Dragon group ready to fly

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), August 8, 2008

Following their appearance on the BBC's Dragons' Den, indie-pop band Hamfatter will visit Newcastle next month as part of a UK tour. Entertainment Editor GORDON BARR finds out more.

FROM Dragons' Den to Newcastle University - such is the course for indie band Hamfatter.

The group, who negotiated a pounds 75,000 deal with Dragon Peter Jones in return for 30% of their profits, are also set to release their album What Part Of Hamfatter Do You Not Understand? on August 18.

"We can't wait to get out on tour. It'll be exciting to play to a whole new audience," said lead guitarist James.

"The appearance on Dragons' Den has given us a platform to get our music out there and now we're ready to get out on the road and do what we love the most."

The band formed six years ago when Eoin O'Mahony (vocals, piano, bass guitar, double bass) and James Ingham (guitar, backing vocals) were studying music at Cambridge University and met drummer Mark Ellis at a gig. Hamfatter - meaning "third-rate minstrel" - was the result.

All three members have now given up their day jobs - Eoin has suspended his piano teaching, Mark will no longer be serving in a Cambridge Starbucks and James's stint booking bands is at an end.

Hamfatter will play the Carling Academy Newcastle on September 24.

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APPETISING: Hamfatter are looking forward to playing live