The Churchfitters - "Christmas Cracker"

About this event

The Churchfitters produce heart-wrenching vocals, foot-stompingly fast fiddle mixed with infectious funk-rock rhythms, plus traditional tunes reinvigorated with mesmerising jazz sax. Throw in some exquisite harmonies, a slew of startlingly original songs and a few jokes that create instant rapport and you’ve got a high energy show that always leaves audiences cheering. How do you adequately describe such a musically diverse, uplifting band? You leave it to Mike Harding, a self-confessed ‘huge, huge fan’. He calls their music ‘totally brilliant and beautiful’, while Dave Pegg says they are “The most musically inventive group I’ve seen in decades”. ‘Like Annie Lennox in full flow’ (Fab Nights Productions) – Londoner Rosie Short’s achingly beautiful voice is equally at home singing husky blues, plaintive femme folk or ethereal originals. A talented songwriter, she’s also a ‘one woman orchestra’, deftly swapping between flute, saxophone, banjo, tin whistle, dulcimer, ukulele and any number of things you can shake, rattle, or whack with a stick. Rosie’s brother Chris is a feverishly fast fiddler who has the annoying habit of getting people, who were sitting quite comfortably, out of their seats and dancing. When required, he also plays slowly and most of the other speeds. A mean mandolin player, he sings great vocal harmonies too.