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Ghost Train Porters
It’s next stop Kelvedon for Ghost Train Porters – a band going full steam ahead.
Formed less than a year ago, the East Anglian four-piece have since played everywhere from the Suffolk backwoods to the heart of Brixton.
The banjo-toting country boys are a match for the best on the booming Americana scene. But they will also take on anything from Eastern European dance tunes to flamenco, so long as it matches their darkly humorous muse. Time Out reached for the adjectives when describing the band’s style, calling it “a blend of hillbilly blues, alt.folk and rockabilly”.
And it’s no wonder the London listings mag had to hedge its bets - as no two of the group’s songs sound the same. There’s the hillbilly stomp of Vampire Mountain Boy, the perfect theme tune for hit TV show True Blood. And then there’s 21st century Nashville-inspired tear jerkers like the memorable Wouldn’t Even Be Your Friend on Myspace.
Colchester-based lead singer Tom Parkes loves writing Western-themed songs about guns, women and whisky. But he also takes on mundane matters with tunes such as I’m Gonna Buy Me a Dyson – about a man with a dirty carpet.
Providing the musical virtuosity to complement Tom’s lyrical athleticism is Paul Marshall, from Witham. As he proved in a recent session broadcast on BBC Radio Suffolk, the classical guitar scholar reels off lightning banjo solos as effortlessly as he delivers wild surf licks on his electric Gibson axe.
The anchor of the band is double bassist Peter Corp, from near Bildeston, whose improvisational nouse and ubiquitous presence at pub jam sessions have seen him dubbed Suffolk’s resident bassman.
Finally, East Bergholt-based Scouser Howard Abramson shows why a childhood stint in a marching band and a love of funk music are now must-haves for wannabe country drummers.
We first spotted* Ghost Train Porters a couple of months ago, and couldn’t wait to add them to this year’s line up. They will be appearing on the main stage at around 12:45. For more info and gig list go to Ghost Train Porters
*Spotted, train... geddit??? OK, I’ll get my coat...
· Posted by Steve Pickles
on 13 May 2010 at 22:47
563 Reads ·
What a line up this year, enjoyed everyone & could not pick a fav as all so good. Many Thanks to all the committee & anyone else involved with all the hard work it takes making this festival
