Rock Regeneration

Wednesday May 25th sees the soon-to-be massive and ones to watch Coach Party arrive in Bournemouth for a date at Sixty Million Postcards. Poppy, witty and experimental, the Isle of Wight indie rock quartet are far more interesting than a cursory listen suggests Countless islands make up the United Kingdom, and the Isle of Wight might be the most misunderstood of them all. It’s never just been home to teenagers waiting to leave and pensioners waiting to die, but it’s still surprising to find promising indie rockers such as Coach Party staying put and insisting the music industry come to them.

Here in Bournemouth we are lucky enough to have them playing at one of our Premier Music Venue’s 60 Million Postcards on Wednesday 25th May as part of a tour which also takes in dates including Southampton and Portsmouth, for those willing to jump on for the ride. This is another smart booking by booker in chief one ‘Tor da Force’, whose ability to attract the “Next Big Things” to Bournemouth knows no bounds. At a time when things are starting to open up; people are going out once again, let’s add this event to our plans. Hailing from the Isle of Wight they are virtually “one of our own”, so let’s give them a warm and sunny Bournemouth welcome as they climb the Indie/Pop ladder. Below is a brief bio of the band…

Jess (vocals/bass), Steph, Joe (guitars) and Guy (drums) only played their first gig a few months ago, yet the strength of their songs persuaded London label Chess Club, which released early work by Wolf Alice, Jungle, and Mumford & Sons, to travel south and issue their first singles. They are now collected on an EP, Party Food, along with three new tracks, and although there are moments reminiscent of bigger bands, there’s a punchy wit to Coach Party’s relationship-driven lyrics. The arrangements are poppy yet experimental and served with a confidence that only comes from not hiding behind other people’s ideas.

“Breakdown” is probably the most obvious pint-spiller, with its lovely, suspended-in-air middle section and frenetic climax, but even the seemingly twee Space and Red Jumper Boy have savage left turns. Plenty of new indie bands become less interesting the more you hear them, but Coach Party, like the Isle of Wight, are more intriguing than they first appear.

Links
https://www.coach-party.com/
https://www.facebook.com/wearecoachparty