A slice of gothic post-punk about the Cottingley Fairies.

If It Looks Like Magic

Amateur Ornithologist is a six-piece ensemble mixing pop and orchestral instruments to create adventurous densely-layered and harmony-filled pop. They’ve earned comparisons to Talking Heads, The Beach Boys and local heroes Prefab Sprout.

The band focus on crafting captivating songs inspired by the everyday weird of neurodivergent lives to the uncanny of Victorian fiction. Their ability to translate these compositions into enchanting live shows complete with costumes and stage dressing sets AO apart from the average guitar band.

AO are about to released their 4th album, having previewed many of the tracks at Durham Brass Festival 2025, appeared on the cover of NARC Magazine, and  had videos screened at film festivals. They’ve played sold-out headline shows and appeared at festivals including Marrapalooza, Last Train Home and Summer Streets.

Amateur Ornithologist is a six-piece ensemble mixing pop and orchestral instruments to create adventurous densely-layered and harmony-filled pop. They’ve earned comparisons to Talking Heads, The Beach Boys and local heroes Prefab Sprout. The band focus on crafting captivating songs inspired by the everyday weird of neurodivergent lives to the uncanny of Victorian fiction. Their ability to translate these compositions into enchanting live shows complete with costumes and stage dressing sets AO apart from the average guitar band. AO are about to released their 4th album, having previewed many of the tracks at Durham Brass Festival 2025, appeared on the cover of NARC Magazine, and had videos screened at film festivals. They’ve played sold-out headline shows and appeared at festivals including Marrapalooza, Last Train Home and Summer Streets.

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If It Looks Like Magic

If It Looks Like Magic