Catgut and Steel

Catgut and Steel (named for the strings on their instruments) have a sound bigger and fuller than two musicians would normally command - yet they play all their own instruments and use no backing electronica of any kind. Their repertoire is amazingly eclectic from Celtic tunes to contemporary covers, klezmer to country, but always with the strong vocal harmonies and swinging rhythm styles for which they are renowned.

The duo can often be found in backup roles with other artists; Chris Penman of the Penman family, the award winning Ben the Hoose and contemporary acioustic rockers The George Street Patsys. They also appear as session musicians on many albums. Always exciting and unpredictable, Mike and Anna are renowned for their abilty to form large bands out of thin air. Check out The Catgut and Steel Band - NZ's premiere folk-rock band.

With over 50 years of playing experience between them (and it's probably only fair to point out that most of those belong to the old fella) Mike and Anna come from diverse musical and geographical backgrounds. Anna was a stundent of classical violin in Holland where she lived until she emigrated to Australia and eventually, to New Zealand. Mike has always lived on the same hill in his hometown Dunedin and after the usual childhood piano lessons, discovered the guitar in his early teens, playing in rock bands (which he still does) and has been involved in the New Zealand folk scene since the early eighties. Mike and Anna teamed up through their involvement in the now defunct Pioneer Pog 'n' Scroggin Bush Band. Mike also plays in the internationally renowned acoustic showband, The Chaps.

Anna is a well known figure busking around Dunedin, with her distinctive fiddle style and her fiddling companion Coco the Cat. Check out their CD recording here.

Material covered by the both the duo and the band includes songs by the Pogues, Van Morrison, Sting, Dave Dobbyn, Crowded House, Bic Runga, Christy Moore, Jeff Buckley, Richard Thompson, Alison Kraus as well as many Irish, Scottish, European and American tune sets. Catgut and Steel can provide an evening of Irish music, country music, dance music - whatever your theme demands. They can play "plugged" or "unplugged" depending on the nature of your event. Commissioned works are also possible.

In concerts and folk festivals, Mike and Anna are a warm, humourous and engaging act with a wide range of material, some original, some well known and some more obscure ballads and tunes - often giving the folk treatment to a well known pop or country song.

Contact Catgut and Steel or see below where we're playing and when we are available. Download a Catgut and Steel poster for your event here.

Photos by Iro Frazer, photographic artist.