The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican

Founded in Barnsley Rock City in 2006 by their outspoken and energetic ringleader, Scott Doonican, The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican are on a mission! Far from being your typical folk ensemble, this cult-like collective of like-minded knit-wear enthusiasts are determined to follow in their spiritual father’s immortal footsteps and keep his legacy alive. Scott and his brothers-from-other-mothers, Alan Doonican, Mo-Jo Doonican, Dave Doonican and the Rt. Rev. Jeremiah Rickenbacker Doonican III, have quite the talent for Bar-Stewardizing other famous people’s songs with new satirical comedy lyrics, on folk instruments. To complete their outrageously understated image, the Doonicans have become instantly recognisable in festival fields and venues up and down the country for their immaculate hair and their stylish choice of sexy knitwear, and instantly memorable for their lairy, no-holds-barred, anarchic live shows.​

A group that is both perpetually on the move, ever-evolving and joyously independent, during the last two decades they have played over 1400 side-splitting shows to date, and have brought smiles and belly-laughs to audiences across the UK; from Barnsley to Barnstaple, from Glastonbury to Glasgow. They continue to wow audiences with a fine selection of their greatest hits, including the likes of “Jump Ararnd”, “The Lady In Greggs”, "The Devil Went Darn To Barnsley", "How Deep Is Your Glove?", "Paint 'em Back", "Goat Yoga", "Turkey Teeth" and “If I Could Punch A Face… It’d Be Justin Bieber’s”.

Over the last 20 years, The Bar-Steward Sons have written and recorded fifteen studio albums, independently released over 60 live recordings, successfully crowd-funded ten separate independent vinyl releases, played on top of mountains, wowed-festival goers across the length and breadth of the UK, racked-up over 1,260,000 views on YouTube, had six different beers brewed and named in their honour by four different breweries, they have sold-out eight consecutive shows on a Mississippi paddle-steamer on the Norfolk Broads in less than 20 seconds, hosted their own sell-out music and comedy festivals, written & performed in their own musical, are featured in the Experience Barnsley Museum Music Archives, hold the bar-takings record for at least ten theatres, have been the recipients of six different individual awards as voted for by the public in the Barnsley Music Awards, played to 20,000 people at Fairport's Cropredy Convention (twice!), the Avalon Stage at Glastonbury Festival (twice!), recorded collaborations with the likes of Frank Turner, Eliza Carthy and members of the Levellers, and even scaled the dizzy heights of a #1 and a #2 single and a #2 album on the iTunes Comedy Charts (plus a National chart position in the Top 100)! That's not too shabby for a daft little unsigned comedy folk band from Barnsley, who manage themselves, eh?

As well as notable appearances at festivals and venues across the UK, including Glastonbury Festival (pictured above), Fairport Convention's Cropredy Convention, Cambridge Folk Festival, The Levellers' Beautiful Days Festival, Bearded Theory, Rebellion Punk Festival, Kate Rusby's Underneath The Stars Festival, Wychwood Festival, Warwick Folk Festival, Shrewsbury Folk Festival, Towersey Festival, Watchet Live, Wickham Festival, Camper Calling, Lindisfarne Festival (and many, many more), they have been versatile enough to tour with, support or share the same bill as many of the world's finest live acts from a wide range of genres (from folk and jazz to punk and metal), including (in absolutely no particular order):
​
Levellers, Fairport Convention, Frank Turner, Lulu, Manic Street Preachers, Chas & Dave, Kate Rusby, The Darkness, Bill Bailey, Eliza Carthy & The Wayward Band, The Flaming Lips, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Toyah, The Hives, The Selecter, The Wurzels, Gipsy Kings, Shed Seven, Jane's Addiction, Iggy Pop, Dreadzone, The Blockheads, Afro Celt Soundsystem, Roy Wood, Patti Smith, Mike Harding, Level 42, T'Pau, 3 Daft Monkeys, Richard Thompson, John Otway, Richard Digance, Graham Oliver (Saxon), Tom Robinson Band, The Wildhearts, The Sweet, Focus, Chumbawumba, Simon Friend (Levellers), Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman, Carter USM, The Lottery Winners, Nizlopi, The Pretenders, Maartin Allcock (Fairport Convention/Jethro Tull), Tony Christie, Bananarama, Spiers & Boden, Matthews Southern Comfort, Ben Ottewell (Gomez), Martin Carthy, Warmduscher, Billy Bragg, Skindred, Primal Scream, Miles Hunt & Erica Nockalls (The Wonder Stuff), Lil' Jimmy Reed, Garbage, Kate Nash, Mark Chadwick (Levellers), Brian Wilson (The Beach Boys), The Undertones, Tom Hingley (Inspiral Carpets), Dave Pegg & Dave Mattacks (Fairport Convention), The Proclaimers, Chris Difford (Squeeze), Dub Pistols, Urban Voodoo Machine, Jeremy Cunningham (Levellers), Gilmore & Roberts, Show Of Hands, Seth Lakeman, Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Sound Of The Sirens, Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq, Hugh Whitaker (The Housemartins) Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, The Magic Numbers, Amyl & The Sniffers, Haircut 100, Craig Charles, Reverend & The Makers, Five, Turin Brakes, Clannad, Kula Shaker, The Bay City Rollers, Ralph McTell... and even Dick & Dom!
​
The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican can’t wait to bring their shindig to a festival field or venue somewhere near you and they promise that they WILL rock you…
but gently!