Review: Demon Barbers – Theatre Royal Wakefield

First, a confession. Until this week, I’d not heard of them. Somehow, despite them winning multiple awards, most notably the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for ‘Best Live Act’ and putting out half a dozen acclaimed albums, they had passed me by.

Better late than never!

I did a bit of online research before the show at Theatre Royal Wakefield, and I was intrigued.

The show promised a fusion of high-energy traditional British folk music, clog dancing and hip hop - what’s not to like?

The band's name, in case you were wondering (as I was), originated from founder and frontman Damien Barber’s nickname, which was given to him by folk singer Peter Bellamy.

Although the band is deeply rooted in the traditions of English folk music, they mix electric folk, dance and rap into their shows with incredible skill.

The 25th anniversary show featured Damien on vocals, guitar and concertina; Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne on melodeon, concertina, and vocals; Hugh Vincent on bass; Alix Shepherd on the keyboard and longstanding drummer Ben Griffith, who has been an integral part of The Demon Barbers since 2004.

The set included a mix of some of the band's earliest work alongside their most popular tracks. Barber maintained a warm and engaging relationship with the audience, peppering the performance with anecdotes and witticisms, making it clear that he and the band were enjoying every moment on stage.

Laura Connolly, a professional clog dancer for 30 years—20 of which she has spent with The Demon Barbers—provided a brief history of clogs and clog dancing before showcasing her incredible talent, reappearing at intervals throughout the evening.

Leeds-based hip-hop dancers Chris Banks and Marie Mathias also joined in, captivating the audience with their astonishing skill and athleticism. They spun and twisted their bodies into breathtaking shapes, leaving everyone spellbound.

Though I might have missed out on The Demon Barbers for the past 25 years, I am now eager to see more. The entire evening was a joyous celebration of folk music and dance, leaving me—and, I’m sure, the rest of the audience—wishing it could have gone on longer.