Eliza Carthy

The Ratcatchers are:- John Boden (fiddle, singing, double bass, guitar, concertina, percussion); Ben Ivitsky (viola, singing, guitar, low whistle, hurdy-gurdy); John Spiers (melodeon, singing, one-row accordion, bandoneon)

Yorkshire-born and now Edinburgh-based, Eliza Carthy grew up immersed in the world of traditional music. She divides her time between touring and recording with her legendary parents, Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson and numerous pioneering solo and band projects. The more traditional aspect of her musical career includes her collaboration with The Ratcatchers. The band includes the celebrated young English music pioneers (and founder members of Bellowhead) John Spiers and Jon Boden, who “are halfway to reinventing the English style without even realising it” (Froots). Take this already powerful collection and add to it ex-Peatbog Faerie member, producer, guitarist and viola player, Ben Ivitsky and you have the ingredients for a breathtaking foot-stomping night of traditional English music at its very best.

Eliza’s most recent solo album Rough Music features the members of the band and is the latest, stunning addition to an incredible career that includes two Mercury Music Prize nominations, an unrivalled seven BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, festival appearances worldwide, and collaborations with the likes of Joan Baez, Paul Weller, Cerys Matthews and Elvis Costello.