Joe Broughton’s Conservatoire Folk Ensemble

The band’s touring line-up features a stage-challenging 50 members. Among them are 15 horns, four cellos, six percussionists, three electric guitarists, plus fiddles, flutes, clarinets, electric bass, melodicas, acoustic guitars, and an accordion.

They sing too.

Formed in 1997 at Birmingham’s prestigious Conservatoire by fiddle player and arranger Joe Broughton (The Urban Folk Quartet, The Albion Band, Joss Stone), the Conservatoire Folk Ensemble has established a reputation for creating energetic and powerful shows. Their increasingly popular live appearances – especially at such festivals as Green Man, Towersey, Shambala and Kendal Calling – have left audiences ecstatic and even (at Towersey) moved to tears.

Still based at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, the personal influences of each member shape the set list as traditional English and Celtic reels slide into full-on rock grooves, funk, jazz, hip-hop, ska and reggae. Eastern European and Asian flourishes can also be heard, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the group.

This is very much 21st-century folk.