th
August 11th
You are more than welcome to pop along
Solfest
Solfest 2011 brings the 8th installment of the nation’s local festival. Founded in 2003 by a group of volunteers dedicated to festivals and to Cumbria; Solfest has returned each year and grown to include 5 great stages, showcasing local as well as national talent.
An amazing festival we are playing in ‘The Dogs In Space’ tent. Appearance timings:
CELTARABIA SOUNDSYSTEM Friday night/Saturday morning, (early hours of Saturday August 27th) 2am-3.30am.
CELTARABIA UNPLUGGED
Saturday August 27th, 6.30pm-8pm.
Celtarabia play Tribfest
For the full story follow this link
http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/Folkies-Tribfest-alongside-pop-impersonators/story-13067439-detail/story.html
– but in brief we are playing at Trib Fest alongside loads of Pop impersonators – should be good fun it’s being held near Tickton, east Yorks saturday 20th August performance times 6.45-7.15pm
More about Tribfest:
Description
Tribfest is the summers biggest tribute music festival in East Yorkshire, probably Europe, now in its 5th year!
This year’s festival will be held at The Beverley Polo Club, Tickton (Near Beverley) 7 Miles from Hull on the 19th, 20th and 21st August 2011The idea of Tribfest is to enable families to enjoy an affordable, fantastic, fun weekend away, meeting fellow festival friends old and new, whilst listening to some great live music. Who will be performing on a stage of high quality with big screens and top sound and lighting to accompany this.This year we have booked 18 top tribute bands on the main stage with another 17 in the VIP marquee 18 in the Rock Marquee and 18 in the Folk Marquee along with our Tribbyoake Marquee, Dance Marquee, Silent Disco Marquee and lots lots more. All bands are chosen specifically to cover a wide range of age groups so at least everyone knows some of the music, or better still all of it! We also have various marquees around the site with lots to do. Lookalikes, VIP area/bar, main bar, local bands, kid zone, trade stands – food and non food. Plus camping is free with your weekend pass!
This year’s festival will be held at The Beverley Polo Club, Tickton (Near Beverley) 7 Miles from Hull on the 19th, 20th and 21st August 2011The idea of Tribfest is to enable families to enjoy an affordable, fantastic, fun weekend away, meeting fellow festival friends old and new, whilst listening to some great live music. Who will be performing on a stage of high quality with big screens and top sound and lighting to accompany this.This year we have booked 18 top tribute bands on the main stage with another 17 in the VIP marquee 18 in the Rock Marquee and 18 in the Folk Marquee along with our Tribbyoake Marquee, Dance Marquee, Silent Disco Marquee and lots lots more. All bands are chosen specifically to cover a wide range of age groups so at least everyone knows some of the music, or better still all of it! We also have various marquees around the site with lots to do. Lookalikes, VIP area/bar, main bar, local bands, kid zone, trade stands – food and non food. Plus camping is free with your weekend pass!
All the regular services you would find at any other major festival are provided, toilets, showers, electrical hook ups, first aid, top security and fun friendly staff.
Tribfest has already made some big waves having been nominated for 4 UK Festival Awards in 200/09/10.
Best Toilets, Best Small Festival, Best Family Festival.
Tribfest has a capacity of 5,000 so it doesn’t get overcrowded like some of the other festivals, but has achieved great acclaim in such a short space of time.
Our aim is to make your stay a memorable one so you will keep coming back year after year.
So become a part of something great this summer and buy your tickets today!
Celtarabia 