THE COAL PORTERS were regulars on the Americana and Bluegrass circuit for 17 years before hanging up their instruments within moments of England’s defeat by Croatia in the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup (true, though possibly unrelated). Led by Sid Griffin (The Long Ryders) and featuring on fiddle Grammy winner and Adele string section leader Kerenza Peacock they reunited briefly in 2022 and again now for five nights only in 2024. Their sound has featured on NPR's Morning Edition in the USA, live sessions for Bob Harris on BBC Radio 2 and Marc Riley for Radio 6 Music, and appearances at Glastonbury, SXSW and MerleFest. What’s Cookin' favourite Neil Bob Herd does the heavy lifting on guitar and vocals, and we don’t remember what the other two are called.

“Not your average fish & chips bluegrass, the Coal Porters have expanded their music with broad strokes and fearless execution” CHRIS HILLMAN
“The Coal Porters whisk together a hugely listenable cocktail of bluegrass, folk and country” UNCUT

Ella Spencer was set to be a musician from the day sixties legend and god of Hellfire, Arthur Brown, blessed her in her mother’s womb. She was born to British-American parents in London but raised in rural Suffolk where her father started the UK’s first Americana music festival. Ella spent her school years studying classical piano and viola but roots musicians were always in and out of the house and their music began to rub off on her. So much so that in her early twenties she decided to focus on the music she had been raised with.