The John Langan Band

The John Langan Band

The John Langan Band is a Scottish folk group built around John Langan on guitar, lead vocals and percussion, with Dave Tunstall on double bass and backing vocals and Alastair Caplin on fiddle and backing vocals. The trio work in an acoustic style that draws on Celtic music, Gypsy swing, Roma music and flamenco, and they present it with a fast, forceful approach that combines traditional idioms with punk energy.

Their arrangements mix rhythm guitar, bowed fiddle and double bass with layered percussion. Langan adds cajon and tambourine with his feet while also singing and playing guitar, giving the group a tightly coordinated sound. Their material ranges from groove-led songs and singalong anthems to more detailed instrumental pieces, with bowed harmonics between fiddle and bass used for a darker, more atmospheric effect.

The band’s sound is described through contrasts: acoustic instruments are used in ways that can sound driving, swinging, menacing, eerie and psychedelic. Their set-up centres on the interaction between the three players, with the fiddle, bass and rhythm guitar creating a dense, dance-focused performance style.