The Velvet Hands - Best Of 2018
New Shows. New album? The Velvet Hands invite music fans to join their Stonesey, Strokesey, Beatlesey punky fun. Still barely out of their teens, the Libertines-tinted quartet were born amidst the NME coined ‘Kernow Wave’, Cornwall’s blistering garage-rock scene. They are now a focal point of of the nation’s mushrooming underground guitar scene.
The band properly arrived in fine style this year with their widely acclaimed debut album, 'Party's Over'. We love these lads, and know that the party is never really over when they're around. So, since being tipped 'Big In 2018' by the influential This Feeling, what can they actually remember about this year?
(image by Lorna Cort)
Toby : "2018 has been one of those years that has gone impossibly quickly yet I have no idea how it isn't over yet. We've managed to fit in quite a lot considering it takes some fellow band members thirty minutes to tie their shoes up on a good day (The answer is velcro, boyos). I can't write everything we've been up to, so I've put a highlight for each month."
Introducing to you 'The Velvet Hands - Best of 2018'.
January: We finished recording our debut album: 'Party's Over' in Cornwall at Troubador Studios (R.I.P.).
February: We went on a UK tour with Himalayas for This Feeling and all but two dates sold out.
March: We were invited to record a Radio X session with John Kennedy which went swimmingly.
April: 'Party's Over' was released and became Radio 1's album of the week. In the VH biopic, this will be the part where we all jump up and down and high 5.
May: The Bluetones invited us along on their tour which was lovely/ foolish of them.
June: By the time we turned up on stage at Isle of Wight festival the tent was so full that people couldn't get in.
July: Northern tour, Truck Festival, more good things.
August: Walking out onto the main stage at Boardmasters was a pretty special feeling and we're still coming down from that really."
Fast forward to now, September. TheZineUK posse have just seen the band at the Benumu mini fest (below). This felt like the start of something all over again. A fund and awareness raiser for Musicians Against Homelessness with an extended family vibe, half of the audience were creatives and performers.
The Velvet Hands are in the vanguard of more good times ahoy. Next weekend, in fact, when they headline the launch of a new monthly music social at iconic venue, The Good Mixer.
TheZineUK : "The debut album, 'Party's Over' has stepped up your story and live reputation. Will you get a breather for new material?"
Toby : "Dan and I actually started writing songs together way before getting the band together so we've got a big old notepad of hits. No breather needed, album two is written and ready to go. We're just waiting for a sugar daddy to invest in our recording costs and it'll be yours."
(image by Lorna Cort)
TheZineUK : "It's a bit previous, but do you have any plans for 2019?"
Toby : "Making our next album is the priority, but we're still working out where we want to record it etc. I can imagine we'll do a big tour. We've missed all of your happy faces/ missed sleeping in my fiat punto far too much not to go back out on the road.
We've still got a really exciting end to 2018 with a few northern dates..."
The band have some more cool things yet to be announced too, but it's fair to say they've made the most of this year already. Stay tuned.
(Image by Lorna Cort)
The party’s just begun, with overtones of The Undertones hear bangere after banger at the next live shows:
15/09 : The Good Mixer, Camden, London (Free Entry)
28/09 : Hoyfest x CALM 'Welcome Party', The Moon, Cardiff
05/10 : This Feeling at The Engine Shed, Lincoln
11/10 : This Feeling at The Venue, Derby
12/10 : This Feeling at The Electric Church, Blackburn
13/10 : This Feeling at Leeds Lending Room
“Every single they’ve put out so far is an instant hit as far as I’m concerned”
(John Kennedy, Radio X)
“They’re making an unholy noise and we like that a lot” (Phil Taggart, BBC Radio 1)
“We could be witnessing the emergence of another great British band. Jaw droppingly good”
(GigSlutz)
“Truly acerbic rock and roll”
(This Feeling Big In 2018)
“They could have easily jumped out of the Cavern Club” (Indie Underground)
“The second coming of rock and roll”
(For The Love Of Bands)
Try before you fly! Video: Pirate Studios live streamed set
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