Feast of Fiddles will set out on their 31st annual tour in 2026 – and a Milton Keynes date will feature.
Two storming performances at the New Forest Folk Festival and Fairport’s Cropredy Convention in 2024 promoted what has become their 8th recording and another live offering at that. This upcoming tour will continue its promotion.
Born in Nettlebed on Valentine’s Day 1994 as a one-off special concert, Feast of Fiddles is a band of friends that puts on a show of huge dynamic range performed with passion, joy and a liberal dose of fun.
This year fiddlers Phil Beer (Show of Hands), Garry Blakeley (Band of Two), Marion Fleetwood (Trad Arr, Sandy Denny Project), Mark Jolley (Banter), Tom Leary (Joe Brown) and Simon Swarbrick (Merry Hell) bring a large range of fiddle playing styles to the rock back-line – all held together by legendary drummer Dave Mattacks.
It’s not unheard of for past alumni to make guest appearances along the way, either. This is a live music entertainment like no other on the circuit which is guaranteed to be enjoyed by even the most doubting of friends dragged along!
“We’ve had a sad year following the tragic death of Ian Cutler in June and the retirement of Brian McNeill at the end of the spring tour. But, we go on!” said Hugh Crabtree who originally got the band together in 1994.
“Mark Jolley, who covered for Ian two years ago has joined the band and an ever-reliable alumnus – Phil Beer will also join us for most of the tour.”
Feast of Fiddles will play The Stables at Wavendon on Tuesday, March 3.
Photo: Wandering River Photography Stephen Stoddart
