The Poozies have been a popular mainstay on the scene since 1991. As an all-female group they were very much in the minority but they soared to success on the back of a television appearance on Shetland Sessions, filmed live at the Shetland Folk Festival. It showed off their originality, musicianship and great sense of fun, and kick-started a long career of high-profile gigs and worldwide tours. Along with founding member Mary Macmaster and long-time cohort Eilidh Shaw other distinguished members of the band during this period included Kate Rusby, Karen Tweed, Sally Barker, Mairearad Green and Patsy Seddon. A quieter time followed while children were born and raised, and the inevitable shifting of priorities and relationships.

In 2015 the band came back with a bang! The grounding bass of Mary’s inimitable electro-harp and Eilidh’s lyrical west coast fiddle were joined by Orkney’s Sarah McFadyen and Oban’s Tia Files: two exceptional young multi-instrumentalists, vocalists and composers. A whole new level of energy and creativity was born and the resulting 2018 album ‘Punch’ made a big impact on the scene. This Claire Button review sums it up quite nicely:

‘Back in the early 1990s when the Poozies were nascent and had Kate Rusby as a member, you’d have been pretty shocked if they’d come out with a line like: “We have to assume she’s all right / Up to her neck in her own shite.” But as the title of this their eighth studio album makes clear, the girls don’t hold back these days… Macmaster’s electro-harp provides a grungy underbelly to the three fiddles and massed vocals of the rest of the group as they romp through a vividly diverse tracklist… Special mention must go to Sarah McFadyen’s grittily stunning Soaking in the Bathtub, from whence the rather naughty line comes. The combination of McFadyen’s Orcadian accent and swooping voice with her kitchen-sink lyrics make this one of my tracks of the year so far. Rather like a punch, therefore (either the alcoholic or the violent kind), this knocks you out.’

“..a mischievous mix of musical mayhem, spellbinding showcase instrumentals....unencumbered by conventional folk idioms”

Jon Bennet, folking.com

“..this is the serenade of a rare butterfly in the ring with a will to take on the wind and win. The Poozies return undaunted and full of energy.” Ian D Hall, Liverpool Sound and Vision

Unfortunately lockdown came along and messed everything up for everybody. But the Poozies rose again and evolved into something even bigger and better. In 2023 they brought in the hugely-dynamic guitar powerhouse Michael Bryan, and went on to experiment with various highly-acclaimed drummers. 2025 will see the fruits of this exciting progression with the release of brand new music and a ramped-up, festival-headlining show.

Alexis Ffrench

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