The Hot Seats

“Absolutely superb – stunning musicians. If you get a chance to see them, take it. Very highly recommended.” – Bruce MacGregor, BBC Radio Scotland

For 22 years, The Hot Seats, have gained and burnished the reputation as the carriers of an important and overlooked tradition of American and international folk music – social commentator, satirist, and entertainer. The Skillet Lickers, The Hoosier Hot Shots, Woodie Guthrie, Gus Cannon, Uncle Dave Macon, Frank Zappa – these are pools in which The Hot Seats swim.

Formed in 2002 by a group of like-minded friends for a weekly bar gig, the band’s live shows quickly became well known for on stage antics, one-act plays, and Dada-esque humor, underpinned by a foundation in hard-driving bluegrass, old time, ragtime, jug blues, and early country music.

Between 2005-2018, The Hot Seats toured extensively in the US and UK, performing in nearly the full spectrum of venue size and situation: living room to dive bar; square dance to theater).  Some of their festival highlights include: Tønder Festival, The Richmond Folk Festival, Red Wing Roots, Celtic Connections, The Shetland Folk Festival, The Orkney Folk Festival, South By Southwest, Floyd Fest, Bristol Rhythm and Roots Festival, The Watermelon Park Festival, The Northeast Kingdom Music Festival, Didmarton Bluegrass Festival, Maverick Festival, HebCeltFest, Speyfest, Leicester Summer Sundae and multiple occasions Edinburgh Festival Fringe (including winning a Herald Angel Award in 2006).

Since 2020, the band’s original core of Ben Belcher (banjo, bass, fiddle), Josh Bearman (mandolin, banjo, guitar) and Jake Sellers (percussion bass) have been joined by Rudy Bee (fiddle, tuba, accordion, piano), JM Nobile (mandolin, guitar), and Charles Arthur (banjo, fiddle, resophonic guitar).

“If you don’t have a good time when the Hot Seats play, check your pulse. You might be dead.”– Chris Bopst (Richmond Times Dispatch)