Splat the Rat are a four piece Swindon-based folk orientated band comprising guitars, mandolin, fiddle, bass, percussion and drums, all complemented by great vocal harmonies. Their repertoire comprises some well-known traditional tunes, a few obscure gems and a number of more modern songs from all 4 corners of the UK, and with a few thrown in from America for good measure. They play songs of murder, love, debauchery, death, insanity, camels and heart break – something for everyone!
The band has evolved over a number of years with the current line-up coming together in late 2019. Bob Shaw (Guitar, Mandolin and Vocal) is the founding father of Splat the Rat and was joined by Joe Rendall (Guitar and Vocals) and Mike Rendall (Bass), Tim Downes-Hall (Percussion and drums) and most recently Bryony Swinjer (Fiddle and Vocals).
They have a penchant for taking both the well-known and the more obscure of folk tunes and playing them in a way that makes them accessible to all, whilst maintaining the heart of tradition within them. Their sets provide a mix of songs of old, traditional tunes, new and original songs, foot tappers, dancey jigs and a number of familiar crowd pleasers ensuring that everyone goes away in a happy place.