YOU can expect plenty of stout quaffing, banjo breaking and tin whistle mangling at a Black Water County gig.

After five years together, the Bournemouth-based band are currently on their first national tour including a date in their native Dorset on June 1.

Chatting to Brad Hutchings-Clarke, 24 from Ferndown ahead of their 14-date tour, alcohol is clearly a key theme in the band’s formation and progression. “We met at a drunken house party five years ago,” says Brad. “Most of us knew each other from school and we decided to form a band.”

The six-piece folk punk band even takes its name from their favourite tipple Guinness, which the boys call Black Water.

They used to rehearse in Brad’s garden shed before eventually moving into bigger premises at Bournemouth & Poole College.

The band will be one of the last to perform at Mr Kyps in Ashley Cross, Poole on June 1 which is due to close on June 9.

“It is a real shame it’s closing as there are no other suitable venues for bands like us in the area,” says Brad.

“It’ll be a good night. The audience can expect a lot of energy, a lot drinking and a lot of encouragement to drink too - well what do you expect from a Celtic punk band with Irish influences!”

He adds: “As for musical influences, we grew up listening to The Pogues, Green Day and Thin Lizzy so it’s quite eclectic. Russ our fiddler writes most of the songs but then we hammer out the rest of it between us.”

Brad currently works as graphic designer and most of the other band members are either university students or have jobs, but they hope to be in a position to move into the music business full time. To book, see mrkyps.net