PENDA’S FEN plays the original songs of Richard Dwyer (on guitar), and is fronted by vocalist Sharie Neyland. Now as a three piece with Mark Prescott on fiddle, the band blend elements of rock, acoustic ballad, Celt and folk which still seems to defy categorization.
Past festivals as a six piece (see comments below) have included Cromer, Stony Live, Dunstable, Northampton’s Folk in the Park and The Brasenose Arms during Cropredy. As a three piece the band performed at the Ely Folk Festival last summer. The band have played regularly around the Beds, Bucks and Northants area. (The six songs featured here on MySpace were recorded with the six piece line up.)
Influenced both by nature and our contemporary experience, the songs speak of love, life and the power of the human spirit.
What people have said:
On our previous website guestbook:
One of the highlights of 'Folk In The Park', Northampton. The band's performance was sublime – Sharie Neyland was breathtaking, and the musicians in the band were just outstanding. It was the first time I'd come across them and they simply made my day.
David, Northampton.
By e-mail:
I saw you perform on Friday at Brasenose, Cropredy and thought you were fantastic ... I bought your CD ... your music made the journey back to Sussex a very enjoyable one ... I am going to write to Fairport’s site and insist they give you a slot on the main stage next year. The writing is wonderful, the musicians are great and Sharie's voice is superb and she would float and dance across the big stage with such grace and beauty... it would be criminal for you not to grow.
Thanks, Yvonne
From ‘Woven Wheat Whispers’
Penda's Fen are fronted by the wonderful vocalist Sharie Neyland and her voice blends exquisitely with the fiddle playing, and guitars. Their style blends Celtic folk, acoustic ballads and rock into a timeless fusion.
