Blue Lass

Authentic and heartfelt playing weave together with a love of American bluegrass, old-time and folk music to form the unique sound of Blue Lass. A combination of original, traditional and contemporary material creates striking sets, with both songs and instrumental pieces transporting listeners with genune and encapsulating stories.
The all-female lineup features acoustic guitar, mandolin, clawhammer banjo, fiddle, and double bass. Each member steps forward to lead songs and contributes to strong three-part harmonies around a single microphone – just as it was done in the fifties. Their choreography around the single mic gives performances an authentic vintage feel, displaying a raw and authentic approach to their music, with a friendly and fun on-stage manner bringing a lively atmosphere to audiences.
Blue Lass’ music boasts innovative arrangements, reflecting their appreciation of modern american folk music whilst still in keeping with the roots of the genre, with virtuosic improvised solos confidently embellishing pieces throughout. The tone of their originals varies from moody to nostalgic, travelling from landscapes of nature to the streets of the city.
Blue Lass’ music is clean and sensitive, empowered and dynamic, and they will fill any venue to the brim with both sound and character.

For more details about Blue Lass, you can find us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Youtube under @BlueLassMusic

Old Baby Mackerel

Old Baby Mackerel play high-energy, foot-stomping Bluegrass featuring a dizzying line-up of renowned UK Bluegrass musicians. Their music uses the rhythmic sounds of banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle and double bass to get knees bouncing and elbows swinging to the virtuosic sound of blistering solos and tasteful harmonies.

Be prepared to be transported back in time to the early 20th century and across the Atlantic to North America where songs dramatized the small town fascination with locomotion, religion and the veneration of whisky and bootleg liquor.

For more details about Old Baby Mackerel you can find us at www.oldbabymackerel.com or on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube under @OldBabyMackerel

Green Tree

Vibrant improvisation, impressive musicianship, dynamic stage-work: Abbey and Rory bring energy to the stage like no other duo. With both members hailing from prominent UK bluegrass band Old Baby Mackerel, it’s no surprise the confidence and virtuosic music these two share with an audience. Abbey’s award-winning mandolin playing (Blue Lass) is punchy with tasteful melodic lines, moving between strong traditional licks and sparkly backing parts. Rory shreds through burning-hot licks on his guitar, adding strong rhythmic backing throughout alongside well-crafted and technically-challenging solos. Their sets encompass a range of both traditional and more contemporary bluegrass songs, featuring the members’ strong voices and love of tight harmonies, alongside varied stand-out instrumentals, giving a chance for each musician’s playing to shine. The end result is a performance built on two passionate musicians whose styles and playing work perfectly in harmony.

For more details about Green Tree, you can find us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Youtube under @GreenTreeBluegrass

Abbey Thomas' solo project

Heartfelt contemporary arrangements of traditional British folk songs; vibrant instrumental folk tunes; rapid improvisational bluegrass: Abbey Thomas’s music benefits from a wide pool of influences. Her strong musical rooting within bluegrass and old-time have grown into confident and rich-toned mandolin playing, showcasing high-speed melodic and creative improvisation whilst playing with bands including Flats & Sharps, Old Baby Mackerel, and her own project Blue Lass. Abbey went on to find inspiration within British folk, studying and achieving a first-class degree in Folk music performance at Leeds Conservatoire, where she discovered her passion for writing enigmatic and vibrant instrumental folk tunes on both the mandolin and the melodeon. Abbey’s singing, from punchy bluegrass lead and harmony vocals to traditionally-ornamented British folk storytelling, both accompanied and a cappella, and her traditional ballad editing, are designed to pull the listener into the stories, and often to draw attention to feminism through her own retellings of traditional material. Abbey’s performances are dynamic and varied, involving mandolin, melodeon, guitar and vocals, and moving through mixtures of traditional, contemporary and original music from varying folk genres, all knitted together by Abbey’s talent and enthusiasm for each.

For more details about my solo project, you’re in the right place! And you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Youtube under @abbeythomasmusician