The Austin Francis Connection

It’s here. The Austin Francis Connection, 9 years after first collaborating in a tent out the back of the Performance Cafe, are brewing up their final cuppa at GB13.

The AFC are an acoustic beatbox hiphop comedy collective who play acoustic hiphop for you….and your mum. No really. Bring her along, she’ll love it too! They’ve played at Wychwood, Shambala, Godiva, Momentum, Spring Harvest, Soul Survivor and many more and managed to get crowds smiling & singing along wherever they’ve been.
Featuring the astounding beatbox skills of Hobbit alongside Edi’s daft hiphop lyricism and Mark’s pinpoint guitar riffs, they make tunes to make you nod your head & giggle at the same time – about Gingers and Superheroes and Men called Dave.

In 2004, Edi Johnston was putting together a solo project after his previous band Psalmistry came to an end. His Greenbelt was spent compering and helping to organise the hiphop nights, where he was joined by others including hiphop devotee and guitarist Mark Finney. As part of the lineup that year, came a trio of beatboxers – Tyte, Samurai & a young man known as Hobbit. Having bonded over the weekend over tea & hiphop, Edi proposed a meet up to jam through some ideas he’d had.

He had a large tent, and they all fitted in fine.

In the ensuing years they went from appearing as a footnote in the programme, not even on the music bill to one of the festivals biggest & least well kept secrets. Their live shows have often been a Shambles (geddit?!) but have a humour and character that carries them to the hearts of their fans. The AFC have played: the Winged Ox, Stage 2, The Performance Cafe, on a Bus in the Skate Park, for GB Radio, Last Orders, The Canopy, The Dance Venue, The YMCA tent and (on many occasions) The GBmusic shop…. and there’s only one place left.
2013 will be an emotional one for the trio who know that the GB crowd will be up for whatever Edi decides to throw at them. Greenbelt holds a special place in the band’s heart and they know that their last shows there will be their best to date.

Edi said “It seems right to finish while we’re still vaguely good and to finish at the place where this all started. Greenbelt has been SO supportive of us as an act and have always found a place for us, even though we never really fitted in anywhere! We’re going to really miss this place and seeing friendly faces out in the crowd – but we plan to make it a weekend that we will all remember for exactly the right reasons… It was the place we all met, and it’s the very best place for us to say our farewells.”

So bring it on! One last time….and don’t forget a flask.