Kerfuffle and Video

Tuesday, 05 February 2008

Kerfuffle have been rapidly growing in popularity and after hearing their last album, Links, you can understand why. They tackle traditional music in a fantastic and original style that makes them a great live act to see...With a new album due out soon I can only guess at what new sounds they will bring to us for 2008. Definately one to watch for...be sure to check their gig dates

Video

Twisted Bridge: Main Stage

Biography:

Photo by Matt Keal

Kerfuffle began, oddly enough, in the foyer of the Derby Assembly Rooms. Hannah James was a 13-year-old accordionist and singer, performing in a competition for young folk musicians called In The Tradition. Sam had won this the previous year, and was in the audience. Later, in the foyer, Tom, Sam and Hannah played tunes. Sam was looking to return to another competition he had previously won, and wanted to form a band to do so. In the spring of 2002, the three young musicians did just that, and won the Wiltshire Folk Association Young Folk Award. Realising they were onto something, they decided to look for a fourth member to fill out their sound. This final piece fell into place when Hannah introduced the brothers to Chris Thornton-Smith, a guitarist from Rotherham who she knew through folk clubs. Kerfuffle was complete.
A hastily recorded demo was circulated, and folk club support slots followed. Combined with the appearance at Trowbridge Village Pump Festival (their prize from the WFA), the year was busy.

In the spring of 2003, Kerfuffle recorded their debut album. Not to Scale was recorded by the renowned musician and producer Steafan Hannigan in Spring 2003 and released to great acclaim in the summer of that year.

Not to Scale was launched at the first Festival of the Peak. On a gloriously sunny Friday evening in June, on a stage in front of Carsington Reservoir in the Peak District, Kerfuffle took the festival by storm.

Summer 2003 also included an appearance at Sidmouth International Festival, including a slot on the Arena Stage.

In Spring 2004, Kerfuffle returned to the studio. That said, living room would be more accurate; K2 was recorded by guitarist Chris Thornton-Smith and produced by the band. Released later that year, it was critically acclaimed.

The summer saw Kerfuffle play high-profile festivals including Towersey Village Festival (main stage support to Flook), Show of Hands' summer outdoor concert at Abbotsbury, and Priddy Festival.

In December 2004, Kerfuffle were finalists in the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award, held at the Union Chapel, Islington. This would turn out to be the first of three trips to the capital in a 10-month period.

In the spring of 2005, Kerfuffle recorded a live session for BBC Radio 3's "Late Junction" at Broadcasting House. The programme's presenters, Fiona Talkington and Verity Sharp, were already big fans of the band, having played K2 several times.

Summer festivals included Cleethorpes, Middlewich, Saddleworth and Bromyard.
Later that year, the band played two nights in the bar of the Linbury Theatre, a 400-seat studio theatre directly underneath the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden.

By this point, the recording of Links had begun. Recording with Chris allowed the band the freedom to make the album more slowly, and it was pieced together over the winter and spring of 2005/6. Released in February 2006, Links was Kerfuffle's most ambitious album to date.

Kerfuffle's return to the Festival of the Peak saw them fill in for an absent act on the main stage at short notice and to considerable success. That summer also saw Hannah and Tom juggle appearances at Brampton Live, Festival at the Edge and Bromyard with taking their A-Levels and applying to university. In September, Tom went to study Philosophy at the University of Leeds, whilst Hannah is studying Folk and Traditional Music at Newcastle University.

In the autumn of 2006, it became clear that Chris no longer had the time to devote to Kerfuffle; ever more successful as a sound engineer, Chris's Blast PA Systems was in demand. After an amicable discussion, the band decided to seek a replacement guitarist. Chris still sees the band on the circuit, and plays with them on occasion - its all friendly!

Chris played his last gigs with Kerfuffle in February 2007; a home gig for Sam and Tom at Loughborough Grammar School, a magnificent appearance supporting Lunasa at the Victoria Hall in Saltaire, and a farewell performance at a folk club near Chesterfield.

New guitarist Jamie Roberts, a graduate of the Leeds College of Music, played his first gig at Handley Village Festival in June 2007; an exciting, unconventional guitarist and an accomplished musician, Jamie adds a new dimension to Kerfuffle's performances.

Get the latest news and gig dates here: http://www.kerfuffleonline.co.uk