About the Band;

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As a live band, The Fonsecas have been described repeatedly as 'utterly joyful'. Being able to induce a whole range of positive emotions from trad folk and world groove dancers to beautiful ballads and harmony vocal sunshine tunes.

 

Working the festival/party crowd to more intimate venues; a good time live band!

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The Fonsecas have been delighted to play a range of venues and festivals, which we thank;

• Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival - From the main folk stage, to the world/funky/jazz stages!

• Portsoy Traditional boat festival - On both stages, in this amazing coastal/harbour fest.

• Folk Clubs - Notably hosting a night at the Cruden Bay Folk Club for our first album launch.

• Bars/Venues - Special note to the Bandstand Bar in Nairn, Blue Lamp, Aberdeen and the Market bar in inverness.

• Village halls - Our local halls have been full of dancers, bringing roots music to the roots!

 

Background

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The Fonsecas  formed in 2016, out of a local folk club session in the coastal part of Aberdeenshire (near Cruden Bay) and brought together a set of songs to play at Belladrum Festival, in the highlands, in 2016. We went on to record that suite of songs, which were inspired by the themes of traditional Aberdeenshire ballads and fisher tunes, but by our own hand. The album was 'Where the river meets the sea' and was released in 2018, Kindly getting help from various musicians; Steve Wickham (then of the Waterboys), Peter Hawkey (Aberdeenshire based multi-instrumentalist) and Joe Kingman of the We Free Kings.

Having received a great reception to our debut album and gigs, we have spent much of the next 4 years in a rural bothy,  creating new music and songs; still on the same themes but mixing trad scots and irish folk and world sounds in with our 'sunshine' songs and ballads.

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Finally, after the lockdown, we tried to record a live album 'live at the Bothy', but soon after decided we wanted to bring in a producer (Gareth James) to record, partly live (in the Bothy) but then into the studio space! It is called 'Sun, Sand & Salt'. We really hope you like it, as we're delighted with it and the whole enjoyable experience of years of writing and planning!​

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We don't have any kind of publicity machine behind us, barely bringing ourselves to use social media, these days! But regardless we would still love folk to get some joy from hearing our music, so please share! We create this music, primarily for our own joy, and tend to only play in the North of Scotland, so if you've discovered us, firstly we're amazed! and secondly, we'd therefore be delighted to hear from you! Social media links above and email contact.

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Thanks to Marc Marnie, Cat Reid and Angelika McKenzie for the photos.

Contact info@villagesunsets.com for gigs, promo etc

 

The Fonsecas are;  
Kenny McKenzie - Bass.
Daryl Short - Accordion, whistles, mouthy & vocals
Jasmin Bray-Triance - Drums and Vocals. 

Andy Clucas - Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals. 

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