Hector Gannet

England

Aaron Duff from North Shields on Tyneside, works both solo and with his band under the moniker Hector Gannet. Described in a recent festival program as “masters of a kind of new, modernist folk music” and taking their name from an ill-fated trawler which sank in the North Sea under heroic circumstances in 1968. Hector Gannet has supported two Irish artists when they played the north east of England, the award winning John Francis Flynn, and 3 gigs with Belfast’s very own Arborist.

Hector Gannet’s musical incarnation began to draw attention when Aaron wrote music to accompany vintage footage of the North East heritage of shipbuilding and fishing as part of a BFI project. Debut album ‘Big Harcar’ is long sold out. The second album ‘The Land Belongs to Us’ garnered ★★★★ in MOJO “pointedly political, natural world-advocating folk rock” – and 7/10 “North Shields answer to Crazy Horse” in UNCUT magazine

The profile swelled further with 2 stadium gigs supporting Sam Fender at St James Park Newcastle in 2023 and again in June’25

“He’s a F*cking great songwriter” – Sam Fender

They have toured widely, including support slots with Richard Thompson, Lindisfarne, Sea Power, Lanterns on The Lake, Kathryn Joseph, Kathryn Williams, plus two US tours.

Currently busy recording their third album for release in 2026, but in 2025 found time for performances at the Manchester Folk Festival as well as a special guest support slot with supporting Elbow as part of the Mouth of The Tyne Festival at Priory Castle.