03/03/07

"The Sitting Ducks" were formed in 2002 by founder members Jess, Arb, Mike and Nick. Jess and Arb were a folk based duo and Mike and Nick came from local rock band Joe Hope and the Fairy Land Band. Nick is still called 'Joe Hope'!

Since then, the Ducks’ line-up has expanded, and now includes Emma, who plays a variety of wind instruments, and bass-player Steve, who also plays with 'The Blind Lemons'.  Singer/songwriter Mic has joined the band, along with Mark, who plays guitar and mandolin. Adrian bangs and shakes the percussion, and Phil wires it all together.

A performance by the Sitting Ducks is nothing if not varied, with songs ranging from the quiet melodies of Jess's own 'Flying High', and Nick's 'Joe Hope', with its moody infusion of big 'D' whistle and blues rock guitar, all the way to Mike's folk-rock choral anthem 'Got To Get It Right', via Arb's folky ballad 'Ain't Gonna Live Like Them No More' and Mic's cautionary tale 'Thursday's Child'. The band then accelerates into musical mayhem with arrangements of sea shanties like 'Drunken Sailor' and skiffle lunacy like 'Pick a Bale of Cotton', giving a live performance that only the unique ten-piece folk-rock-skiffle band that is The Sitting Ducks can produce.