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Mark Radcliffe presents the first edition of his brand new folk show, live from Salford Quays.

To usher in the new programme and the new year, Mark is joined in the studio by the 11-piece folk phenomenon Bellowhead, who will perform tracks from their latest album Broadside.

Mark Radcliffe welcomes the band to the 大象传媒's Salford studios for this, the first edition of Radio 2's new Folk Show. The weekly programme will see lifelong folk fan Mark explore the wide and wonderful range of traditional and contemporary folk and acoustic music from around the UK and the world, with regular interviews and live sessions from folk's finest performers.

Virtuosic, energetic and thrilling, Bellowhead's remarkable albums and live performances have captured the imagination of folk fans old and new. The band formed in 2004 when duo Spiers & Boden decided to revisit the concept of big band folk music and invited jazz and fellow folk musicians to form a group that, for many, has recast English traditional music in an exciting new light and significantly broadened its appeal.

Bellowhead's 2010 album, Hedonism, was recorded at Abbey Road studios and produced by the renowned rock and roots producer John Leckie. The record went silver, selling more than 60,000 copies, a remarkable achievement for an independently released British folk album. The band's 2012 follow-up, Broadside, entered the UK album chart in the Top 20, and earned the band two nominations in this year's 大象传媒 Radio 2 Folk Awards.

An exhilarating and theatrical live band, Bellowhead have performed at the 大象传媒 Proms, Radio 2's 2Day and Live in Hyde Park events, and headlined festivals across the country. They have been the subject of television specials and are artists in residence at London's Southbank Centre.

Performing on the Folk Show with Mark Radcliffe in the next few weeks are popular and respected Scottish singer Karine Polwart (9 January), acclaimed songwriter Chris Wood (16 January) and legendary folk-rock pioneers Fairport Convention (23 January).

On Wednesday 30 January, Mark will join Julie Fowlis onstage at Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall to host the fourteenth annual 大象传媒 Radio 2 Folk Awards. The event will be broadcast live on Radio 2 from 7.30pm.