“Their collective elan has a forceful presence unmatched in British folk. A faultless cavalcade” – The Guardian
The Gigspanner Big Band are a unique force in British folk music, with their high-energy, virtuosic performances appealing equally to traditionalists and to those looking for something more experimental.
Beginning life as a trio - with legendary Steeleye Span fiddle player Peter Knight being joined by percussionist Sacha Trochet and guitarist Roger Flack - the line-up has been expanded with the addition of acclaimed multi-instrumental duo Edgelarks (Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin - BBC Folk Awards 'Best Duo') and Bellowhead co-founder and melodeon player extraordinaire, John Spiers.
While Peter Knight, as part of Steeleye Span’s classic 1970s line-up, helped invent a brand of folk rock that is still influential today, John Spiers has had an equally profound impact on the landscape of traditional music over the last two decades. The Gigspanner Big Band’s 2025 album Turnstone was nominated for the inaugural Folk Album of the Year 2025 Awards.
Characterised by riotous inventiveness, technically gifted individual playing and subtle collaborative interaction, this coming together of several of the biggest names on the folk-roots scene, combines a deep knowledge of roots traditions with a ceaselessly boundary-pushing approach.