Timeline

AUTUMN: In possession of one recently expired USA student visa (and not much else), Louis Barabbas moves from Philadelphia PA to Manchester UK, where he becomes friends with singer and folk music promoter Alison Cegielka. Ali recommends Louis for a gig at The Thirsty Scholar, where he meets Matthew Cleghorn (also on the bill as a soloist). It turns out Cleg has just lost both his girlfriend and his job on the same day. He spends the next fortnight at Louis’ apartment drinking rum. They decide to form a folk duo.

WINTER: Louis and Cleg are joined by Jay Bardsley on bass and Al Baker on bodhran. They are called The Black Velvet Band.

(2006 photos by Joe Mannion)

SPRING: Cleg’s brother, Tom, joins the band on drums.
Al Baker leaves.
Alison Cegielka becomes a regular member of the line-up.

SUMMER: Nick Walters joins on trumpet.

AUTUMN: Jay Bardsley leaves.
Dan Watkins joins on bass guitar.
Nick Walters disappears mysteriously.
Hannah Miller and Georgina Leach (from Moulettes) briefly join on cello and violin.

WINTER: The band write and record a Christmas single, Writing My List, for Old Schoolhouse Records. The label goes out of business before the single is pressed.

(2007 photos by Annie Golden & Bryony Anderson)

SPRING: Alabaster DePlume joins on tenor saxophone.
The band records its debut album, Found Drowned.

SUMMER: Fran Lydiatt joins the line-up, playing piano and accordion.
Three-week residency at the Edinburgh Fringe.
The song The Tell-Tale Hound, from Found Drowned, becomes a live favourite and brings the band greater notoriety.

WINTER: Alabaster DePlume leaves the group in order to focus on his solo career.
Writing My List, recorded the previous year, is self-released under the name Louis Barabbas & The Black Velvet Band.

(2008 photos by Jim Davis, Nick Walters & Bryony Anderson)

SPRING: Biff Roxby joins on bass trombone (later also tenor trombone and cello).
The band changes its name to Louis Barabbas & The Bedlam Six.

SUMMER: Biff and Fran add brass and piano parts to the tracks previously recorded for Found Drowned, including Dripping With Dew.

AUTUMN: Louis plays a solo tour of Mexico.

(2009 photos by David McNamara, Bryony Anderson & Sara Harris)

SPRING: Found Drowned is finally released on Debt Records, followed a month later by new single Mother.

AUTUMN/WINTER: The band records a mini-album called Get Religion!

(2010 photos by Ben Robins, Sara Harris & James Caar)

SPRING: The Get Religion! launch party takes place at The Dancehouse Theatre in Manchester, featuring special guest John Otway. The Bedlam Six play two sets, as well as acting as Otway’s backing band. The concert doubles as the recording session for the albumLive At The Dancehouse Theatre.
The band embarks on its first European tour.

SUMMER: The band records the Memoir Noir EP (originally as an LP entitled Rum Deal).

AUTUMN: Live At The Dancehouse Theatre is released.

WINTER: Ali Cegielka plays her final gig with The Bedlam Six, at The Kazimier Theatre in Liverpool.
Away In A Manger is released as a free Christmas single.

(2011 photos by Gordon Jackson & Ben Robins)

SPRING: Kirsty Almeida joins as co-singer for the band’s European tour.
The Memoir Noir EP is released, with videos to accompany three of its four tracks: Living In The Aftermath, Woe Betide You and Deep Enough.

AUTUMN: Three Down, Four To Go is released as a single.

WINTER: The free Christmas single God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen is released.
The recording of Youth begins at the band’s house-studio and continues into 2013.
Louis’ 30th birthday show at The Dancehouse Theatre in Manchester is filmed for DVD.

(2012 photos by Sara Harris, Stranger Than Paradise, Andrew Ab, Renate Glinka & Kirsty Almeida)

SPRING: Third European tour.
The band’s live DVD is released.

SUMMER: I Ain’t Done is released – the first single from the forthcoming album, Youth.

Louis plays a solo tour of Australia.

AUTUMN: The second single from Youth is released – Waiting For Bad News.

(2013 photos by Werner Gensmantel, Pam Shurmer, Simon Heaton, Birgit Schwaighofer & Andrew Ab)

WINTER: The Bedlam Six kick off the new year (pun intended) with a short performance at The Etihad Stadium before the Manchester City vs Cardiff match.
A music video for Youth‘s second track, I Want To Know More, is released in January.

SPRING: Youth goes on general release through Debt Records, celebrated by live shows across the UK and public recording sessions for the next release.

AUTUMN: The band tour Europe for the fourth time and record single Long Way Down in Amsterdam.

SUMMER: The Bedlams return for festival season, playing shows in UK, Germany and Belgium.

WINTER: The band performs its first live web concert, streamed live from WR Audio studios in Greater Manchester.

(2016 photos by Christine Keating, Steve Hall & Andrew Ab)

SPRING: Fifth European tour.
The band’s third studio album DOWN DOWN DOWN is released along with Louis’ solo album Gentle Songs Of Ceaseless Horror. The band announce their plans to split at the end of festival season.

SUMMER: Bassist Dan marries Bedlam merch-seller Sara. The band are all in attendance and Louis officiates the ceremony.

AUTUMN: The band plays their farewell concert in Manchester at the end of September. It is sold out and the six part as friends. Read Louis’ farewell blog here.

(2016 photos by Andrew Ab, Christine Keating, Janine Worthington)