Ben McElroy
@benmcelroy
Folky scraper, very amateur puppeteer, Allotment wanderer. "A shivering seabed of sound." The Guardian “Wonderfully weird.” Songlines benmcelroy.co.uk
Ahead of Sundays gig in Leeds at the Fox & Newt for Ambient Leeds, here's a live recording onsite at Cathy Symes' plot. I am playing the prepared fan organ that appears in Tape 7. Sunday will include this plus field recordings from the project. It's the first proto-Allotment Tapes gig! More to come.
ALLOTMENT TAPES #7 - NOSTALGIA FOR BROAD BEANS (with Cathy Symes) is released TODAY via Bandcamp. July's tape visits writer and gardener Cathy to discuss her philosophy on gardening, growing, allotments and writing about it. Become a Subscriber to the project and get the tapes in your inbox!
NOSTALGIA FOR BROAD BEANS! First on an episode of Coldcut and Ninja Tune dude Jon More’s excellent Insomniac show for Soho Radio, and also on July 22nd's The Stillness & The Dancing. Really great to hear you're in recovery, Joe. www.mixcloud.com/sohoradio/in... www.mixcloud.com/joelcuthbert...
Some sound and vision from recent wanderings to St Ninians church in Penrith. Field recordings from this trip have found their way in to July's Allotment Tapes release.. If you'd like to see me play somewhere lovely in real life, next gig is with Ambient Leeds www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Lee...
"McElroy illuminates these little pockets of peace. Special places for everyday folk to escape their everyday stresses... It’s a strong idea, and one that few others have explored." Huge thanks to Sun 13 for covering Allotment Tapes, read the whole review here: sun-13.com/2026/07/06/w...
Have put first tape on streaming (not sure if I'll do the rest and may not stay there forever!) so you streamy types can get a feel for the project. distrokid.com/hyperfollow/...
The halfway point of Allotment Tapes has had a generous eye cast back over it on A Closer Listen. I thank them for their continued support. You can read the whole review here: acloserlisten.com/2026/06/30/b... "the music flows around the narrative like water around stones"
OUT TODAY! Allotment Tapes #6 - Urban Nature is out today via Bandcamp. You can become a subscriber, get all of the tapes so far and each to come, plus exclusive audio and video extras. June's tape visits Urban Nature, which until last year was a large wildlife and habitat project managed by STAA.
Join me down the plot TONIGHT for our June listening party. Listen to URBAN NATURE in full before everyone else, and then we can have a chat about it. I love this part of the month, it's really great to connect with you all. Allotment Tapes #6 is released on Friday
ALLOTMENT TAPES #6 - URBAN NATURE released on 26th June via Bandcamp. June's tape visits Urban Nature, which until last year was a large wildlife and habitat project managed by STAA. The birds still love it and if you listen closely you can also hear the sounds of boy-racers on the surrounding roads
Delighted to share that on MONDAY 15TH JUNE I'll be playing at The Guild Sessions, St Mary's Guild Hall, Lincoln. Tickets are on the door only and I can't wait to see you there! For more information: www.facebook.com/TheGuildSess...
TOMORROW NIGHT! Join me down on the plot for our regular Listening Party. This month we will be taking an exclusive listen to May's release Allotment Tapes #5 - I Wanted the Trees over on my Bandcamp. Bring your flask and bask in the new summer heat. benmcelroy.bandcamp.com/live/allotme...
Allotment Tapes #5 - I Wanted The Trees (with Gail and Peter) is released one week today! Mays tape visits the double allotment plot of wife and husband Gail and Peter. Gail's plot sits behind Peter's and is only accesible via his. They're both amazing but very different...
GIG NEWS! Delighted to be participating in an Ambient Leeds line up in August with The Midsommars and Black Brunswicker Tickets here: www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Lee...
Back at the tail end of 2025 I was very fortunate to receive some funding from the marvellous @efdss.bsky.social for some equipment to make performing more accessible as an autistic artist. Inner ear monitoring, wireless viola pickup, preamp and pedal board to make all easier and quicker to set up.
Mondays studio space! Feel so fortunate to be able to use 326 as a creative space at the moment... it's really allowing me to feel closer to the allotments.. the birds, the soil, everything growing... getting to zone in and see/feel things close up.. Did get a bit of work done too!
Help! Any font experts out there? looking for similar ones to these… #fonts #allotments
OUT TODAY! Allotment Tapes #4 - St Anns In The Countryside (with Mo Cooper) is out today via my Bandcamp. Aprils tape meets with community historian (and gardener) Mo Cooper.. formerly the heritage officer at STAA, now retired but keeps getting 'dragged back to the allotments as volunteer'.
Listening Party! Join me down the plot on Wednesday 22nd April, 7.30pm, for an exclusive first listen and chat about Allotment Tapes #4 - St Anns In The Countryside. Our listening parties are a highlight of my month and we always have a great crowd. benmcelroy.bandcamp.com/merch/allotm...
"We established the Orchard in 2001 and it has been managed by local people for local people ever since, becoming a trusted and highly-respected local resource and a key feature in the lives of children and their families. Now in its second generation, many parents bringing their families" - STAA
I came to allotments, and St Anns in particular, via a rather wavy process… I think I wanted to do something connected to land use/nature as these are subjects that are important to me. What I love about allotments is the real DIY, non- conformist vibe that purveys them.
TOMORROW! Come down to the plot for March's Listening Party. Allotment Tapes #3 - We Are All Visitors Here will play in full. Unfortunately, due to family circumstances, I won't be able to join you this time but the event will go ahead as planned. Links below benmcelroy.bandcamp.com/merch/allotm...
Fiddle player (well viola) spotted in the depths of St Ann’s Allotments! Lovely to have a bit of a jam with nature, thinking up new ideas.. thanks to Val @ 326artspace for the filming. March's Allotment Tapes will be released on Friday 27th March via my Bandcamp. Links in all the usual places
Many thanks to Reece Jeffrey for these ace photos from my last gig By Our Hands for Hello Thor alongside Strangeloop and Boci. I’m taking a breather from gigging for the first part of this year, but plans in place from June.. If you would like me to come and play for you please do get in touch.
Also available on vinyl and CD! …and for today 30% off everything with code March26
UK outdoor gig spaces anyone? (You can tell the sun has come out!) #gigs #outdoor #venues #folkmusic #diymusic