THE MOUNTAIN FIREWORK COMPANY

The MOUNTAIN FIREWORK COMPANY

"a bitter sweet country cocktail... on the rocks "
"Irish mountain music for city folk"

The Mountain Firework Company are an acoustic 5 piece based in Brighton, England. They came together over heartache and wine to create what has been described as "gorgeous folk/alt country pop, with equal parts darkness and cheeky humour " and "alternative bluegrass with a dark treacle folk centre "

Mournful and upbeat, The Mountain Firework Company’s driving melodic sound comes from an all acoustic string band line up of Guitars, Fiddle, Banjo, Mandolin, Double bass and Drums. Taking the traditional bluegrass string band line-up in new directions, they blend Folk, Country, Bluegrass and general Americana within their sound and whilst knowledgeable and respectful of those genre’s conventions, they are not bound by them. They play all their own material, creating a unique sound that is both fresh and familiar. A sound, that in it’s own small way is a continuation of the “folk “process, where the music that left these islands long ago to eventually become what we loosely term “Americana” has returned and still continues to evolve.

 

Their laconic front man, Irishman Gareth McGahan, spearheads the band. His song writing, gruff accented singing, and finger style guitar and banjo playing are at the core of it’s sound. His song writing is by turns sad, dark, and witty. It stands with one foot firmly in the folk, country and blues traditions. He writes his songs for bruised hearts and minds that sound contemporary and traditional. When the songs are then brought to life with vocal harmonies supplied by his assembled company of exceptional players, The band bristles with energy and vitality.

Biography

It was the Sidewinder pub in Brighton that set the stage for The Mountain Firework Company. Gareth was the manager and he was intent on using the space upstairs to put a band together. As a landmark Pub in Brighton with a reputation for its music, it quickly attracted likeminded souls. The pieces quickly fell together and soon the band was up and running.
At first they were an electric band, playing a mix of afro-funk and jazzy drum and bass, but this incarnation was short lived. Undeterred, Gareth went back to his roots as a folk blues fingerpicker. He gained a newfound confidence in his song writing and the band re emerged as the acoustic roots outfit that is now The Mountain Firework Company.

After a number of well-received local gigs they recorded their first album, the appropriately titled A ROUGH GUIDE TO FEELING ROUGH. Recorded above the pub, the album was released on line and introduced the band to a much wider audience, winning them many new fans.
Soon after that they were joined by renowned fiddle player Mike Simmonds, and they released their critically acclaimed second album SAMURAI. By now they had earned themselves a reputation as one of the very best acoustic live acts in the Brighton area and gathered themselves a large and devoted fan base. They went on to perform sold out shows four years running for the Brighton fringe festival and then play all over the UK, delighting fans old and new in respected acoustic venues such as the Green Note, Cecil Sharpe house in London and at many festivals large and small, including Glastonbury. For the next couple of years the band continued to develop creatively and grow in confidence, and by late 2011 it was time to go back into the studio and record a third album. For this they enlisted the help of seasoned producer Dan Swift and booked themselves 4 days at the highly regarded Ironworks studios. The result was THE LONESOME LOSING BLUES. Released in 2012 to wide critical acclaim it marked the beginning of a new chapter in their story which found them playing to enthusiastic fans old and new across europe and the USA.

After few more years of touring and writing and all the other stuff inbetween TheMFco set up camp at their shiny new wooden HQ , a purpose built log cabin studio deep in the heart of the mountains of Portslade. Armed with a new guitarist they began work on their latest album“The Beggar’s Prayer. Released in March of this year and launched at sell out gigs accross Sussex, it is a cut above their previous albums.

Honest and straightforward, THE BEGGAR’S PRAYER is  quality studio recording of a superb live band doing what they do best, effortlessly drawing together elements from Folk, Country, Bluegrass, Blues Pop and Soul to create something unique, genuine, contemporary and accessible. It is essential listening for lovers of quality original acoustic music everywhere and it promises to take the story The Mountain Firework Company to fields further and beyond...