Anglo-Irish girl power bluegrass!

Midnight Skyracer is a new, all-female 5 piece bluegrass band playing hard driving traditional and modern classics, lesser known songs and a few originals. Featuring an all-star lineup of some of the UK’s top instrumentalists and singers, the band takes inspiration from the likes of other great female artists such as Rhonda Vincent and Alison Krauss.

Formed in early 2017, the band managed to squeeze in a mini tour and several festivals over the summer, proving to be a big hit at each one, and in August recorded their debut album, Fire, which was released on the 2nd February 2018.

 “ fluid fiddle lines, chunky mandolins, high lonesome singing, close harmonies, jangling banjos, languid dobros, unshakeable bass, and the guitar effortlessly sliding from rhythm to lead. With their tight pack playing and regular solo instrumental forays, Midnight Skyracer certainly exhibits the craft of traditional bluegrass.”Living Tradition

Leanne Thorose – Vocals & Mandolin

Leanne is a powerhouse singer and mandolin player. Some of her musical achievements to date include touring the world as lead fiddler with Essence of Ireland and, in 2011, recording her solo album with top session players in Nashville. More recently, Leanne has performed with London based bands such as the Ben Somers String Band and The Absentees.

Tabitha Agnew – Vocals & Banjo

At just 19, Tabitha is the youngest member of the band and a bit of a banjo prodigy. Not only is she an incredibly talented banjo player, but she also has a beautiful, delicate singing voice. Tabitha can usually be heard performing with her two brothers in the Northern Ireland based band Cup O’Joe, with whom she has performed all over the world, including being the only UK band to ever perform on the IBMA World of Bluegrass Youth Stage in Raleigh, North Carolina as well as showcasing in the main event this year.

Laura Carrivick – Vocals, Fiddle & Dobro

Laura splits her time in the band between the fiddle and dobro, contributing plenty of hot licks and soulful fills. Laura came second in the RockyGrass, Colorado fiddle contest in 2008 and once played fiddle with Tom Jones! Laura performs with her twin sister Charlotte in The Carrivick Sisters and also in the progressive bluegrass quartet, Cardboard Fox.

Charlotte Carrivick – Vocals & Guitar

Charlotte is one of the top female flatpickers in the world with an inventive lead style and and solid rhythm playing. Having grown up singing together, Charlotte and Laura’s sibling harmonies are second to none. Like Laura, Charlotte plays with Cardboard Foxas well as playing in an acclaimed old time duo with ace fiddler Kieran Towers where she also plays clawhammer banjo and mandolin. Charlotte endorses Bourgeois Guitars and BlueChip Picks.

Eleanor Wilkie – Vocals & Double Bass

Bluegrass bass players don’t come much better than Eleanor. Not only is she able to hold the band together with a simple, unobtrusive ‘less is more’ bass line, but given the chance she can bow it like a fiddle or take an impressive slap bass solo. Eleanor has played bass and fiddle in many UK bluegrass bands, currently fiddling with The Reckless Abandoners. Eleanor is also fast becoming the band’s main songwriter.