Bryttania
Bryttania | |
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 Bryttania performing at the 7th Orkney Rock Festival in September 2022. From left to right: Keaghan Barnett, Tom Kennaugh, Conal Caithness, Ewan Howe, and Charlie Kennaugh. | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as |
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| Origin | Orkney Islands, United Kingdom |
| Genres | Heavy metal Hard rock |
| Years active | 2017–present |
| Labels | AÖF |
| Members | Ewan Howe Tom Kennaugh Conal Caithness Keaghan Barnett Charlie Kennaugh Julian Beale |
| Past members | Joe Smith |
Bryttania is a heavy metal band from the Orkney Islands of Scotland, formed as Agents Öf Fortune in 2017 by drummer Ewan Howe.[1] The band is perhaps best known for performing at the Orkney Rock Festival in 2019 and 2022.[2] The current lineup comprises founding member Ewan Howe, longtime lead guitarist Tom Kennaugh, lead vocalist Conal Caithness, bassist Keaghan Barnett, rhythm guitarist Charlie Kennaugh, and keyboardist Julian Beale. Bryttania are acknowledged for their charity work over the years, raising money for both local and national charities. Bryttania has since played on the same stage as acts such as Del Amitri, Fish, Fatherson, Newton Faulkner, The Shires, and Ten Tonne Dozer.
History[edit]
2016–2017: Origins[edit]
As early as 2016, guitarist Tom Kennaugh had been trying to form a band with guitarist Conal Caithness. Kennaugh and Caithness both attended the same high school, which allowed them to discuss their musical ideas. However, nothing came of any musical projects the two anticipated. The following year, Caithness established himself as a solo performer, mainly playing the acoustic guitar at local pubs.
In May 2017, drummer Ewan Howe was taken by his father to see Iron Maiden live in Glasgow. In a 2019 interview, Howe recalled how the experience inspired him to form a band of his own the summer of that same year.
2017–2019: Agents Öf Fortune[edit]
The band was formed as Agents Öf Fortune in 2017 by Howe, in Kirkwall; the capital of the Orkney Islands. The name was inspired by Blue Öyster Cult's fourth studio album. The same year while at school, Kennaugh had expressed to Howe his ambition to be in a band, to which Howe decided Kennaugh would be a suitable lead guitarist for Agents Öf Fortune. The band was a two-piece consisting of Howe on drums and lead vocals, and Kennaugh on lead guitar and backing vocals, both 13 years of age. The band practiced in the attic at Howe's parents' house using a Millenium drum kit and a Yamaha Pacifica electric guitar. The first song the band ever wrote was Kill It With Fire.
In spring 2018, Joe Smith and Conal Caithness joined the band on bass guitar and rhythm guitar respectively, which made Agents Öf Fortune a four-piece band. However both new members left the same year due to lack of progression in Agents Öf Fortune's music. Conal Caithness had reserved a place for the band at the local Orkney Rock Festival,[3] however the band were not ready to perform. Caithness performed at the festival as a solo act, leaving Agents Öf Fortune behind. Joe Smith departed from the band the same year. Caithness had claimed the name 'Agents Öf Fortune' sounded too 'Marvely', which later inspired Howe to later change it to Bryttania in 2019. On 27 March 2019, Agents Öf Fortune played a short set to a private audience of friends in the attic, which was the only performance the band ever did under their previous name.
2019–2022: Early years[edit]
In March 2019, bass guitarist Keaghan Barnett joined Agents Öf Fortune. The band changed their name shortly after, to Bryttania, and acquired a new rehearsal space not far down the road from their previous space. Conal Caithness rejoined the band in April 2019 after a year absence, this time on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, however the latter was later dropped in favour of sole lead vocals. Bryttania practiced for the summer of 2019, and eventually played two concerts at the 2019 Orkney Rock Festival[4], with the band's debut gig taking place in Kirkwall on 30 August 2019.[5] The band performed a concert in Stromness for charity later that year.[6][7]
In 2020, Bryttania's progress was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, although several songs were composed for the band to later perform after the isolation period was over. In November 2020, Julian Beale joined the band as rhythm guitarist, and became keyboard player as well in 2021. Beale was previously in the Sanday band The Gruelly Belkies between 2016–2019, before joining Bryttania.[8] On 23 October 2021, Bryttania performed their first concert of the decade in the village of Orphir, Orkney, which was also the band’s first open-air performance, in celebration of Kennaugh’s 18th birthday.[9][10] In November 2021, Bryttania played a fundraiser concert for the 2021 Children in Need charity event at Kirkwall Grammar School; the school of which all five members individually attended between 2015 and 2022.[11] In April 2022, Bryttania's song Say No More was streamed over Dumfries Community Radio across Scotland.
In May 2022, Bryttania performed their first unplugged set at the Pickaquoy Centre in Kirkwall, raising money in aid of the RNLI, along with other acts.
2022–present: Live at the St. Magnus Centre and Dr. Metal[edit]
On 19 August 2022, Bryttania performed their final set with Beale at the Kirkwall Sailing Club bar, before Charlie Kennaugh joined the band to finish the set which marked the handover of guitarists. The gig was for a charity event which resulted in £2730.72 being raised for two charities.
That year, the Orkney Rock Festival resumed, and the band performed at the festival’s main event on 3 September. The band announced that they were to start working on a new album in late 2022. On 14 October 2022, the band released the live EP Live at the St. Magnus Centre, which featured three tracks recorded in February 2022. In July 2023, the band announced that Julian Beale had returned, assuming the role of rhythm guitarist keyboard player. Bryttania appeared at both the Orkney Rock Festival and Loud N' Live 2023. On 29 February 2024, the band released the four track EP Dr. Metal, recorded between summer 2023 and February 2024.
Band members[edit]
Current members[edit]
- Ewan Howe – drums (2017–present), backing vocals (2020–present), lead vocals (2017–2019)
- Tom Kennaugh – lead guitar (2017–present), backing vocals (2017–2019)
- Conal Caithness – lead vocals (2019–present), rhythm guitar (2018, 2019)
- Keaghan Barnett – bass (2019–present), backing vocals (2023–present)
- Julian Beale – rhythm guitar/keyboards (2020–2022, 2023–present)
- Charlie Kennaugh – co-lead guitar (2022–present)
Former members[edit]
- Joe Smith – bass (2018)
Discography[edit]
Albums and extended plays[edit]
- Live at the St. Magnus Centre (2022)
- Dr. Metal (2024)
- In Vain (2024)
Singles[edit]
- Kill It With Fire (2019)
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ Ewan Howe
- ↑ "Orkney Rock Festival announced". Orkney.com.
- ↑ "Orkney Rock Festival dates announced". Orkney Live Wire. August 30, 2018.
- ↑ "Orkney Rock Festival 2019 lineup". Orkney Live Wire. August 29, 2019.
- ↑ "Bryttania live at the Auld Motorhoose". Setlist.fm. August 30, 2019.
- ↑ "Orkney fundraiser gig held in Stromness". The Orcadian. November 15, 2019.
- ↑ "Bryttania live at the Royal Hotel, Stromness". Setlist.fm. November 16, 2019.
- ↑ "The Sanday Gruelly Belkies". The Gruelly Belkies Facebook. June 10, 2017.
- ↑ "Bryttania perform open-air gig in Orphir". Orkney Image Library. November 8, 2021.
- ↑ "Bryttania live at The Shed, Orphir". Setlist.fm. October 24, 2021.
- ↑ "Bryttania Children in Need gig". Setlist.fm. November 15, 2021.
