In the great tradition of folk rock and acoustic madness that has spread in Italy in the last decade, Folkabbestia are certainly destined to lead rather than to follow. This six members band rocks, roars, and rollicks through a traditional repertoire with little sense of decency or decorum.

FOLKABBESTIA are six guys from Italy who play an energetic and fun-laden mixture of Tarantella, Ska, Polka, Rock, Irish Folk, Slavic melodies and Italian Songs. With their concerts the band spreads their distinctive and sometimes anarchic humour across Europe.

In a laconic and ironic way, FOLKABBESTIA tell their tales of tragic love stories or other adventures with an unhappy ending.

FOLKABBESTIA play sentimental sailors' songs, Italian anthems like "Azzurro", songs about love and loss, pirates and partisans, presented with an optimistic punk attitude.

The members of the band come from Bari in Apulia, a region in the South of Italy, opposite the coast of Albania.

Far from the frenetic hurry, and law and order of the northern industrial cities, the heel of Italy plunges deep into the Mediterranean Sea.

So it is easy to understand how the musical traditions of the southern Italian regions, as well as neighbouring cultures, have influenced FOLKABBESTIA's compositions.

With modern as well as traditional instruments (violin, accordion, mandolin), FOLKABBESTIA deliver a great live performance, transferring their own sense of fun onto the audience - jigging and whirling around until they are completely exhausted.

Some biographical notes*

After the self-produced “Breve saggio filosofico sul senso della vita” (1998), “Se la rosa non si chiamerebbe rosa Rita sarebbe il suo nome” (UPR, 2000), “Non è mai troppo tardi per avere un’infanzia felice” (UPR, 2003), a live album with two previously unreleased songs “Pèrche” (UPR, 2005) and the not to be missed “25-60-38 breve storia della canzone italiana” (UPR, 2006), in 2008 Folkabbestia give to their fans 15 new songs with “Il segreto della Felicità” (UPR, 2008).

When speaking about Folkabbestia, there are many curious facts to remember.

First of all they held the Guinnes world record for the longest live performance of the same song (lasted 30 hours) played at the Demetrio Stratos Auditorium in Milan and broadcasted by Radio Popolare, in September 2003 they took part to a live show in Milan broadcasted by the BBC during the world cup qualification match between Italy and Wales, in 2004 they had their most notable colourful performance at Mantova Musica Festival where they all dressed like traditional Southern Italian playing cards, in Melfi (PZ) they had a gig in support of the Fiat Sata factory workers, they took part in the peaceful march from Perugia to Assisi, and in 2002 in Florence they played for the European Social Forum concert. They also took part in the Lorient Interceltic Festival, the Mostar Intercultural Festival, Arezzo Wave, Santarcangelo dei Teatri, and Raduno di Caterpillar (a gathering organized by a famous Italian radio program).

Abroad they also toured in Switzerland, Austria and Germany with a great final concert at Zapata Cafè in Berlin. In September 2005, the Italian singer Luciano Ligabue invited them to play in the great campo volo concert in Reggio Emilia. They reached the top in collaborations with the album ”25-60-38” dated June 2006 where they covered Francesco Guccini’s “L’avvelenata” together with Franco Battiato and “3 Briganti e 3 somari” with Caparezza and Erriquez


Folkabbestia are:

Lorenzo Mannarini: Lead Voice and Guitar
Francesco Fiore: Electric Bass Guitar
Nicola De Liso: Drums
Fabio Losito: Violin and Chorus
Simone Martorana: Guitar and Chorus
Piero Santoro: Accordeon and Chorus

Playing live with Folkabbestia: Giorgio Distante: Trumpet.

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