The Wanton String Band - Georgia Railroad

The Wanton String Band play shamelessly hedonistic folk dance psychedelia, ranging from face-melting renditions of Appalachian fiddle tunes to synth-infused trip-hop murder ballads. Their ecstatic, infectious take on traditional music has had audiences dancing on tables and hanging from rafters since its unlikely inception.

The Wanton String Band are Nathan Bontrager (fiddle, synth, voice), Stuart Graham (bouzouki, voice), Chris Jones (mandolin), Ewan Macdonald (fiddle), Richard O’Flynn (drums, voice) and Jess Whelligan (cello, synth, voice).

The band’s pulsating sound was born from an all night techno-old time session in an abandoned primary school north of the River Mersey, the result of an unlikely encounter between an inebriated touring folk group and a soaring, topless Irish drummer.

Video: Luis Gustavo Santos. Filmed in Liverpool in April 2019.


Music: traditional (New England), arrangement by The Wanton String Band.

[natita]

Seen you for the first time at Hear East yesterday and fell in love! My little one was bouncing to the tune in his bike seat and he recognised the tune straight away when I played it for him just now. Love it!

[TheOldNorth]

Killer playing friends! Sounds amazing, beautifully done!

[charlieflipperrig]

To cross platform the vernacular, bloody f*cking A, y'all.