“There are buskers that will make you cry, they’re so good”, according to cult Americana artist Andrew Bird. “And then there are buskers that will take you to a place where sound and energy merge to create a kind of spiritual ecstasy, a joyful affirmation of life itself.” CC Smugglers, who have made the transition from the street to the stage with consummate ease and considerable acclaim, exemplify the latter, and then some.
The Bedfordshire-based band started out as “guerrilla buskers”, hijacking queues waiting to see other artists, or commandeering underground trains and escalators. They got their big break by playing outside every UK tour date of the two-time Grammy Award-winning Old Crow Medicine Show. Not even a severed artery on his finger could stop frontman Richie Prynne – he delayed surgery to lead the six-piece on the audacious escapade. So impressed were the Old Crow Medicine Show with a “ hugely engaging performance ” ( Sunday Times ), they invited them to share their platform on the remaining dates.
It was Richie who formed the band after busking alone for some years as a teenager. He enlisted the help of Dan Edwards (double bass) Ryan Thomas (lead guitar) and Sam Barrett (rhythm guitar and fiddle) who formed the Bedfordshire contingent of the band for several years. They were joined last year by Tom Seals (keys) and Iain Mcfarlane (drums) both accomplished young players: “Their influences have really allowed us to explore more contemporary challenging arrangements” said Richie, as is evident on recent single ‘Money’.
Last summer saw the band selling out venues in their own right, and stealing the headlines at the Cornbury, Glastonbury and Camden Rocks Festivals, among others. They went on to play further afield at some of Europe’s biggest festivals including sharing the bill with Bruce Springsteen at the prestigious Werchter Festival in Belgium along with dates in The Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic and more.
2017 started off with an appearance at the O2’s huge Country to Country (C2C) festival in London and a set at Eurosonic in The Netherlands, and they are confirmed for a run of festivals this summer including Cambridge Folk, Cropredy Festival, Montreaux Jazz and more.
A rapid rise that has elicited critical plaudits from the Sunday Times culture Section, bluesman Seasick Steve , roots guru Bob Harris (“just brilliant”) and BBC 6 Music’s Cerys Matthews , who describes them as “the best live band on the scene at the moment”. Even Jon Snow is a fan, as indeed is Princess Beatrice . Prynne reckons the reason for their success is simple: “Showmanship and really good music invariably speaks way beyond any genre. We play good, original music with inspiration plucked from the rhythms and instrumentation that inspired most of today’s modern music. We like to think most people connect in some way.” Listen to CC Smugglers and you’ll hear the ghosts of American folk music, swing, jazz, country, ragtime and bluegrass. Listen more closely and you’ll hear contemporary touchstones such as hip hop, metal, dubstep, house and dancehall. Nothing is off limits for this outfit.
“Six years ago I was a singer-songwriter, handing out CDRs with a photocopied sleeve,” recalls Prynne. “Nowadays we’re a tight-knit team of good honest friends who truly love what we’re doing. Over the years we’ve developed an ethos and consequently a reputation for innovative self promotion, original, creative compositions and dogged hard work; values learned in part from working our way up from street performers. It’s hard work that continues to pay off. The dream is nowhere near realised.
CC Smugglers new single ‘Dirty Money’ is out now.
Line Up
- Original music inspired by American and World Folk -
“Great live. Just Brilliant.” - Bob Harris // Radio2
The natural born, ‘self-made’ showmen CC Smugglers have worked their way up from young street performers to playing some of the biggest festivals and venues in the UK and Europe.
“The best live band on the scene at the moment.” - Cerys Matthews // BBC6 Music
Fronted by charismatic front-man ‘with a song running off of every page’ - Richie Prynne engages with an audience within seconds of stepping up and conducts the show with ‘infectious joy’.
“Hugely engaging live performance” Paul Sexton // The Sunday Times
Together the sextet of multi-instrumentalists perform with a genuine and now almost infamous chemistry.
The band has become renowned for producing fresh and unafraid blends of old-time/world-folk styles & instrumentation; hitting home the unique and contemporary British songwriting with skill, charisma and passion.
“Besides the infectious joy they exude while playing, their understanding of the music is so deep as to make it sound effortless.” - Alex Petropoulos // Songlines Magazine
For CC Smugglers creating a show designed to captivate and thrill an audience is a skill they have well honed. These slick and exciting performances have allowed them to rocket through the ranks in the live scene and build a reputation for real music, proper showmanship and damn good times.
All Our Exes Live in Texas is a fantasy draft of Sydney’s finest singer-songwriters - Elana Stone, Katie Wighton, Hannah Crofts and Georgia Mooney – here combining in four-part, indie-folk harmony heaven. On mandolin, ukulele, accordion and guitar, the Exes are a powerhouse of charm and songwriting prowess. Fair warning: this foursome is the most badass female folk band around.
All Our Exes Live in Texas have had an impressive career to date. They've toured with The Backstreet Boys (USA), Passenger (UK), Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats (USA) and Tiny Ruins (NZ), not to mention Australian icons Megan Washington, Kate Miller-Heidke and Mama Kin.
It wasn't until three years ago at an O Brother Where Art Thou show, featuring Sydney folk royalty, that they combined their musical forces. Little did they know they were planting the seeds for a folk foursome of epic proportions.
The Exes share a deep passion for vocal harmonies and heartbreakingly good songwriting. This killer combination has seduced audiences across the country as they criss-crossed Australia from Port Fairy Folk Festival to Darwin Festival, Woodford Folk Festival, WOMADelaide and The National Folk Festival, not to mention closing proceedings at the Sydney Opera House for TEDx, to an audience of 4500 creative innovators who exploded into rapturous applause.
Since the release of their self-titled, widely celebrated EP, All Our Exes Live in Texas has embarked on two national headline tours releasing singles Tell Me and Sailboat from their successfully crowd-funded debut album, When We Fall, due for release in early 2017.
Their Tell Me film clip is an hilarious take on the modern break up and was listed in the top 10 film clips of 2014 by Double J. The film clip for their latest single, The Devil's Part, was directed and co-written by acclaimed Sydney filmmaker, Nils Crompton. This clip takes a more sinister turn, with allusions to indie classic The Virgin Suicides and cult references galore.
The Exes recently showcased their wares to US audiences, solidifying partnerships for future touring adventures. They’re bound for the UK and Ireland in September to continue the Exes assault, turning heads of all varieties from industry tastemakers to music-loving legends. In short, the Exes are on fire.
When We Fall was produced and engineered by Wayne Connolly (Sarah Blasko, Silverchair, You Am I) and features musicians Zoe Hauptmann (Finn Brothers, Lanie Lane, Paul Kelly), Evan Mannell (Faker, Bertie Blackman, Lior), Dave Symes (Boy and Bear, Sarah Blasko), Tim Hart (Boy and Bear) and Hamish Stuart (Lucie Thorne, Jackie Orszáczky).
A testament to their musical strength and vulnerability, this album is a collection of songs that are enough to make grown men cry. But beneath the sweet, potent harmonies and lamentations of love, lie four witty and intelligent feminists who harness their talent for good not evil.
When you come to an All Our Exes Live in Texas show this is what you'll get: Fouruber talented musicians and gifted song-writers, each with their own unique vocal beauty and individual charm. Add to this, great humour, whip-cracking banter and an on-stage synergy that is as magical as it is alluring, and there’s no chance you can resist the call of the Exes sirens.
The Brag said it first, “Catch them before they’re famous and only perform for royalty and astronauts.”
