The A69 Band

Windswept, bleak and craggy, the A69 is the moorland road that links the Norh West and the North East of England. Equally craggy, occasionally windswept, anything but bleak, the A69 Band performs the same trick, but musically.

Joe Crane (fiddle and uilleann pipes), originally from Sligo, now lives in Newcastle while Hugh O’Donnell (fiddle and mandolin), originally Dublin, now resides in Preston, as do Neil Brook (hurdy-gurdy and bouzouki) and Tom Walsh (accordion and vocals), origins various.

Their repertoire is drawn from both regions, leavened with the tradition of the local Irish communities (and occasional surprises from all over Europe). These hardy perennials have been the life and soul of the Fylde Festival from its early years, always bringing a warm feeling of conviviality to the festival, not only for the rousing music and songs they dish out for hours, but also because they encourage others to contribute to the sessions they run.

Get there early to be sure of catching their unique renditions of classics such as “Sir Sydney Smith’s March to the Midden” and “Waves of Nausea”.