BAND Timothy Sutcliffe – Vocals & Guitar
Jack Bryant – Drums
Marianne Casey Canning – Violin
Melanie Dickson – Cello
John Dunstan – Trumpet
Simon Evans – Guitar
John Szmidt – Bass
Influences
Mew / Sigur Ros / The National / Tom Waits / Elbow / The Beatles / Bob Dylan / Cinematic Orchestra / Pink Floyd / Mono / Tom McRae / Explosions In The Sky / Radiohead / Joanna Newsom / At The Drive In / Godspeed You Black Emperor / Regina Spektor / Portishead / Damien Rice / Vessels / Nick Cave
A Genuine Freakshow are a 7-piece pop-infused post-rock cannonade with mass appeal. Songs born of their broad range of influences from Elbow and Radiohead to Mogwai and Explosions In The Sky are accompanied by lush orchestral arrangements and the sincere falsetto vocals of Timothy Sutcliffe. This gives the music they create a blend of classic pop with unpredictable structures and epic climaxes reminiscent of Arcade Fire, Mew, and Sigur Ros.
Based in Reading, the band relentlessly take their eclectic and engaging live show to venues up and down the country, successfully exposing their music to a wide audience. In April 2007 they self-released and sold 200 limited-edition copies of their debut 3-track EP 0.008%; in 2008 the two singles We Are The Undercurrents and Holding Hearts made their way to fans across the whole of Europe and beyond. These singles also attracted the attention of local and national radio, earning the band multiple airplays and appearances on BBC Berkshire, Oxford, and Bristol. BBC 6 Music DJ Tom Robinson invited the band to be guests on his Introducing show, and included Holding Hearts in his “Best of 2008” broadcast; March 2009 marked the band’s BBC Radio 2 debut on Steve Lamacq’s show.
The band continue to push their music world-wide directly from their website, offering a free/pay-what-you-like digital EP including the lead tracks from their previous singles, plus an exclusive live track of a new song from their forthcoming album.
A Genuine Freakshow have spent the summer of 2009 recording their debut album Oftentimes. The album – plus a host of audio and video bonus material available with an exclusive deluxe pre-order edition from the band’s website – is planned for release in Autumn 2009. After supporting Marillion in Holland and filming a live DVD with an audience of 3000, the band are promoting the new album pre-order with UK dates throughout the end of 2009, including a Levi’s “Ones To Watch” showcase at the London Barfly in September.
"What an absolutely marvellous band” Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music
“A spellbinding set of heartfelt, spine-tingling beauty... Weaved together to form an awe-inspiring climax that beguiled the bejesus out of everyone in its wake.” Ones To Watch, levi.com
"A band with the towering ambition, pop suss and teetering chaos that only the best brass-filled bands manage." Channel 4, Planet Sound
Despite a lack of 'We are the undercurrents' from your set (which your trumpet player tells me is being re-vamped for the album, eagerly anticipating that), really enjoyed your set at the Rainbow. Hope the rest of your shows go well. Anarchist Cookbook x
Discovered AGF this week after a recommendation from the Hope Of The States forums: absolutely love the songs on the Tour EP, ladies and gents. Can't wait for the full debut album, you definitely have another sale here whenever it goes up for pre-order.
Will there be more shows after the album's release? Missed all the dates I could've got to on the September tour (if only I'd heard about you 4 weeks earlier!), so really hoping that I'll have the pleasure of seeing you live once Oftentimes gets released.
Bloody awesome in Oxford tonight. Have wanted to see you since I illegally downloaded 0.008%. Now I've attended a gig, bought a tshirt and about to preorder album (can't wait). That's a big tick in the filesharing box! Look forward to seeing you again soon.
Hey folks hows it going? We are one of your support bands for the Aberdeen leg of your tour :) Really looking forward to meeting you and even more excited about hearing "I Can Feel His Heartbeats" as it is just incredible. It's set to be a busy one and hopefully you will get a proper Scottish crowd :)
Guys, AMAZING set at the Cellars tonight, many thanks for bringing the beautiful noise. Hope the record's out soon, the fans are foaming at the mouth!!
