Ignored characters in Italian renaissance paintings, pig outlaws and tricky tooth fairy admin are just a few of the topics which singer-songwriter Gecko will be covering this August in Man With a Guitar Plays Story Songs.
Expect wit and warmth from this Glastonbury Festival regular, fresh from appearing on the BAFTA-winning Sky TV show Life and Rhymes, when he performs at Banshee Labyrinth from 6-9, 11-16, 18-23, 25-28 August at 2pm as part of PBH’s Free Fringe (free non-ticketed show).
Gecko said: “Audiences can expect songs sung from the point of view of numerous characters including an exhaustive guide to surviving primary school from a 5 year old two weeks into their first term, the trials and tribulations of being repeatedly asked to play Wonderwall during other songs you are already playing, and a reimagining of Rapunzel with less hair pulling. I will try to make you laugh and cry within the space of an hour – and will offer you a full refund if you don’t (note this is a free entry show).”
Gecko is a Singer, Storyteller and Musician. His playful lyrics cover the big things in life; think iPhones, libraries and Guanabana fruit juice to name but a few. With more than 1 million views and 400k likes on TikTok in the past year, Gecko’s previous appearances include Glastonbury, Latitude, Bestival, BBC Scotland, BBC London and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He has toured the UK, Europe & New Zealand. Gecko’s music has also been featured on BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 6 Music, Radio X and BBC Introducing. He has twice been awarded ‘Album of the Year’ by The Morning Star newspaper. In 2020, Gecko released his second album, Climbing Frame, crowd funded by his audience in just 48 hours. He has shared bills with the likes of Tim Minchin, Eddie Izzard, Ed Sheeran, Billy Bragg, Josie Long and Robin Ince.
Fans of Gecko’s story songs include Benjamin Zephaniah who said: ‘He’s a work of art’, Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music: ‘Just completely charmed me…I think he’s quite brilliant’, Huw Stephens, BBC Radio 1: ‘It made me instantly happy’, John Kennedy, Radio X: ‘Absolutely brilliant’, Gary Crowley, BBC Introducing: ‘Guaranteed to put a smile on even the grumpiest of faces…an absolute favourite’ and Attila the Stockbroker, The Morning Star: ‘a sumptuous feast of lovely melodies and cascades of sweet and clever words, superficially often seemingly inconsequential but with serious undertones’.
