Old Baby Mackerel
21st March 2026 8:00pm (Doors open at 7:00 pm)
Kirkgate Centre
Old Baby Mackerel are one of the UK's largest and best-known Bluegrass bands, recently featured on the front of the British Bluegrass News with a 5 page article. They play high-energy, foot-stomping Bluegrass featuring a fantastic line-up of renowned UK Bluegrass musicians. Over the last few years, they have sold out UK tours and venues, headlined multiple international Bluegrass festivals, been played on BBC 6Music, as well as at Glastonbury and other large UK festivals, and been featured in the British Bluegrass News magazinewith a five-page article and cover photo.
Their music uses banjo, mandolin, guitar and double bass to get knees bouncing and elbows swinging to the sweet harmonies,blistering solosand driving rhythmof the authentic Bluegrass sound.Be prepared to be transported back in time and space to early 20th century North America where songs dramatised the small town fascination with locomotion, love, violence and the veneration of bootleg liquor.
Press
“I’ve always got time for a bit of banjo”
Cerys Matthews, BBC 6 Music on playing our track Salty Dog Blues
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0018df0
"Great music.. sounds fantastic live”
David White, BBC Cornwall
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0fprjkv
“That's the first Bluegrass track I've played on Upload and I love it, so, so good!”
Adam Crowther, BBC Radio Bristol
“A fine band of musicians and entertainers who would be at home playing in any holler in Appalachia. Real crowd pleasers with every tune and song they perform.”
Richard Hurst, N. Ireland Bluegrass Music Festival Organiser
"The standard of Bluegrass wasvery high level and the band wasa tight as any another band I'veseen. The harmonies where asgood as I've heard anywhere byany band and I've seen a fewbelieve me. Their wit andinteraction with the audience wasa joy. A thoroughly enjoyableevening and we thank themwarmly for their music andhumour."
Anthony Cooney – Promoter of Junction Bluegrass