Police Dog Hogan

0	BATH: Chapel Arts Centre
P	Friday 8th November, 2013
N	7:30pm

BATH: Chapel Arts Centre

Friday 8th November, 2013

7:30pm

Event information

If you read the Guardian or the Daily Telegraph or if you travel with Rough Guides or watch TV ads then you probably know several of this extraordinary band. Tim Dowling (banjo), for example, writes a very popular, and totally hilarious, weekly column in the Guardian’s Saturday supplement while the other Tim (Jepson – mandolin) has several Rough Guides to his credit … and then there’s Pete Robinson (dobro, lead guitar) who is travel writer for the Telegraph and affable and entirely eccentric frontman James Studholme who runs one of the country’s leading film production companies. Together, this bunch of London media mates got together out of a joint love of American music and as the BBC’s Johnnie Walker says they create ‘a really good, fun time’.

These are busy guys so they don’t play too many live shows but following two sell-out performances in London (Bush Hall and the 100 Club) they are all set for a short season of festivals (Maverick, Larmer Tree, Bestival and Kendal Calling) - which you can follow in the band’s regular column in the Telegraph - before embarking on a very selective CD launch tour this autumn. And with the Guardian and the Telegraph behind them, not to mention lots of pals all over the radio and TV, you can count on a shed load of publicity and an excellent house as well as a brilliant night of music and laughter.

Police Dog Hogan are a high-energy and eclectic seven-piece, combining fiddle, banjo, mandolin, drums and guitars with knockout four-part harmonies in an exuberant fusing of country, pop, folk, and rocking urban bluegrass. The Sunday Times has described them as “wonderful”; the Telegraph named them one of its ‘favourite new bands”; BBC Radio 2 called them “a band to watch” and veteran DJ Johnnie Walker praises their gigs as “just a really good, fun time”.

“Police Dog Hogan were good – actually, they were excellent.” The Sunday Times

“One of my bands to watch – great songs, great musicians, and their live shows are really, really good fun.” DJ Johnnie Walker

“Police Dog Hogan – with Bellowhead – were the highlight of the Larmer Tree Festival 2011.” BBC Radio 2

“One of our favourite new bands.” The Telegraph, 2012

“An idiosyncratic bunch that pulls pop, Cajun, country and just about anything else into a hotchpotch of 110% entertainment.” Spiralearth, 2012

“A great set…” Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones at Bush Hall, London

“The Big Top tent at Camp Bestival was all about up-and-coming talents and Police Dog Hogan impressed mightily with their blend of bluegrass, Cajun and urban folk.” Songwriting Magazine, 2012

“We love these guys.” Jo Good, BBC Radio London

“A seven-piece of great style and a sound that is polished to perfection. They clearly know how good they are and look like they’re having a great time. At Maverick 2012 they huffed and puffed and blew the house down, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.” Louise Rogers, Americana UK

“Police Dog Hogan proved to be the highlight of Kendal Calling.” Clara Barton, The Guardian

“Loving the new Police Dog Hogan album…” James Hodder, Radio Resonance

“Footstompin’ Townbilly for people who don’t like old-time country. Their album, From the Land of Miracles, took my breath away as it sounds different – but different in a very good way. Trust me: Police Dog Hogan are well worth seeking out before the youngsters claim the band for themselves.” No Depression, The Roots Music Authority since 1995

“The most literate non-literary band on the circuit.” Port Eliot Festival

“The wonderful Police Dog Hogan are a great band that are doing the festival rounds – at Cornbury 2012 they set about giving the crowd a performance to remember. Make sure you check them out.” Andy Jamieson, Festivals for All

“From The Land Of Miracles is the perfect template for a foot tappin’ good night out, and an enchancting set and a riveting ride, from the rabble-rousing opener, Better Go Now, with its Pogues undertones, to the beautiful a cappella closure of The Banks. It’s easy to see how they have begun to draw acclaim and why they’re a great live draw.” Pete Whalley, Get Ready to Rock

“Okay, so let’s get one thing straight: From the Land of Miracles rocks. It really is quite brilliant.” Sarah Creber, Shire Folk

“Highlights included the London band Police Dog Hogan, whose individual style, with lyrics full of amusing extended metaphor, filled the venue and really got the audience going.” BBC Suffolk

Their literate and superbly crafted songs veer from the wistful and poetic to flat-out, foot-stomping tales of doomed barbecues, French mustard and falling in love on a Tennessee highway. Founded in 2009, the band is now gigging in earnest, buoyed by a rapturous reception at festivals last summer, with appearances at Cornbury, Camp Bestival, Larmer Tree and Kendal Calling, among others, in 2012 and a whole raft of top festivals confirmed for 2013.

Their new CD, ‘From the Land of Miracles’, produced by Eliot James (Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party, Noah and the Whale, Two Door Cinema Club), was released in late 2012 on Major Tom Records.

Police Dog Hogan are:

James Studholme – lead vocals, guitar
Pete Robinson – vocals, lead guitar, dobro
Eddie Bishop – violin, vocals
Tim Dowling – banjo, vocals
Tim Jepson – mandolin, vocals
Adam Bennette – bass
Michael Giri – drums, vocals

Regular onstage guests include Bill Amberg on the jaw harp and once (memorably) Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall on tambourine.

www.policedoghogan.com