The London Philharmonic Skiffle Orchestra

Known as The LPSO, founding members Mike Martin and Martyn Oram created the band in 2000 following a highly successful appearance as part of Skiffle King Chas McDevitt's band at the Kihveli Soikoon Festival in Finland. Initially a fairly straightforward skiffle/country//folk combo, the LPSO quickly developed as something far more than just a gigging line up. Re-christening their brand of skiffle as "anything goes", they embraced all the fun elements they could muster. Numerous instruments, costume changes, mad cap comical skits, parodies, comical songs, audience participation and pure high energy hilarity. This was all laced together with musical skills and the spirit of old time variety, but with a modern slant. Percussionist Ian Durrant (Captain Cabbage) was also in the original line up with various names playing bass... Richard Sharp, Richard Partridge, Paul Tkachenko, and, since 2007, the Right Horrible Ronald Regan (late of the comedy act Nuts & Bolts). They have been particularly well received at festival appearances in Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Germany, Finland, as well as in the UK.