The Wanton String Band

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 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.

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). Their endorphin-drenched energy will have you itching to dance.