Farmer Phil’s Festival is pleased to announce the addition of London-Irish Psycho-Ceilídh rockers NECK to the line-up for 2019’s live music extravaganza!
With their heady blend of authentic uplifting Irish swirl and electric ballsy Punk swagger Neck are the cutting-edge that scythes incisively through the contemporary Celtic scene, as befits a band known as ‘The Heavy Artillery of Irish Music’!
Steeped in its musical traditions, Neck’s pedigree traces from all four provinces of Ireland – with one salubrious Dublin neighbourhood being of particular note – via the legendary UK Punk movement, through Shane McGowan and The Popes, to the Irish enclaves of North London where, like a lot of good Irish ideas, they were born in a bottle! The band’s roots have also informed their tour schedule, as their inherent Irish élan and wanderlust have taken them to the four corners of the globe.
The band already have a movie appearance* and three album releases under their belts, with their seminal second album ‘Sod ‘em & Begorrah!’ consolidating them as the cutting-edge of Celtic Punk – and being rated, variously, the second- and third-best Celtic Punk album of all time, behind only The Pogues and Flogging Molly.
What’s more, Clash-inspired social awareness saw their anti-racism anthem ‘Everybody’s welcome to The Hooley!’ hitting the UK charts and setting an historic precedent when it was plugged through an early day motion in the House of Commons!
But it’s their kick arse, high energy shows over a wide range of events, from folk to metal, that make them live favourites – particularly at festivals – and even private parties (Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Hell’s Angel’s Club Houses, etc), and led to them supporting acts such as The Levellers, Stiff Little Fingers, Shane MacGowan and Damien Dempsey; as well as to their frontman (an original, former, member of Shane McGowan and The Popes) guesting or collaborating with the likes of The Alabama 3, The Men They Couldn’t Hang, Hayseed Dixie and The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing.
Six Glastonbury appearances and countless gigs, festivals and parties across three continents, have also established Neck as one of the leaders of the Celtic Folk Punk scene. This extensive touring has taken in a huge number of trips to Europe, the US and Moscow, a host of Irish tours and UK runs taking in venues from Cornwall to the Shetland Isles!
Their heartfelt songs and passionate performances, allied with their traditional Irish authenticity and musicianship, have forged them a big reputation. So much so that the Irish Cultural Centre awarded Neck the honour of inviting them to play a Traditional Irish music seisiún for the Irish team at the 2012 Paralympics. Such is their reputation that Neck counts the likes of The Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, and even Johnny Depp as fans (and friends).
Neck are, simply, the real deal.