For 22 years The Hot Seats, from Richmond - Virginia, have gained and burnished the reputation as the carriers of an important and overlooked tradition of American and international folk music – social commentator, satirist, and entertainer. Homer and Jethro, The Skillet Likkers, The Hoosier Hot Shots, Harry Reser, Woodie Guthrie, Gus Cannon, Phil Ochs, Tommy Jarrell, Arthur Smith, Uncle Dave Macon, Frank Zappa – these are pools in which The Hot Seats swim.

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“If you don’t have a good time when the Hot Seats play, check your pulse. You might be dead”

Chris Bopst (Richmond Times Dispatch)

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Formed in 2002 by a group of like-minded friends for a weekly bar gig, the band’s live shows quickly became well known for on stage antics, one-act plays, and Dada-esque humor, underpinned by a foundation in hard-driving bluegrass, old time, ragtime, jug blues, and early country music. They refer to their sound under the catchall of 'Stringband music' finding it tedious to get into whether it’s old time, bluegrass, ragtime, country, or general freakout music.

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Between 2005–2018, The Hot Seats toured extensively in the US and UK, performing in nearly the full spectrum of venue size and situation: living room to dive bar; square dance to theater - including GTSF in 2015!

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The band’s core of Ben Belcher (banjo, bass, fiddle), Josh Bearman (mandolin, banjo, guitar) and Jake Sellers (percussion bass) are joined by Rudy Bee (fiddle, tuba, accordion, piano).

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"Absolutely superb-stunning musicians. If you get a chance to see them, take it. Very highly recommended"

Bruce MacGregor, BBC Radio Scotland

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Playing Friday.