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ianfromballoon.bsky.social
Balloon
@ianfromballoon.bsky.social
Singer, writer. Makes records. New LP Gas n Air available now at Bandcamp. “A total 24-carat masterpiece” Record Collector Magazine. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Mojo Magazine.
https://linktr.ee/balloontheband
Tickets for all shows for the Balloon March UK tour are now on sale here linktr.ee/balloontheband The London show at The Betsey with @dannythechamp.bsky.social is an old-fashion Saturday matinee. So you’ll be home for tea. Can’t promise popcorn, but you never know 😉
November 25, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Excited to announce Balloon’s first UK tour since backing comic genius Bill Hicks in 1992. Capacity is limited, so don’t hang around. Get your tickets now via the links in the bio.

*Ticket details for the London show follow soon
**poster by the brilliant Louise de Viry
November 24, 2025 at 12:51 PM
October 26, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Reposted by Balloon
NEW: Extraordinary scenes in Amsterdam this afternoon (Sunday, Oct 5).

An estimated 250,000 bring the city to a standstill; people all wearing red to show solidarity with Palestine 🇵🇸

(🎥 Ahmed Zantac)
October 5, 2025 at 3:07 PM
big thanks to the excellent @state-of-sound-mag.bsky.social for including Balloon in its fab October collection. Hear it here: open.spotify.com/playlist/0sQ...
Chrome: The October Collection
open.spotify.com
October 4, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Woohoo! Thanks so much to all who bought Gas 'n' Air yesterday (Bandcamp Friday). Truly appreciate your support !🙏
October 4, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Wanna hear the LP that moved @lukehaines.bsky.social to tears? Described in Record Collector mag as “a total 24-carat masterpiece” Balloon’s Gas ‘n’ Air is out now at balloontheband.bandcamp.com. It’s a limited edition, so get it while you can.
October 3, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Talking journalism, parenthood, and all sorts of other grown-up stuff + digging deep on Gas 'n' Air with the warm and welcoming @hiartontheedge.bsky.social. Streaming now in all the usual places.
October 2, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Reposted by Balloon
IT'S OFFICIAL
SURPRISE CAST #203
Ian Bickerton (Balloon)

Please enjoy my heartfelt conversation with this amazingly thoughtful musician!
@ianfromballoon.bsky.social @gidcoe.bsky.social @mojomagazine.bsky.social #indiefolk #fatherhood #music

Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...
October 2, 2025 at 3:04 AM
Reposted by Balloon
Surprise Cast
w/ Ian Bickerton (Balloon)
October 3, 2025

This week, I'll post episode #203, and it's a beauty. We discuss...
- Role in journalism in life and music
- Valuable lessons from fatherhood
- Gas 'N' Air album + deep analysis
@ianfromballoon.bsky.social #interview #podcast #surprisecast
September 27, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Listeners are writing in to complain. “There’s only so much Balloon you can take!” Am clearly doing something right 😉 🤣

Hear for yourself @ www.mixcloud.com/RadioReverb/...

@radioreverb.bsky.social
The Pete Jones Show on Radio Reverb 22nd September 2025
This week's installment of new music from the Brighton unsigned music scene. 23 tracks in 2 hours, held loosely together by local presenter Pete Jones on radio Reverb.
www.mixcloud.com
September 25, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Listen up people! Live now on the Balloon Patreon page: Six songs, three from each LP. Enjoy this and more for free. Huge thanks to Pete Jones for hosting. And to your for tuning in....❤️

Link in the bio. #radioreverb #singersongwriter #balloontheband #indiefolk #petejonesshow
September 16, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Been down by the seaside playing Balloon tunes in the sunshine. If you missed us, catch the playback on www.radioreverb.com/show/the-pet...

Big thanks to Pete and the gang @radioreverb.bsky.social for bringing the love. ❤️
Pete Jones Show on RadioReverb
The home of New Music in Brighton. Live sessions with local acts each and every week with Pete Jones introducing new under the radar local music
www.radioreverb.com
September 8, 2025 at 5:56 PM
It’s Bandcamp Friday, people. You know the drill. Record Collector Magazine called Balloon’s Gas ‘n’ Air “A total 24-carat masterpiece”. Wanna hear what moved @lukehainesart.bsky.social to tears? Follow the link in the bio☝️ recordcollectormag.com/articles/luk...
September 5, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Good read on the (hoped for/expected/imminent 🤞) demise of Spotify in Far Out Magazine: faroutmagazine.co.uk/non-place-sp...

Echoes something I wrote a few months back www.patreon.com/posts/128059...

To paraphrase Tom Waits: “They must have been reading my mail.”😉
The new counterculture | Balloon
Get more from Balloon on Patreon
www.patreon.com
September 2, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Huge thanks to @gidcoe.bsky.social @marcrileydj.bsky.social for playing There is Love off the new Balloon LP Gas ‘n’ Air on @bbc6music.bsky.social tonight. And to the righteous @lukehaines.bsky.social for tipping them off. Thanks fellas 🙏
August 19, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Thanks again to Pete Jones @radioreverb for playing yet another tune from the new Balloon LP Gas ‘n’ Air on his epic Monday show (repeats Saturday). Hear it here: www.mixcloud.com/RadioReverb/...
The Pete Jones Show On Radio Reverb 18th August 2025
www.mixcloud.com
August 19, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Reposted by Balloon
Also, I believe you can find a copy of this album on vinyl lurking in @lookingforthemagic.bsky.social in south London.
August 18, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Reposted by Balloon
I’ve said before Gas ‘n’ Air by @ianfromballoon.bsky.social is an astonishingly gorgeous record and one of 2024’s highlights.

But if my word isn’t enough, maybe that of Luke Haines will be: recordcollectormag.com/articles/luk...
They Are An Artist: Ian Bickerton’s Balloon - Record Collector Magazine
Discover the remarkable journey of Ian Bickerton Balloon, an artist who defies fame and fortune to create timeless music.
recordcollectormag.com
August 18, 2025 at 8:52 PM
At the risk of sounding like a stuck record (ouch!) huge thanks due (again!) to Pete Jones for placing Balloon’s new LP balloontheband.bandcamp.com/album/gas-n-... on heavy rotation on his epic @radioreverb.bsky.social show. Have a listen here if you missed it: www.mixcloud.com/RadioReverb/...
The Pete Jones Show On Radio Reverb 11th August 2025
www.mixcloud.com
August 16, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Reposted by Balloon
Gas 'n' Air by Balloon is one of my favourite albums of the past 12 months. Listen to it and and buy a copy here (THREAD)
▶️🎧🎈 balloontheband.bandcamp.com/album/gas-n-...
August 12, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Reposted by Balloon
Here's a beautiful article by Luke Haines (@lukehaines.bsky.social)‬ about Balloon (@ianfromballoon.bsky.social)‬ from the latest edition of Record Collector magazine (THREAD)
👀 recordcollectormag.com/articles/luk...
August 12, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Wow! Balloon’s new LP Gas ‘n’ Air is “A total 24-carat masterpiece,” writes @lukehaines.bsky.social in Record Collector Magazine. Hear what all the fuss is about at balloontheband.bandcamp.com
Read all about it at recordcollectormag.com

Thanks a million Luke for keeping the faith ❤️
Balloon
Twisted ankles, freezing seas, petty theft, cigarettes, hating school, bunking work, faking illness, crashing parties, sadder partings, broken windows, hooligans, Ladbroke Grove, Bad Timing, 7" singl...
balloontheband.bandcamp.com
August 8, 2025 at 7:17 AM