Common Culture are a rousing, fiddle driven alternative folk band from Barnsley, England. Fusing traditional and contemporary elements with three-part harmonies into an upbeat and energetic sound. The gang’s songs are full of catchy hooks, infectious rhythms and a party spirit. “Where do you go when you’re onto a good thing, but it’s no longer part of who you are?” That’s what Dan Watson (vocals, guitar) found himself pondering after finding success early in his teens with The Barsteward Sons of Val Doonican. Over the years, having racked up sold out shows across the country, playing major festival slots at Glastonbury, Beautiful Days and Bearded Theory plus supporting his heroes The Levellers, something felt like it needed to shift. “I loved my time and what we did together, but I was getting a burning sensation to get out of my comfort zone, change course and find a new path. Even if from the outside it might seem crazy, given what we’d achieved.” Dan turned to Lizzie Morris (fiddle and vocals) whom he’d regularly performed with as a duo at folk clubs around Yorkshire and garnered a plan to flip their energetic acoustic songs on the head. Armed with a set of crowd-pleasers (and a hard drive full of demos), they set out to push forwards and create a new sound with a full band. The style, loosely taking inspiration from folk and alternative musicians through the ages, from Frank Turner to Richard Thompson. Reaching out to their circle of friends on the independent festival circuit, they searched for people who shared a common inspiration and outlook on life, but would also bring their own independent vibe and flair to the music. Asking Chris Reed (drums) and Evie Smith (bass, vocals) felt like getting the perfect people to complete the line up, comfortably melting into the dynamic of a newly formed band. Of their inspiration flowing into the music, the band said “With the world seemingly coming at you from all angles and the state of the social contract, things can sometimes feel pretty bleak. We know that many people feel the same way and we tackle a lot of these issues in the songs. Yet we also see that a brighter future is possible. So we wrap these contrasts up into feel-good sing-along anthems. Making others feel positive and bringing all kinds of people together with a common culture, to party and have a good time.” Common Culture released their rousing debut single The Travelling Life, on January 1st, 2024. The video amassed nearly 4,000 views on Facebook on the first day of release. It’s a stomping anthem that captures the ethos of the band; taking a stand, following your heart, choosing a path and ambitiously travelling forwards. It was swiftly followed up in February by What the World Could Be and a packed out home town debut show in Barnsley. The band are rapidly making waves across the indie rock and folk scenes and will be playing slots at big UK festivals this summer, including Bearded Theory and Holmfirth Folk Festival. On their introspective new single ‘Taking Hold’ (released May 1st), Common Culture hit the ground running in an infectious indie-rock-folk frenzy. The song’s theme grapples with anxiety and thoughts of self doubt; stopping at nothing to break free from destructive cycles. “‘Taking Hold’ is a raw and honest look at the fear that can hold us back,” says Dan Watson (vocals and guitar). “It’s about the struggle to confront your demons and take control of your life, even when it feels like it’s too late.” Ultimately, Taking Hold is an uplifting anthem of empowerment and motivation, which will resonate with people facing their own challenges and seeking a sense of self-belief to get them through. “An exciting up and coming band to watch!” – Kate Rusby “A formidable force in the realm of alternative folk music” – Pure M Zine “More red-alert songs like this one are always welcome. Enchanting” – Turn Up The Volume