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The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican
OriginBarnsley, South Yorkshire, England
GenresFolk music, Parody music, Pastiche
Years active2006–present
LabelsMoon On A Stick
MembersScott Doonican
Björn Doonicansson
Alan Doonican #2
Past membersDanny Doonican
Alan Doonican #1
Andy Doonican
Maart Allcock-Doonican
Websitewww.thebarstewardsons.com

The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican are an English folk and parody band from Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Formed in 2006, they have played over 900 shows throughout the UK and are best known from the festival scene, having played at Beautiful Days, Bearded Theory, Rebellion Festival, and most recently to an audience of 20,000 at Fairport's Cropredy Convention. Playing mainly acoustic instruments, they take popular songs and replace the lyrics with their own, rarely keeping the meaning of the original. They have released ten studio albums and a compilation album, and a number of live albums. Presenting themselves humourously as the long-lost relatives of Val Doonican, the various members of the band have adopted the singer's surname for their shows, and wear brightly coloured versions of Doonican's traditional sleeveless jumpers.

History

The band started as an acoustic guitar duo of Scott and Danny Doonican, mainly covering songs in the normal manner, but they soon expanded to a three piece with the addition of Alan Doonican #1 on piano accordion, and released two albums of cover versions. In 2008, they started to become a comedy/parody band by replacing the lyrics with their own, the first being "Tarnlife", a re-working of Blur's "Parklife" with lyrics about the inhabitants of their home town of Barnsley;[1] their first full album in this vein was 2010's Cpl. Kipper's Barnsley Trades Club Turn. The line-up of the band has changed a number of times, but since 2014 has been stable, with Scott (vocals, guitar, omnichord, keyborads) being joined by Alan Doonican #2 (piano accordion, keyboards, vocals) and Björn Doonicansson (violin, banjo, mandolin). Scott Doonican, in an interview with Farmer Phil's Festival in 2016, named the band's musical influences as Mike Harding, Jasper Carrott and Richard Digance.[2]

Live shows

The band's shows range from solo acoustic shows by Scott, to full band shows. The band are regulars on the UK festival scene,[3] and have also supported a number of diverse acts including The Levellers, Chas & Dave, Roy Wood and John Otway.[2] Shows are often enhanced by various set-pieces, such as the addition of another fiddler dressed as the devil for their version of "The Devil Went Darn To Barnsley" and Scott crowd-surfing to the bar and back with a pint; at bigger shows Scott has used a rubber dinghy for this part of the show.[4][5] They regularly invite other musicians to play with them; at Cropredy Festival Fairport Convention's Maartin Allcock, complete with Doonican-style jumper, joined them for the finale.[6]

Reception

Jeff Robson, reviewing their Cropredy show for the Independent, said "the Bar Steward Sons of Val Doonican were the highlights of a somewhat plodding (and rainy) Saturday afternoon, swearily lampooning a genre that sometimes takes itself too seriously."[7], whilst another review of the same show said "complete with fluorescent tank tops and dodgy wigs were an absolute highlight."[8] At Bearded Theory 2018, the reviewer noted "Rapidly becoming the must-have, must-see festival band, the Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican played to an over-capacity Woodland Stage arena as hundreds queued for a chance a catching their much-anticipated antics".[9] A review of a smaller venue show said "They simply take all the songs you cannot get out of your head – everything from The Police to Kings of Leon – and twist the lyrics beyond recognition while wearing gloriously outrageous multi-coloured tank tops."[10]

Discography

Albums

  • For Those About To Rock... We Rock Gently (2007)
  • Back To The Day Job (2008)
  • Cpl. Kipper's Barnsley Trades Club Turn (2010)
  • The Dark Side Of The Tarn (2011)
  • 'EY UP! LET'S GO! (2012)
  • Sat'day Neet Fever (2013)
  • Talk Of The Tarn (2014)
  • The Tarn Machine (2015)
  • T'South 0 - Tarn 4 (2016)
  • 'Ave It: Bold As Brass (2017)

Compilation Albums

  • The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican 2008-2018 (2018)

Other media

  • Live & Lairy At Fairport's Cropredy Convention (DVD/CD compilation) (2018)

Members

Current members

  • Scott Doonican - Vocals, guitar, omnichord, keyboards (2006-present)
  • Alan Doonican #2 - Accordion, organ, vocals (2014-present)
  • Björn Doonicansson - Mandolin, bouzouki, banjo, violin (2014-present)

Former Members

  • Danny Doonican - Guitar, vocals (2006-2011)
  • Alan Doonican #1 - Accordion, vocals (2006-2014)
  • Andy Doonican - Guitar, bass guitar, ukulele (20011-2016)

Occasional members

References

  1. ^ "Biography". The Bar Steward Sons of Val Doonican. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Saying "ow do?" to Scott Doonican". Farmer Phil's Festival. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  3. ^ "Scott Doonican interview". Muso Muso. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  4. ^ "Bearded Theory review". Urbanista. 28 May 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  5. ^ "Beautiful Days 2018". Festival Flyer. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  6. ^ Walsh, Dom. "Fairport's Cropredy Convention 2018". Louder Than War. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  7. ^ Robson, Jeff (14 August 2018). "California comes to Oxfordshire as Fairport defy folk convention". The Independent. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  8. ^ Mills, Bob (16 August 2018). "Review - Fairport's Cropredy Convention". Banbury Guardian. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  9. ^ Bowrey, Sara. "The Bar Steward Sons of Val Doonican". Festival Flyer. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  10. ^ Morgan, David (11 June 2017). "Review: The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican". Warrington Guardian. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
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