Familiar Creatures
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GB London – Alternative
Familiar Creatures

Media

Live Setup

Unplugged No
Cover band No
Members 1
Fan Base
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Gig History
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Videos
Releases
Label / Release Type Year
(Unsigned)
Edit-artist-releases-release-placeholder Familiar Creatures E.P EP 2014
Edit-artist-releases-release-placeholder Hate This City Single 2012
Contact
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Press Text
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"When I heard the tightness and energy of this band, I knew they’d be on this week's show…" Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music.

Jessie Barnard and Irish singer/songwriter Brian Kelly conjure up a unique sound and atmosphere – unlike anything you’ve heard before. It’s a combination that’s landed them festival slots across the British Isles and has won them instant critical acclaim.

The band got together in 2012, due to a beautiful twist of fate: "I'd just moved to London, from Berlin" Brian explains "I was coming home from work one day when I heard this gorgeous melody line spilling out of a building on my street. It was amazing. So I went straight up to the door and kept knocking until Jessie answered. And that was that."

The pair didn’t waste any time and soon added drums, bass and lead guitar to the line-up. Familiar Creatures found plenty of common ground and inspiration in the music of Paul Simon, Dr John and Fela Kuti; in roots artists like Midnight and Steel Pulse; traditional song-smiths like Leadbelly and Luke Kelly; as well as popular indie groups and even Michael Jackson. Brian says: “We all wanted to create something that sounded fresh and interesting, something melodic but unpredictable”.

Asked how she would describe Familiar Creatures' sound, Jessie replies, "It's too hard. What I can say is, that when you see us live, Dan and Arwyn on drums and bass are going to make you dance; Brian's lyrics will get you thinking; and I’m going to do my best to get a beautiful melody stuck in your head.”

Band Members

Brian Kelly – Singer/guitar
Jessie Barnard – Brass/Backing Vocals
Arwyn Davies – Bass/Backing Vocals
Dan Jenkinson – Drummer
Bridgid Hackett - Backing vox
Poppy Swanell - Backing vox/percussion

Previous Live Shows

Hackney Wicked, Hackney Wick
Big Feastival, Jamie Oliver/Alex James Farm
The Grand Social, Dublin Eire
Barbican Centre collaboration (acoustic), London
Vantastival, Dundalk Eire
Castlepalooza, Tullamore Eire
Nozstock, Hereford
UCL Open Documentaries Festival, UCL London
The Waiting Room, Stoke Newington
Dalston Servants Jazz Quarters, Dalston
Nottinghill Arts Club, Nottinghill
Curious Yellow Weekend, Peterborough
Bath International Festival, Bath
Galtres Parklands Festival, Yorkshire
Greendoor, Hackney Wick
Oslo House, Hackney