When: 7.30pm on Saturday 26 January 2013
Where: The Dancehouse, 10A Oxford Road, Manchester, M1 5QA

We’re excited to be working with the Bedlam Six for the first time – for a special party to celebrate Louis Barabbas’ birthday.

Louis Barabbas & The Bedlam Six have become known as a band who like to put on a bit of a spectacle. This time they intend to surpass all expectations, with a grand show featuring specially commissioned set design from acclaimed artists Mari-Ruth Oda and Kirsty Almeida plus special guests from all across the genre and generational spectrum joining the band to perform brand new material, old favourites and one-time-only collaborations. This will be the biggest and best Bedlam Six show yet!

‘It’s been an amazing few years for us, so this event is both a personal landmark and a group celebration – what better place for a party than our favourite venue in Manchester?’ says Louis. ‘We’ve been all round the world, played with some heroes, made lots of friends (and a few enemies), survived all sorts of catastrophes, both human and environmental… I want to celebrate making it out of my twenties alive, something a lot of people in this business don’t get to do!”

The band will be joined throughout the night by special guest vocalists in a Last Waltz format – an apt move since it was this film that inspired Louis to form the group in the first place. The identity of these guest performers is a closely guarded secret and will be revealed nearer the event. Suffice to say, the audience will not be disappointed.

The whole show will be filmed and recorded for a live album and DVD scheduled for release in the spring to coincide with The Bedlam Six’s next European tour. We hope to see you there for what promises to be a night to remember!

Since forming in late 2006, the Bedlam Six’s music has infiltrated almost every creative niche, being adapted into animated short films, burlesque routines, musical theatre, fringe festival revues, documentary soundtracks, motion picture scores and even a comic strip.

Over the years they have won praise and support from the likes of Supergrass, The Mighty Boosh, Har Mar Superstar, UB40, Mark Steel, The Hell’s Angels, BBC Radio and even the Beat Poet biographer Barry Miles – both for their furious onstage energy and Louis’ manic lyrical gymnastics. Their infamous live shows – incorporating rock, jazz, folk and theatre influences – have proved time and time again that the group is at home on any line-up, even sharing the bill with such disparate acts as Motorhead, Sun Ra’s Arkestra, I Am Kloot, Eliza Carthy, The Blockheads, Emmanuel Jal and The Buzzcocks. In the last year alone they have toured Europe, the States and Mexico, inspiring stage invasions, dancing in the aisles and a confused mixture of exhaustion and bonhomie wherever they go.

Tickets are available in person from the Dancehouse box office. The cheapest online tickets are available from The Bedlam Six online shop at www.bedlamsix.bandcamp.com (includes download of Away In A Manger)

Attend on: Facebook | Last.fm