A Genuine Freakshow are a 7-piece pop-infused post-rock cannonade with mass appeal. Songs born of their broad range of influences from Elbow and Radiohead to Mew and Explosions In The Sky are accompanied by lush orchestral arrangements and the sincere falsetto vocals of Timothy Sutcliffe. This gives the music they create a blend of classic pop with unpredictable structures and epic climaxes reminiscent of The National or Sigur Ros.
Based in Reading, the band relentlessly take their eclectic and engaging live show to venues up and down the country, playing over 60 headline shows from Exeter to Aberdeen, Cardiff to Norwich since September 2009 alone.
Tracks from their self-released EP 0.008%, and two singles We Are The Undercurrents and Holding Hearts made their way to fans world-wide via hand-made limited edition pressings, and also attracted the attention of local and national radio, earning the band multiple airplays and live/session appearances on BBC Berkshire, Oxford, and Bristol. BBC 6 Music DJ Tom Robinson invited the band to be guests on his Introducing show, and included Holding Hearts in his “Best of 2008” broadcast; March 2009 marked the band’s BBC Radio 2 debut on Steve Lamacq’s show.
The band continue to tour the UK tirelessly recently including a Levi’s “Ones To Watch” showcase at the London Barfly and showcase appearances at In The City 2009, BBC Introducing 2010 Preview, The Great Escape 2010, Liverpool Sound City 2010 and a string of festival dates for 2010 - Bestival, Summer Sundae, 2000 Trees and more.
A Genuine Freakshow have completed their debut album Oftentimes which is scheduled for release in late 2010, with a deluxe edition pre-order – including a host of bonus material – now available from the band’s website.
"A thrilling Reading-based seven-piece...
String section, sheets of Pink Floyd and Sigur Ros fed through the Radiohead filter"
Mark Ellen, The Word, January 2010
"A seven-piece experimental post-everything pop bonanza, and as you’ll hear, A Genuine Freakshoware even better than that. What an absolutely marvellous band"
Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music, October 2008
“Combining the grandeur of post-rock with lush orchestration, pop sensibility and a rare vocal sincerity, A Genuine Freakshow is an exciting band... Traces of Arcade Fire, Elbow and Radiohead are evident, however, there is far more under the surface.”
The List, November 2009
"A spellbinding set of heartfelt, spine-tingling beauty...Weaved together to form an awe-inspiring climax that beguiled the bejesus out of everyone in its wake."
Ones To Watch, levi.com, September 2009
"A band with the towering ambition, pop suss and teetering chaos that only the best brass-filled bands manage."
Channel 4, Planet Sound, November 2009
"Quite exquisite"
David Gilyeat, BBC Oxford, January 2009
“Like Sigur Ros on a quirky pop binge, A Genuine Freakshow’s colliding style has you on the edge of your seat and is simply astounding.” angryape.com, September 2008
"Bracing pop tunes"
London Metro, September 2008
Timothy Sutcliffe – Vocals & Guitar
Jack Bryant – Drums
Marianne Casey Canning – Violin
Melanie Dickson – Cello
John Dunstan – Trumpet
Simon Evans – Guitar
John Szmidt – Bass
