Fairground Attraction

British neo-skiffle quartet Fairground Attraction were formed in 1987 by songwriter/guitarist Mark Nevin & vocalist Eddi Reader. Their debut single, 'Perfect', went to Number One in the UK & they were the first band to win both Best Single & Best Album at The Brit Awards. Their use of the guitarrón, played by Simon Edwards, gives their sound a warmth that combines with idiosyncratic drummer Roy Dodds, Nevin & Reader to create a charming acoustic antidote to all that is modern & digital. Their meteoric rise to the top of the charts was as surprising as it was welcome & unfortunately, they parted ways before recording a second album, leaving a legacy of just four singles & one double-platinum album, 'The First of a Million Kisses'. RCA released 'Ay Fond Kiss', a compilation of b-sides after the split and a few years later 'Kawasaki, Live In Japan'. Since then, Reader has enjoyed a successful solo career, most notably for her renditions of the songs of Scottish bard Robbie Burns, while Nevin, as well as making many solo albums, has collaborated with various artists, including Morrissey and Kirsty MacColl. In 2023 after a period of more than three decades, the estranged members of Fairground Attraction finally re-opened communication. In July 2024 they played live together for the first time in 35 years in Japan, where they did 5 shows before returning to the UK to release their long awaited second album, 'Beautiful Happening' and embarking on a 14 date UK tour.