One of Britain’s most dynamic live bands
Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys have previously played Tønder Festival to great audience acclaim. Now they return with the refreshing, modern energy they bring to the British folk tradition.
After a year’s break, Sam Kelly came back in 2025 with the album ‘Dreamers Dawn’, where centuries-old songs from England, Scotland, Ireland and the USA meet new compositions co-written with banjo virtuoso Jamie Francis. With a captivating, versatile sound, the album moves from adventurous tales of pirates and poachers to contemporary themes such as mental health.
Since their formation in 2016, Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys have established themselves as one of Britain’s most dynamic live bands, filling festival tents around the world. The group features some of the most sought-after musicians on the UK folk scene: Graham Coe on cello, Toby Shaer on flutes and fiddle, Archie Moss on melodeon, and Evan Carson on drums. Their repertoire ranges from traditional ballads to surprising rock classics, and their concerts are renowned for virtuosity and sheer joy of playing.
Sam Kelly’s distinctive voice is the natural focal point of the band. With roots in the Irish sean-nós singing tradition passed down from his grandfather, he blends tradition with modern pop elements and a powerful rock edge.
Alongside his work with The Lost Boys, Sam Kelly has also written and sung in Cornish - a Celtic language closely related to Welsh and Breton. In 2015 he won the Pan Celtic Song Contest and became the first to sing in Cornish on nationwide British radio. In that connection, Sam Kelly will also take part in Tønder Festival’s special Songwriters’ Circle in 2026, where artists perform in their respective minority languages.
