The Wilderness Of Manitoba / Ben Calvert & Band / Finding Calcutta
“The Wilderness of Manitoba have delivered an EP of stripped down folk that relies on gorgeous three and four piece harmonies to grab your attention. Most of the tunes don’t move faster than a snail’s pace, allowing a slightly plucked banjo to lead the way. What it lacks in speed, it makes up for in substance.”
- hearya.com
‘it is all to easy to get cynical about those who run about championing things as the greatest this or that since, er…the last one. Yet, every now and then something or someone gets through the cracks, rises above the general morass and makes you sit and take stock, even for just a few minutes. From the moment I hit play on The Wilderness of Manitoba’s latest EP ‘Hymns of Love and Spirits’ I knew I was hooked. There’s a stark understated beauty to it’s 8 tracks, which combine perfectly executed four part harmonies intertwinned with muted banjos, solitary cello and subtle fingerpicked parts.”
– thelineofbestfit.com
Ben writes and plays what he describes as ‘Lo-Fi Post-Folk musings’. He grew up on a diet of English folk, U.S. 60’s Psychedelia and Brit-Pop, resulting in sounds with melodic, narrative, songwriting at the core.
In the last three years he’s played support slots to Kris Drever, Jeremy Warmsley, and Jim Bob, amongst others. He also appeared onstage with Guillemots at a packed out Birmingham Academy.
Tonight he’ll be previewing songs from his new album Festive Road. Therein lie stories of twisted carnival characters, all played out against the backdrop of the decline of a circus in winter. Clockwork clowns! A weak strongman! A ringmaster on his last legs! A love affair! Polystyrene take-away containers that talk! And more! There’s a sideshow for Peter and Katie…
Ben is joined onstage by drummer Carlo Solazzo, and Dave McCabe on keys/guitar.
‘Long-established Moseley-based tunesmiths Finding Calcutta are returning from the wilderness at long last with a more rootsy, honest sound, and a few new members. Their traditional folk vibe has a modern, poppy twist, with influences ranging from Crosby Stills & Nash and Jethro Tull, through to Cara Dillon and Elvis Perkins. With sparkling 3-part harmonies throughout, and their trademark acoustic gymnastics still on display, they are finally ready to bounce right back into the scene.’
