Park Bench Social Club
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Park Bench Social Club

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Press


"Celtic Festival of Wales"

"I have a rule never to book new young bands and I recommend you follow it....except....BOOK THESE NOW - SENSATIONAL!" - Derek Smith - Director


"Spiral Earth Album Review"

"All I know is this melting pot of an album is about as catchy as music can get. There's a grittiness to this sound that's exhilarating and a passion driving these boys that's simply infectious." - David Kusher


"fRoots review 2007"

"Sit on This" strikes a good balance between tunes and songs (amazing vocals from Aidan Curran) this is a brilliant first stab , making a formidable impression and having great fun in the process"

- David Kidman


"Celts in the Cotswolds"

"From the first note The Park Bench Social Club held the audience spellbound. The skill of these young musicians amazed everyone - from the gentler songs to the foot-stomping jigs and reels, their performance was flawless. The Bench are a fresh new talent with an eclectic mixture of styles ... definitely a band with a great future."
- Sue Finlay - Director


"Bridgwater Mercury"

PARK Bench Social Club dazzled the Bridgwater Arts Centre on Friday (February 29) with a sumptuous array of up-beat folk songs leaving the packed out audience in awe of their performance.

The Newcastle-based three-piece, consisting of award-winning Scottish fiddler Ross Couper, Canadian guitar and mandolin expert Aiden Curran and local-born Bhodran player Will Lang, looked relaxed and assured throughout, unleashing their prominent set list with an abundance of confidence.

The group opened with Isis, a slow, sombre yet splendid Celtic shanty that more than set the standard for the rest of the show and to which immediately grabbed the audiences' attention, prompting their never-waning interaction throughout.

While the band works with together with fluidity and obvious enjoyment, the star of the show was Couper, whose exceptional performance on the fiddle was a joy to behold and more than justified his BBC Radio 2 Young Folk award whilst with the band Bodega.

Most of the songs are focused around his breathtaking talent and it is quite unbelievable how a three-piece can create music so layered, epic and full of depth.

PBSC made sure the audience never grew tired with humorous interaction between songs, though there was never any doubt that the music produced on the night did more than enough to keep the arts centre audience compelled and fixed on the performance.
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The juxtaposition between instrumental and vocal-lead songs was a refreshing masterstroke, combining heartfelt lyrical shanties with rich, melodic instrumentals.

Songs such as KWX, On the Edge, the top-40 chart standard Gone and, my personal favourite, Old Chuckles, showcased their huge potential as a band we could all be hearing about in the not too distant future.

If you didn't catch Park Bench Social Club on Friday night, you have missed out on something special. However, I am more than certain we will be hearing a lot more from these guys very soon. - Rory McKeown


Discography

'Sit on This' feat Eliza Carthy- PBSC Records, 2007

Photos

Bio

PBSC are currently booking taking enquiries for:
UK tour November 2008
Austalia tour 2009

WILL LANG,

described as one of the best young Bodhran players on the scene, has gained wide spread recognition from being a past All-Britain Champion, All-Ireland Finalist and founder member of the ’BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards 2004/2005’ finalists Chillum. In addition to being in high demand on the folk circuit Will has aroused considerable interest from world musicians due to his unique Bhangra Bodhran style and has played with Mercury Music Award winning Nitin Sawhney. Will’s unique approach helps create the genre-defying style of the band.

AIDAN CURRAN,

on guitar, mandolin and vocals, brings a background in bluegrass and blues to the mix. A founder member of Canadian band The Rock Island Ramblers, Aidan has played with “folk royalty” Eliza Carthy and been a member of a number of bands all with terrific live reputations and it this experience that makes him such a confident and exciting player much in demand for his instrumental virtuosity and amazing voice

ROSS COUPER

Is one of the U.K. folk scene’s most sought after musicians who counts Young Shetland Traditional Fiddler of the Year among his personal accolades, he was also winner of the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards (as part of the band Bodega). Ross hails from the Shetland Islands bringing with him a huge range of influences, from the strong Shetland fiddle tradition to Jazz and country. Ross’s astonishing energy and dynamic approach to performing sets him apart from his peers.

TOM WRIGHT

PBSC are now joined by the super talented, multi-instrumentalist Tom Wright. Tom recorded, co-produced and engineered 'Sit on This', the debut PBSC Album. Tom's fresh approach to building and accompanying roots music, teamed with will driving drum lines makes for rhythm section second to none.

The Big Band Boys.......

JASON SINGH

Jason Singh is an International DJ, Beatboxer, Workshop Facilitator, Composer and Visual Artist. He DJ’s extensively and has performed in Europe, India and Australia and plays a mixture of genres including Electronica, Hip Hop, World, Asian Breakbeat, Reggae, House, Funk and Drum and Bass to name a few. As a beatboxer, he has recently toured India working with various musicians, individuals and media organisations to promote beatboxing as an art form. Jason has also exhibited his beatboxing skills in Theatre productions, festivals, club nights, radio, television, poetry events and art galleries around the world.

MC CRYSTALISE

Crystalize was initiated in to the UK MC family in the late 80s early 90s were he served time & paid dues on community radio and in local gigs; Dj’ing & MC’ing, to perfect the fastest growing art of its time (MC’ing) in the newly born UK Jungle scene (the father of drum & bass) in the following years he then joined Subliminal Darkness, one of MCR's
first hip hop families. They released various singles & mix tapes on the underground scene (Crystalize see's this time served as ''MC University'') and is now currently on a tour of MC duty up and down the UK representing Zion Arts Centre and delivering MC workshop for young people in order to empower young people through music with life skills, at the same time collaborating with very different art forms & artist in creating his brand new solo album, ''Immunisable'' which creates stories of the war between ''keeping it real” and ''makin’ it''