Sugardrum is a solo project of singer and multi-instrumentalist Nigel Bunner, who writes and performs acoustic storytelling songs lying on the boundary between folk and indie. He has so far self-released 5 EPs and 1 album, receiving airplay on both BBC 6music and BBC South.
Sugardrum’s songs feature a dazzling, unique fingerpicking acoustic guitar style and beautiful vocal harmonies, being likened to Surfjan Stevens and Nick Drake with “thought provoking lyrics matched with a gift for melody”.
Last year Sugardrum released a remix EP “Forgotten Remixed” featuring electronic and dance based remixes of his song Forgotten. The debut album of original songs, “Postcards” is the follow up to this and his previous EPs “3 Penny Postcard” and “Where Once Were Roads”. The new album develops Sugardrum’s acoustic sound further, enriched by cello, percussion and electronica.
Sugardrum's live set comprises of his own songs along with a couple of covers. He closed his final set at the 2014 Edinburgh Festival with an unplugged personal interpretation of “There is a light” by The Smiths, standing in front of the stage to a packed and enthralled audience at Tron Kirk Church on the Royal Mile.
Notable recent festival and tour performances include several performances at the 2015 & 2014 Edinburgh Fringe Festivals, 2014 Glastonbury festival and a week long tour in Winter 2013 to promote the release of the “3 Penny Postcard” EP.
Sugardrum has also played support slots for Martha Tilston, Union Sound Set, Rachel Sermanni & Carrie Tree and has helped organise numerous collaborative fundraising events together with the rest of the Wupadupa collective.
Just as happy playing unplugged guerilla gigs as he is on the stage, some random places where Sugardrum has performed include: Cheddar Gorge in Somerset, England, a wooded glade lit up by fairy lights, a train travelling through India and on the top deck of a double decker bus that was doubling up as a cafe at the time, with the customers jamming along with the songs.
I saw you playing in the forest at End Of The Road, you were quite simply the best act of the weekend, in my eyes.
“Hauntingly beautiful” – Kelly Kademian, Riff Raf, Nov 2013
“Poetic, picturesque narrative-intense songs.” – Dan Holland, Folk Words, Nov 2013
“F***ing Superb” – Tom Robinson’s (BBC 6Music) Fresh on the net, Oct 2013
