Stornoway (band)
| Company type | Indie folk ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Headquarters | Oxford , England |
Key people | Brian Briggs, Jon Ouin, Oli Steadman |
| Products | Music albums and live performances |
Stornoway is an indie folk ensemble originating from the Cowley district in Oxford, England. The group is fronted by Brian Briggs, an ornithologist who serves as vocalist, guitarist, and principal songwriter, accompanied by multi-instrumentalists Jon Ouin and Oli Steadman.
Their musical style incorporates a wide array of string instruments alongside keyboards, underpinned by a conventional pop rhythm section consisting of guitar, drums, and bass guitar. This foundation is further enriched with experimental percussion elements utilizing unconventional items such as saws, axes, cutlery, and gravel sourced from Wales. During live performances, the trio frequently collaborates with additional musicians including Thomas E Hodgson (trumpet, percussion), Susie Attwood (violin, percussion), Charlotte Glasson (violin, percussion, saxophone, flute), Felix Higginbottom (drums, percussion, backing vocals), and Adam Briggs (trumpet, percussion).
The band's name derives from the Scottish town of Stornoway located on the Isle of Lewis in the Hebrides. Although they had not visited the town prior to adopting the name, they have since performed there several times—most notably on 9 April 2010 when they finalized their contract with the label 4AD. The choice was inspired by natural history references and knot-tying manuals; additionally, the name gained incidental publicity through its mention in BBC weather reports.
Beginning with their release Dig The Mountain!, followed by Beachcomber's Windowsill and Tales From Terra Firma on reissued vinyl editions, Stornoway has emphasized environmentally conscious production by using recycled materials and sustainable cardboard packaging. They maintain informal associations with conservation organizations such as HIWWT, RSPB, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, British Trust for Ornithology, and the Woodland Trust.
Formation
Brian Briggs met Jon Ouin during Oxford’s Freshers’ week when Briggs observed Ouin resembled a member of their mutual favorite band Teenage Fanclub. This observation sparked their initial interaction and soon after they began collaborating musically. The duo later brought Oli Steadman on board as bassist, while Oli’s brother Rob auditioned for the role of drummer.
2005–2010: Early Adventures & other EPs
Stornoway’s debut radio broadcast occurred in March 2006 with the track "I Saw You Blink" featured on BBC Oxford Introducing. Early champion Tim Bearder notably dedicated an entire hour to their demo EP The Early Adventures of Stornoway. This initial set of five demos was succeeded by two independently released EPs: Letters From Lewis (2007) and On The Rocks (2008). In 2008, they performed at the first-ever Wood Festival.
Their significant breakthrough came in 2009 when they were invited to perform at Radio 1's Big Weekend following the success of their debut single "Zorbing." That summer included numerous festival appearances across the UK, featuring six performances at Glastonbury and a series of features in the Daily Telegraph. On 1 September 2009, they held a free concert at London’s Tate Modern supporting the climate initiative 10:10.
The release of their second single "Unfaithful" on 28 September 2009 was marked by a launch event at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts. Their inaugural UK tour took place from 16 to 30 October 2009 and culminated in a landmark show at Oxford’s Sheldonian Theatre accompanied by the Oxford Millennium Orchestra—making them the first non-classical act to perform at this venue.
In November 2009, Stornoway became the first unsigned band to appear on Later... with Jools Holland, sharing the stage with artists such as Sting, Norah Jones, Jay-Z, and Foo Fighters. This exposure significantly increased their online following and secured playlisting on BBC national radio stations. By December 2009, they were longlisted for the BBC Sound of 2010. Their March 2010 tour covering the Highlands, Islands, and Ireland included signing their record deal within Lews Castle grounds after performing for the first time in their namesake town.
2010–2012: Beachcomber's Windowsill
The group partnered with the independent label 4AD, releasing their third single, "I Saw You Blink," on 22 March 2010. Their first full-length album, Beachcomber's Windowsill, was subsequently launched on 24 May 2010. Brian Briggs expressed that any initial hesitation about signing with a label dissipated as 4AD guaranteed the band retained artistic freedom.
Prior to the album’s release, the band performed three exclusive shows during summer 2010 at Oxford’s A1 Pool Hall, entertaining around 300 local fans. Beachcomber's Windowsill entered the UK Albums Chart at position 14 and remained within the Top 100 for five weeks. In August, they recorded an acoustic session for 4AD at Oxford’s Rotunda. Their live appearances included prominent UK and European festivals such as Glastonbury Festival 2010 and Womad Charlton Park in July, followed by tours throughout England, North America, and Australia’s St Jerome's Laneway Festival in early 2011. The year culminated with a sold-out headline concert at London’s Shepherd's Bush Empire, attracting an audience of 2,000—their largest to date. Beachcomber's Windowsill was honored as Album Of The Year at the 2010 XFM New Music Awards.
In December 2010, Stornoway embarked on their inaugural official US tour supporting Head and the Heart, which was followed by additional American tours in May 2011 and May 2013 alongside artists including Sea Of Bees and Horse Thief.
After completing a second successful tour in Germany and debuting in Italy, Luxembourg, and Switzerland, the band spent early 2011 composing their sophomore album in Oxford. They returned to Glastonbury for a third consecutive year, opening the Pyramid Stage on 25 June and sustaining a busy festival itinerary throughout the summer months. Their English homecoming gig took place on 9 July at London's Somerset House, featuring support from Cloud Control and orchestral accompaniment by North Sea Radio Orchestra. A secret warm-up performance included support from Dry The River. On 3 September, Stornoway held their first Oxford show since November 2010 at the Regal on Cowley Road, sharing the bill with local bands The Epstein and Dreaming Spires; proceeds from this event benefited conservation organizations such as the Sumatran Orangutan Society.
2012–2013: Tales from Terra Firma
On 19 November 2012, Stornoway revealed their sophomore studio album, Tales from Terra Firma, which was released on 11 March 2013 following a year-long recording process. The lead single, "Knock Me on the Head," premiered on 1 January 2013, with its accompanying music video arriving in late February.
Upon release, the album debuted at number 26 on the UK Albums Chart and garnered widespread critical praise, including a five-star rating from The Guardian.
2013: You Don't Know Anything
In September 2013, Stornoway unexpectedly issued a mini-album titled You Don't Know Anything, consisting of outtakes from Terra Firma. This EP was exclusively available to fans during their UK tour and was streamed by AllMusic. It featured the lead track "Tumbling Bay," which received promotion from outlets such as Rolling Stone and BBC 6 Music's Lauren Laverne. Early reviews also appeared in specialist publications like Uncut and Q.
The EP officially launched on 11 November, followed by a UK tour that concluded at the Barbican Centre on 8 December, after which the band returned to the studio to work on their third album.
2014–2015: Bonxie
In June 2014, Stornoway announced their third full-length album through a PledgeMusic pre-order campaign that surpassed its goal by 513%. Supporters could obtain the album along with exclusive experiences such as zorbing and birdwatching. This initiative coincided with an active summer schedule of touring and festival performances, including headlining their first UK festival and two sold-out concerts at Oxford's Sheldonian Theatre, performed alongside the Oxford Millennium Orchestra.
Bonxie was released on 13 April 2015 and entered the UK Albums Chart at number 20. The band embarked on a UK tour starting 21 April, which included two sold-out nights at Islington Assembly Hall.
2016–2017: Farewell tour and split
Live shows continued into 2016, featuring four dates supporting Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott during Forestry Live events. However, in October of that year, the band announced their decision to disband, stating: "After ten years of shared experiences, we have chosen to bring Stornoway to an end. Our friendship and passion for music remain intact, but recent times have led us down separate paths."
They conducted a farewell tour across the UK in spring 2017, culminating with their final performance on 12 March 2017.
2022–2023: Reunion and Dig the Mountain!
Stornoway reunited for appearances at Truck Festival and WOMAD Charlton Park in July 2022. At WOMAD, they met Chinese vocalist Yijia Tu, whose performance impressed them greatly; they invited her to collaborate on their upcoming album and join their Autumn 2023 comeback tour alongside special guests including Fyfe Dangerfield and Sam Lee.
On 13 April 2023, the band announced their fourth studio album, Dig the Mountain!, initially scheduled for release on 8 September 2023 but postponed by one month. This album achieved a top ten position on the UK Sales Chart—their highest ranking so far.
Yijia appeared in the music video for "It's Not Up To You," which premiered on 28 July during a live interview with author Robert Macfarlane. The band toured extensively throughout the year, performing at major UK festivals such as Moseley Folk & Arts Festival and concluding with a show at O2 Forum Kentish Town alongside Cor Meibion Gwalia. This concert also marked the launch of their Christmas single "Excelsior," whose video featured fan-submitted footage of singing set against ash tree imagery to raise awareness of Ash Dieback disease. The single saw a return collaboration with mixing engineer George Shilling, who had worked with them since 2011.
A subsequent tour was announced for February 2024 across various UK towns and cities, followed by mainland European dates in April 2024. Summer festival appearances include Greenbelt, Wychwood, Wood, Beautiful Days, Glastonbury (their seventh since 2009), Deer Shed, and a headline slot at Love Trails Festival.
2024–2025: Best of Unplucked
Furthering their involvement with choral and classical music, the group collaborated with the Vocal Spokes choir in May and subsequently revealed plans to reimagine "Excelsior" alongside composer Edward Nesbitt. Their 2025 itinerary included performances such as the Manchester Folk Festival for English Folk Expo. They concluded 2024 with a series of church concerts, culminating at Union Chapel, Islington, where they unveiled Best of Unplucked, an acoustic compilation reflecting their musical journey.
The band also confirmed a scheduled performance at the Royal Albert Hall set for 30 March 2026. In July, after participating in Belgium's Gooikoorts festival, they encountered a Eurostar disruption that left numerous passengers stranded. To alleviate the situation, the band delivered an impromptu live set aboard the train during the delay.
Studio albums
| Album Title | Release Information | Highest Chart Positions | Certifications | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Sales | UK Indie | UK Downloads | UK Physical | Ireland | Belgium (Flanders) | ||||||||||||||
| Beachcomber's Windowsill |
|
14 | 3 | 4 | 22 | 3 | 46 |
| |||||||||||
| Tales from Terra Firma |
|
26 | 4 | 27 | 28 | 4 | — | ||||||||||||
| Bonxie |
|
20 | 5 | 31 | 16 | — | — | ||||||||||||
| Dig the Mountain! |
|
49 | 5 | 12 | 7 | — | — | ||||||||||||
| "—" indicates albums that either did not chart or were not released. | |||||||||||||||||||
Extended plays
| EP Title | Release Details |
|---|---|
| iTunes Festival: London 2010 |
|
| 4AD Session |
|
Singles
| Year | Single Title | Peak Chart Rankings | Associated Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK |
UK Indie |
Belgium (Flanders) | |||
| 2009 | "Zorbing" | — | — | — | Beachcomber's Windowsill |
| "Unfaithful" | — | — | — | Template:Non-album single | |
| 2010 | "I Saw You Blink" | 119 | 12 | — | Beachcomber's Windowsill |
| "Zorbing" (re-release) | 74 | 4 | 61 | ||
| 2013 | "Knock Me on the Head" | — | — | — | Tales from Terra Firma |
| 2023 | "Trouble With The Green" | — | — | — | Dig the Mountain! |
| "Bag in the Wind" | — | — | — | ||
| "It's Not Up To You" | — | — | — | ||
| "Excelsior (Christmas version ft Côr Meibion Gwalia)" | — | — | — | ||
| 2024 | "Excelsior (Edward Nesbit & Thomas Hodgon Rework)" | — | — | — | |
| "Beachcomber's Windowsill (2006 Demo)" | — | — | — | The Early Adventures Of Stornoway | |
A dash ("—") signifies singles that failed to chart or were not officially released.
Music videos
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | "Zorbing" | Hilary O'Hare |
| "Unfaithful" | Gina Hood | |
| 2010 | "I Saw You Blink" | Hilary O'Hare |
| "Watching Birds" | James Caddick | |
| 2013 | "Knock Me on the Head" | The Mitcham Submarine |
| 2013 | "Farewell, Appalachia!" | Matt Cooper featuring Made By Lung |
| 2015 | "Get Low" | Hilary O'Hare |
| "Man On Wire" | Susie Attwood | |
| 2023 | "Trouble With The Green" | Ben Giles |
| "It's Not Up To You" | Susie Attwood | |
| "Excelsior" | Oli Steadman |