Travelling Band

[Bingers (Chris)]

Strange the only act yet to get their own thread is The Travelling Band. Mind you I thought they were better at the Radio Oxford tent and also better last time they were on the main stage. Their set this time just seemed to pass me by without me really noticing it  

[Wardi]

Thanks for bringing them up Chris.  One of my top 3 bands of the weekend, a lovely mix of old & new material very well played and sung.  They did seem to love and appreciate being there, the sound was excellent too.  Apart from their Cropredy appearances I've also seen them perform well in a pub, club and at a House Concert where they played to 50 people in a cottage in York!  My only minor gripe is that I feel (IMHO) that they should have been further up the pecking order.  Nice bunch of guys.

[Bingers (Chris)]

They came across very well when I listened back to their interview on Radio Oxford and I loved them last time they were at Cropredy (bought the CD etc) but, as I said, they passed me by a little unnoticed this time...maybe I was fixated on something else at the time (the bar or the food most probably   )

[Andy]

I had the distinct impression this was a different band with the same name as the last time "they" appeared at Cropredy. I don't know how many were left from that occasion, but a rather different sound.

[Bingers (Chris)]

I had the distinct impression this was a different band with the same name as the last time "they" appeared at Cropredy. I don't know how manywere left from that occasion, but a rather different sound.

Aah that would explain it

[Yorkshire Chris]

Yeah, they've lost 3 of the original band members, Steve 'Snaf" Ballinger (vocals, guitars, keys), Steve 'Mugger' Mullen (lead guitar) and Chris 'Spenny' Spencer (bass guitar). It was detailed in this year's programme - something about difficulties arising whilst recording their 2017 album 'Sails' - this from musicglue.com:


"The Travelling Band have announced their forthcoming album, SAILS, due 25th August 2017 via Sideways Saloon Records/Kartel. Focused around the songwriting talents and production skills of Jo Dudderidge and Adam Gorman and the rhythmic driving force of enigmatic drummer Nick Vaal. Beneath the surface of the rockier exterior and beautifully woven string and horn textures, the album’s unexpected darker lyrical themes and noir-esque approach reveal a band navigating stormy waters as personal and relationship issues began to emerge after ten years of hard-hitting life on the road. Two of the five remaining founding members jumped ship during the album’s turbulent recording process, and an album that was essentially recorded live ended up taking a further twelve months to complete".

Really liked them at Cropredy back in 2014. Didn't get to see them this year as we only made the Saturday.

[Nick Reg]

I had the distinct impression this was a different band with the same name as the last time "they" appeared at Cropredy. I don't know how manywere left from that occasion, but a rather different sound.

Three have been there for a while , and the multi instrumentalist was in the band for Skeggy two years ago. One of those down as leaving left before they were known ie ages ago. I thought they were great.

[Will S]

They started well, I thought, for the first couple of songs, but then slipped into fairly standard stuff that didn't really do it for me.

[Tim Fletcher]

No complaints from here - and not sure the lineup changes made too much difference, apart from having the “oooeee, oooeee” bits on Sundial played on the violin rather than sung. I suspect they aren’t going  to have the same impact they did on their first visit, but always welcome.

[Col D]

Yeah, they've lost 3 of the original band members, Steve 'Snaf" Ballinger (vocals, guitars, keys), Steve 'Mugger' Mullen (lead guitar) and Chris 'Spenny' Spencer (bass guitar). It was detailed in this year's programme - something about difficulties arising whilst recording their 2017 album 'Sails' - this from musicglue.com:

Snaf left before the recording of the second album, so well before their first Cropredy appearance. Of the line-up that played in 2011 and 2014 Jo, Adam and Nick are still there. Mugger left in 2015 and Spenny a year later, both reached the point where they could no longer reconcile their personal and working lives with the band's schedule. That almost finished the band, they came pretty close to calling it a day at that point, it was only the fact they had the Sails album in the can that gave them a reason to persevere. Harry Fausing Smith and Sam Quinn came in to replace them, although Harry had already been playing and recording with them as a guest for a couple of years. Chris Hillman guested on guitar, the first show he's done with them for quite a while.

[Yorkshire Chris]

I really liked them when I saw them in 2014. Wished I'd been able to see them this year. Great band.

[Delfini (Diane)]

I enjoyed them.

[Paul]

The steel player was CJ Hillman. At present touring with Billy Bragg.

Paul