Pons Aelius
Thursday 17th & Friday 18th August 2023
After crossing paths in the northern city of Newcastle Upon Tyne, six young musicians immediately began to share tunes, eventually forming the powerhouse of progressive instrumental folk that is Pons Aelius. Motivated by a collective enthusiasm and desire to share their distinctive style of music, the band have toured extensively, bringing their much loved live energy to stages around the UK and Europe.
Driven by a dynamic frontline of bagpipes and whistles (Jordan Aikin), flute (Sam Partridge), tenor banjo and mandolin (Tom Kimber), the band are a melodic force to be reckoned with. In the stompbox and octave pedal era, Pons Aelius are proud to feature one of the scene’s leading all-human rhythm sections, comprising Callum Younger (bodhrán kit innovator), Alasdair Paul (guitar/bouzouki) and Bevan Morris (double bass). With these powerful tools at their disposal, they are masters of both subtlety and intensity, exploring the capabilities of these acoustic instruments and producing a formidable sound together. Since winning the Danny Kyle award at Celtic Connections, the band have released two studio albums. Their newest album, Fire Under The Bridge, is available now.
“Pons Aelius are a testament to the strength of the North East folk scene. With a healthy share of Scots, they’re the most exciting band to come out of Newcastle in a long time. Their musical style is a wild liberation from the ordinary that fits the post-trad generation like a glove. Their original material is skillful and sincere. I can’t wait to see where they’ll be in a few years time.” David Foley, Folklub, RURA
“Really good stuff”- Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 2 Folk Show
