Stornoway have a bit of a history with FFS. Around the time of their first album we became a little frustrated with their insistence that they were not a folk band. We wrote our review of the record as an open letter. Don’t shy away from being folk music, we said. Folk was undeniably...
Oxford folk act Stornoway have warmed the hearts of folk lovers since the release of their debut album, Beachcomber’s Windowsill, in 2010, their haunting and jaunty songs striking a chord with fans. They release their second album, Tales from Terra Firma, on March 11th. We caught up with instrumentalist Jon Ouin (strings and keyboards) and found out...
Win tickets & albums by the Leisure Society, Stornoway, Ellen and the Escapades, The Travelling Band and Eliza Carthy
Previous experience has taught me that the addition of anything resembling a string section to a live show can only ever be a very good thing. In fact, just a single violin can do the trick, and luckily for me, and the rest of the sold-out audience filling Cambridge’s Junction tonight, the latter is...
As an Isle of Wight native, I’ve seen Bestival grow from a small, sparky young thing in 2004 to the vast, fiery dragon it is today. I worried that my favourite festival was about to grow so big that it would collapse in on itself, like a soufflé. Thankfully, a new site layout meant...
Brian’s been a bit quiet of late, largely because when he gets really excited his wings start quivering and he can’t type. What happened was, he realised it was June and that it was about to be Glastonbury, and his feathers were no longer under his control. The lucky fellow doesn’t even have to...
Dear Stornoway, I feel we owe you an apology of sorts. You see, I have been tasked with writing a review of your wonderful debut album Beachcomber’s Windowsill for a certain folk music website. It sort of makes sense, I suppose – Beachcomber’s Windowsill is one of the folkiest albums released yet this year....
Last Thursday saw the brilliantly modest Stornoway take to the stage to play a sold out gig at London’s ULU. Without fanfare they quietly assembled before our eyes amid a collection of tassled floorlamps, and began to create beautiful music for our ears. Sighs of relief were felt all round when singer Brian Biggs...
With their debut album Beachcomber’s Windowsill to be released on May 24th, Stornoway are set to play three special gigs at the A1 Pool Hall in Oxford. They say the night will be “no electricity, no history – just a run-down pool club, candles, beer and the album played live and completely unplugged”. The...
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