British Sea Power

Alt-rockers with a story to tell in every song, British Sea Power have been turning heads with their otherworldly sounds and unusual venues – Carnglaze Caverns in Cornwall to name one – since their inception in 2001. We can’t wait to welcome them to Port Eliot this year, where they’ll be doing something completely different: a low-key acoustic set and even a spot of birdwatching.

Harmonising the post-punk sound of Joy Division and the Pixies with a much more melancholic brand of ballad, British Sea Power plough their own field with a pervading mystique and epic, enduring tracks. They’re also superbly unapologetic in doing so.

Since their ominously titled debut album The Decline of British Sea Power in 2003, the band have ironically gone from strength to strength releasing second album, Open Season, in 2005, earning several top 40 hits as well as a Mercury Prize nomination for 2008 release Do You Like Rock Music?

They’ve played or toured alongside the likes of David Bowie, The Flaming Lips, Lou Reed, Radiohead and – drum roll please – Somerset’s finest, The Wurzels. But what they’re best known for is their eclectic and off-the-wall gig settings and experience; something they pride themselves on. They’ve been known to adorn the stage with branches, leaves and plastic birds, introduce marching drums, dive-bomb the crowd and even incorporate a ten foot bear into their set.

British Sea Power have also played the centenary of former Poet Laureate John Betjeman, shaken petals to the ground at the Chelsea Flower Show, wowed the arm-chair audience of John Craven’s Countryfile with an al fresco performance, shattered teacups in seaside cafes, graced village halls, ferries, churches and social clubs. Unsurprisingly, the band were named best live band of the year by Time Out in 2004.

They’re also renowned for their love of all thing Czech, bamboozling music journos with grid reference meeting points and being keen twitchers and all-round nature lovers – hence their appearance on Countryfile. Along with a low-key – well, as low-key as these guys get – acoustic set, this is the side of British Sea Power you’ll be seeing at Port Eliot. So grab a bird-watching guide and prepare yourself to join the ranks of their adoring fans, the aptly named Third Battalion.

www.britishseapower.co.uk

“It’s a triumphant lesson in sweeping gracefully towards the mainstream with your imagination and mystery intact.”
The Guardian – On second album Open Season.

“BSP have every right to feel content. After all, the almost men of sylvan, jagged rock, the pride of Britain’s bookish, bird-watching bohemia, have made an album that’s deserving of their swagger. Do you like rock music? If not, here’s the perfect place to start.”
Observer Music Monthly – On third album Do You Like Rock Music?

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