Orange Claw Hammer

Event Phone: 01890 750099

After the death of the avant-rock genius Don Van Vliet, better known to the world as Captain Beefheart, in December 2010, the improvising quartet Ego Ergo Aggro decided to play a one-off tribute to the great man at the Click Clack Club in Edinburgh in January 2011. This was such a blast for audience and band alike that we decided to develop the repertoire further, and were transformed into Orange Claw Hammer. Not really a “tribute band” as there are only occasional vocals, tunes from most of the Captain’s albums are interpreted as instrumentals with room for improvisation. Not too many liberties are taken so as not to disappoint Beefheart aficionados!
Orange Claw Hammer are based in Edinburgh, Scotland
​Steve Kettley – tenor & soprano saxes, voice
Stuart Allardyce – guitar
Dave Beards – bass
Des Travis – drums
“OCH are fabulous! Of all the things I saw in the Edinburgh Festival the stand out performance was OCH in a cellar bar, the band is tight. OCH are a brilliant set of musicians with a love of Beefheart and a desire to enjoy and play with his work rather than try and recreate it. It is part homage, part wild eyed evening of grand riffs and virtuoso playing.”
Mark Thomas, comedian/activist.