Bellowhead exploded onto the festival scene and fast became one of the most talked about bands on the contemporary folk circuit. Formed in 2004 by Spiers & Boden to headline the first Oxford Folk Festival.
Their material is steeped in English folk traditions but the feel is exciting, intoxicating, slightly sinister and deeply funky. Self-released demo, E.P. Onymous was put out in October 2004 just to sell at gigs & made the folk charts.
Their ranks swelled to eleven with the addition of Gideon Juckes on sousaphone to provide more bass to their sound. Their first studio album Burlesque was released in October 2006 to rave reviews.
Bellowhead were appointed Band in Residence at Southbank Centre in London and kicked off on 18 December 2007 with "Bellowhead’s Christmas Revels." In late 2007 Giles Lewin was replaced by Sam Sweeney of Kerfuffle.
BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
2008 Best Live Act
2007 Best Live Act, Best Band
2005 Best Live Act
BBC Radio 3 World Music Critics’ Award
2005 Burlesque (Shortlisted)