CHIMPAN A – the Welsh band featuring vocalist Steve Balsamo ( Jesus Christ Superstar, John Lord, The Storys, Eric Wolfson) and Robert Reed (Magenta,Cyan and Sanctuary) release their 3rd album ‘M.I.A. Vol. 1’ on 29 August 2025 through Tigermoth Records, on CD, LP and Digital.
The band have released two albums, Chimpan A and The Empathy Machine, with the new album “M.I.A.Vol 1” being released in August 2025. The album also features the vocal talents of Welsh singers, Christina Booth, Kirstie Roberts and Angharad Brinn. Musically there are no rules, drawing influences from Peter Gabriel, Tears For Fears and Blue Nile. Mixing folk, electronic, classical, progressive rock and spoken word.
The concert will feature tracks from the three albums. Steve and Robert will be joined by Christina Booth and Kirstie Roberts, and a full band performance to launch the new album.
At the very core of the project is what the pair describe unapologetically as an ‘old-fashioned’ response to the ‘TikTokification’ of music. ‘M.I.A. Vol. 1’ honours the vinyl album tradition, with clearly defined sides A and B; the first has shorter, more commercial tracks, with Side B made up of longer pieces.
In advance of the album, the band are releasing four old school singles, one a month, available as a physical CD and digital download. Each has an original track alongside a cover – they take on a plethora of [in their words] “probably untouchable” sacred cows, delivering incredible versions of massive songs from Peter Gabriel, Jimmy Webb, The Hollies, Carole King, even Hot Chocolate. Anyone for making life easy for themselves?
Steve Balsamo says, “The project has always been a joy. I love the collaboration and bringing together amazing musicians and crashing them into each other to see what happens. Rob is such a fabulous producer, really understanding sound and he is really able to get the most emotional impact out of the songs and what the musicians bring to The Chimp’s table. It always comes down to songs, so songwriting is the backbone of the project, but what we’ve tried to do is deconstruct and mess with the process. It was all a kind of chance, or synchronicity”.
Robert Reed adds, “Musically it shouldn’t work, but it is just so exciting hearing sudden changes of style. Going from Euro dance, and suddenly having a burst of jazz, or folk. As long as it works emotionally, nothing was off the table. The Chimp is our music safe space. In this environment I think it just leads to the best work, as you’re 100% into and it’s totally honest and not contrived”.
Book a table for pre-concert dining
Acapela Studio provides pre-concert dining between 6.00pm and 7.30pm from our pizza oven. To view the current menu visit here.
Please purchase your concert tickets first before booking a table. We will not accept any table bookings that do not have a corresponding ticket purchase.
Then return to the event page to book your table, by selecting the date of your event, number of diners and time you require table. The times shown are the only vacancies left. Please complete your email and phone number as this is required to ensure your table is allocated. You will receive confirmation of your booking by email and text.
If on the date you have chosen no tables are available - no times will be shown and the booking system will revert you back to todays date - PLEASE ENSURE YOU BOOK THE CORRECT DATE!
PLEASE NOTE THE VENUE RELIES ON THE INCOME FROM DINING TO ENSURE WE CAN BOOK ALL THE GREAT ACTS PERFORMING.
Income from the provision of pizzas is very important to the venue and if you have booked a table it is a requirement that all people sat at tables order food - a salad alternative is available to pizzas. Please do ensure that all individuals will be ordering on your table - if this is not the case please cancel your table so others who are looking to dine can do so. Our apologies to raise this but recently we have had many tables (some very large) where less than 50% of those sat at tables have ordered food. Financially this is a real problem to the sustainability of the venue.
- All seating at tables must purchase a pizza - so please do not book a table if everyone is not eating.
- Please ensure that you arrive 10 minutes before the time slot allocated to order your pizzas prior to your booking time.
- Tables not seated within 15 minutes of the allocated time may be lost and allocated to other audience members wishing to order pizzas.
- If you wish to book a table for 6 or more please email info@acapela.co.uk
Please note that all of our pizzas are made fresh to order. It may take up to 45 minutes to be served during busy periods.
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO BOOK A TABLE YOU CAN STILL ORDER PIZZAS ON THE NIGHT (USUALLY ON BUSY NIGHTS NO LATER THAN 7.15PM) AND WE WILL SERVE THEM TO YOU WHEREVER YOU ARE SAT IN THE VENUE - IN A PIZZA BOX.