The Gloworms

The Gloworms

The Gloworms are a British folk group from the United Kingdom, formed in London in 2001 as an English ceilidh band. The group includes Laurel Swift, and its line-up is given as Jon Brenner on piano accordion, Colin Cotter on banjo and stompbox, and Swift on fiddle, voice and clogs.

Style and repertoire

The band plays a mix of traditional English dance tunes, original tunes written by the group, and material by other contemporary folk musicians. These pieces are arranged in sets designed for English ceilidh dancing. Although the instruments are acoustic, the music draws on sounds associated with electric and electronic dance music.

Performances and recordings

The Gloworms perform at festivals and dance clubs in the UK and mainland Europe, including WOMAD and the South Bank Folk Festival. Their first recordings appear on Laurel Swift's solo album Beam in 2005. Their debut album, Running Joak, follows in 2007. They also appear as guest artists on Simon Emmerson's album The Imagined Village, which wins a BBC2 Folk Award.