Bemis are recognised among their peers and many festivals as a superb live act who can headline any bill, and have headlined festival stages over the years.

They are Gareth Howells, Louis Howells, Kayleigh Thomas, Ian Scarbro, Richard Leo and Ian Greening.

They're an acoustic rock group led by the songs of frontman Gareth Howells, with guitars played with attack, wrapped up in a punchy sound provided by a solid rhythm section.

Getting an enviable reputation with their own take on the covers they perform and their original songs heard on their 9 albums releases.

Support slots around the UK include...........

• Chumbawamba
• Midge Ure
• The South (formerly The Beautiful South)
• 3 Daft Monkeys
• Lucy Wainwright Roche
• The Men They Couldn’t Hang (a number of times)
• The Dylan Project
• Phil Beer
• Emily Barker
• Smoke Fairies
• Sea of Bees
• Richard Digance
• Megson
• Joni Mitchell Project (Sally Barker)
• Ian McNabb

Festival appearances include:

• Bearded Theory (for 7 years)
• Guilfest (for 6 years)
• Watchet (6 years)
• Victorious Festival (8 years)
• Tolpuddle Martyrs (4 years)
• Beautiful Days
• Wickham Festival (7 years)
• Longest Day (2 years)
• Secret Garden
• Weyfest (2 years)
• Endorse It In Dorset
• Something Else in the Dean (7 years) *Gosport Real Ale and Folk Festival
• Cosmic Puffin
• Staycation (2 years)
• Medway Steam and Transport Festival
• Battfest
• Multicultural Festival, Southsea (2 years)
• Southsea Folk & Roots Festival

...and many other weekend and one day festivals

Bemis have been regularly personally requested by Dave Pegg (Fairport Convention/Jethro Tull/ Dylan Project) and PJ Wright (Dylan Project/Little Johnny England) to support them.

They were also asked to provide additional vocals on Naomi Bedford’s 2 solo albums - the latest of which is in the Amazon Folk Chart Top 10 - and the relationship built with Mick Glossop from those sessions has resulted in Glossop asking to produce the 5th Bemis album.

They also sang vocals for Paul Simmonds, the songwriter and guitarist for The Men They Couldn't Hang. His first solo album features 4 songs with harmony vocals by Bemis.

(the relationship with this band has been a fruitful one, with them appearing on stage with different members of the bands in different shows and festivals - and being the backing band for Stefan Cush's solo show in Southsea).

Their first two albums "Dreams For Sale" and "Time Enough at Last" both received 4.5 out of 5 stars reviews from Maverick Magazine, and their new album is imminent.

Their 3rd album, “The Whole Truth” was a live album that came off the back of their sell out show at the New Theatre Royal in Portsmouth. Their last two albums, released on Mayfield records, “A World of Difference” and “The After Hours” are selling faster than any of their others combined.

They were Winners of the Portsmouth Guide Awards Best Folk & Roots Act 2008 and in the short list for the 2012 Best Band category, and won that category of Best Band in 2018.

They also won the Forest FM ‘Breakthrough’ Award for their popular support in the Dorset area in 2009.

This is what Dave Pegg, of Fairport Convention says of Bemis:

"I had the great pleasure of seeing Bemis when they opened for our Dylan project. They are a terrific act and as a festival organiser myself I seriously recommend that you consider booking them in the near future. Great songs, harmonies and fab. musicianship and warm personality that ticks all my boxes. They will become very popular and hopefully very soon." Dave Pegg, Fairport Convention.

....and this is what Paul Simmonds of The Men They Couldn’t Hang says:

“You've gotta see Bemis. The songs churn into little hurricanes, the sweet parity of their vocals so reminiscent of latter day CSN&Y”

• Paul Simmonds, The Men They Couldn’t Hang