Photos: @guisboro
Stockton’s new First Wave mini-music festival earlier this month is one in a steady stream of new music showcases throughout the region each year, most notably Stockton Calling and Middlesbrough’s Twisterella Festival.
On the night Hartlepudlians Giraffes were amongst a selection of local talent and national headliners jointly promoted by KU Bar and the town’s recently refurbished Georgian Theatre. When I met the band for a chat a couple of weeks ago at Teesside University’s Student Union bar the indie-rock two-piece were taking time out from preparing for a series of gigs including the final of Newcastle’s SoundWaves music competition.
I asked the band what it means to be invited to showcase events like First Wave, “being chosen was quite a surprise for us but it means we are doing something right after gigging for a year and a half. It’s our first time playing KU Bar but we’ve always had it on our list because of the bands that have played there previously.”
Giraffes are Oliver (guitar and vocals) and James (drums) and have been together as a band since May 2016 releasing their debut self-titled EP last year. “The band started for a rock night at college and from then on we decided to just stick with it. James works and I’m always at Uni but we gig whenever we have spare time.” The band have toured and played throughout the north east as well as shows in London and Sheffield, as Ollie went on, “the music scene in the north east is absolutely booming with talent and we love playing gigs with other bands. In Teesside the scene is so close together and we always follow what’s going on. We have a gig at Hartlepool Town Hall [coming up] supporting James Leonard Hewitson which we can’t wait for.”
https://www.musicglue.com/giraffes/home
The band’s sound is familiar yet original, and grungey but stripped back. Latest single Drag Me Down is a simple ode to growing up, slightly melancholy and a great introduction to the band.
Ollie explained about the writing process, “when we are writing songs we’re always trying to take styles from other bands that influence us but put our own twist on it. I mainly write the lyrics then we come together and put everything else in place.”
I first saw the band play at Whirling Dervish in Middlesbrough, the brainchild of Joel Clayton, a free Thursday night event at TSOne on Linthorpe Road where Jake Radio from local favourites Be Quiet, Shout Loud sometimes does the sound and Billingham’s Mouses can often be seen in the crowd. Without even a proper stage the line between band and audience is removed and the homely feel is relaxed and supportive for bands just finding their live feet. The previous night Middlesbrough’s Dead Moon Lizard Kings had headlined with Joel’s own band, rockers Idle Violets, and The Golden Age of Nothing’s alternative goth providing support.
Afterwards I caught up with Mal Lythe, one of Teesside’s most prolific gig-goers to ask him about the current scene. “There’s so many fantastic venues around but [my favourite is] TSOne. There’s always great company so new bands have the opportunity to play in front of a good crowd of live music supporters. There’s also KU Bar in Stockton I always find it very exciting to find out what bands they are going to be having on. They often get some of the most exciting bands from around the country and add a few local acts to support them. Each show is promoted so well that it’s hard not to get excited for every gig and they truly make you feel like you’re witnessing the future of music.”
How many original bands would you say you see a year in the region? “It’s hard to say but considering how many gigs I try to get to a week it’s well into triple digits.”
You must have also had chance to see some big names coming through the region before they made it? “Bands like Inheaven, Fickle Friends, Cabbage, and Pale Waves all look to be very big deals very soon. [And] there’s been so many like The 1975, Mumford and Sons, and Blossoms to name a few.”
You’re in a couple of bands yourself who are just starting out (Plan X and Arcane 39), who else should we be looking out for over the next couple of years? “[Locally] there’s Dylan Cartlidge, Cape Cub, Megan Dotchin, Samantha Durnan and Mouses. I will also say the best way to discover acts like this, the way I have, is by following your local venues and blogs. Doing this has introduced me to so many fine acts in the past few years.”
Round the corner from TSOne on Southfield Road something is happening in the attic of the Westgarth Social Club where Rick Dobbing’s Dressed Like Wolves band and their own Spooker Rekkids label have their rehearsal space/headquarters. The label last year released Saltburn-via-Bahrain Belly of Paris’ seminal avant-folk debut Peste while the attic has also hosted a concoction of local and national live acts. Dressed Like Wolves have also recently released their second album to rave reviews.
The Attic’s first show of the year on February 16th sees the launch of George Boomsma’s new album Do Something With The Night and features support from up-and-coming local name Ridley Woof while Tom Joshua is the special guest for the evening.
“keeping ticket prices low and [making the event] 14+ would help younger audiences come to gigs.” Simon Shaw, KU Bar
Back at KU Bar, as Giraffes soundcheck for their set on the KU2 stage, it’s clear they are enjoying every minute of being in a band and by the time they take the stage the sparse early crowd, including the night’s headliners Blackwaters from Guildford, are keen to catch a glimpse of the latest young pretenders. Live, Drag Me Down is even more lovely, it’s nuanced outro adding an unexpected drama while the loose blues of Try and Drive (off 2017’s self-titled debut EP) shows the band in more reflective mood.
“That was really great, we can’t wait to see all the other bands”, Oliver beamed as he came off stage and keen to stick around despite James having a mortgage interview and another show to prepare for the next day.
I asked co-promoter Simon Shaw how the dual venue event came about, “it came from a desire to do bigger gigs together, we’ve all seen a rise in the number of festivals and showcase style events for emerging bands so we put plans in place to create something special for live music fans. It’s not the first time KU Promotions and Tees Music Alliance have worked with each other so a partnership is only natural when the goals are the same. We also felt keeping ticket prices low and [making the event] 14+ would help younger audiences come to gigs“.
Bravo. So, while tonight was never going to be a career defining gig for Giraffes it is another step along the right road, they’ve played a set to fifty-or-so people who won’t have heard of them before, got to meet and chinwag with more well-known local acts and some established, touring bands at a brand new local music festival. And for Teesside as a whole another small step in the right direction.
Under the Hills Nearby 