Tanglefoot

An outstanding five piece band from Canada who will amaze you with their music and stage presence. Tanglefoot are Steve Ritchie (vocals, guitar), Al Parrish (Bass, vocals), Terry Young (mandolin, guitar, tenor and five-string banjo, harmonica and whistle), Bryan Weirmier (keyboard), and the new 'guy' Sandra Swanell (Violin). Tanglefoot is indeed a thunderous live band, perhaps best known for their big vocal harmonies, but they are also a group of adept songwriters skilled at portraying the universally resonant elements of the Canadian experience. After more than twenty years, this Canadian roots institution is stronger than ever, with their double-barrel combination of deft songwriting and exhilarating performances.

Tanglefoot have a rompin', stompin', high-energy stage show that has conquered hearts, minds and won them many, many British fans. Since their first tour in 1998, their UK mailing list has grown and their audiences have swelled to capacity. They create a buzz wherever they go. Their music is high energy - original, but from the tradition - story songs, folklore, drama, fun, good humour. Robust vocals with tight harmonies, fiddle, double bass, guitars, piano, mandolin, whistles, banjo, harmonica.

Exciting singing with full-throated abandon, slick instrumentals and a ton of stage presence and wild enthusiasm - they give 100% and more! When they topped the bill on the final mainstage concert at Fylde Festival - following Kate Rusby and Eric Bogle - they brought the house down with a storming set that got two wild encores from a capacity crowd. In fact the audience wouldn't let the festival close until they'd had a second encore!

At Otley festival they did one mainstage concert and sold out of CDs immediately afterwards. Now there's an appreciative audience! Their fans, known affectionately as ‘footheads’, follow them avidly. They play festivals and concerts all across their native Canada and the USA, including New York's Lincoln Center, Bethlehem Musikfest (arguably the biggest music festival in the world with over a million and a quarter people visiting in nine days).

In the UK they've played folk venues and non-folk venues - from Nettlebed Folk Club to the Georgian Theatre Royal in Richmond, and from Bromyard Folk Festival to Grassington Arts Festival.

Tanglefoot have six CDs currently available and a new DVD. They are signed to Borealis, Canada's premier folk label, and their most recent CD is a live recording. They are currently preparing a new studio CD, and this one is to be recorded with a new band member. In January 2006, fiddler Terry Snider left the band, but he selected his own replacement - Sandra Swannell, known for her fine fiddling and flamboyant stage presence. This isn't the first time there's been a woman in the group, as Tanglefoot toured the UK with Erin standing in as pianist back in 1999, but it's the first time they've had a full-time female band member and they're all looking forward to the new on-stage dynamic. Tanglefoot continues from strength to strength.

Their forthcoming UK tours are September 2006 and mid- April to mid May 2007. Don't miss them!

“Simply one of the best live groups I have ever seen.” - Sheree Gillcrist, Music Bulletin.

“Superior musicians who are able to play with utter abandon and still achieve an exceptionally high musical standard... a genuinely super band of vigorous, head-shaking, hair-tossing wildmen.” - Stephen Pedersen Halifax Herald, Nova Scotia.

“Strong songwriting, a crowd-pleasing bundle of talent and energy... the kind that gives folk music a good name.” - Nancy White, The Toronto Star