no drinks on the dancefloor

no drinks on the dancefloor formed at school in their hometown of Southend. They’re made up of Jack Griffiths (bass), Jack Solder (lead guitar & vocals), Dan Gilbert (drums), and Sam Ikin (keys).

Images courtesy of the band.

Having bonded over a shared love of Arctic Monkeys, The 1975, and Nothing But Thieves, they set their sights on playing their local iconic venue, Chinnerys, which they duly did, headlining earlier this year to a packed crowd.

Let’s check out their debut single:

Devil Eyes

Solder’s vocals lean into the smoky aloofness of BRMC’s Peter Hayes which cuts through the filthy guitars.  A sense of outsiderdom floods the senses as it did when BRMC emerged leather-clad, cool as fuck declaring, “Whatever happened to our rock ‘n’ roll?”

Unlike most of BRMC's catalogue, Solder’s guitars are devilishly debauched and frenetic in pace! They bring into play the boozy blues of the 22-20s and the effortless dirge of The Von Bondies.  

The Gardeners

The Gardeners are a five-piece hailing from Southend-on-Sea. They all met at school, where they bonded over bands with jangly guitars like The Cleaners, Venus, and Hers.

The band are made up of Nathan Bailey (guitar/vocals), Jed Schlaepfer (guitar/vocals), Henry Williams (Bass guitar), Bruce Haynes (drums), and Ewan Bolton (bass)

*image courtesy of James Devine Photography.

Let’s check out what they have been up to:

Sleeping Alone (without you)

Bailey and Schlaepfer’s guitars lean into Real Estate’s jangle but, often, with a more melancholic purpose, allowing Bailey’s vocal to take the anguished glory of Jamie Boyle (The K’s) towards the rabid introspection of Morrissey.

Together, they summon indie’s penchant for loneliness for a new generation of teenagers to clutch as their own.

Interstate 10

The climatic solo is divine. The Cure’s gothic isolation combines with Blossoms’ psychedelic debut as they struggle from dark to light in a warped moment of magic.

Trip Hazard

Images courtesy of Gabriel Buckley

Trip Hazard is a four-piece from Southend-on-Sea. The band met at school and consists of Lottey (frontwoman and rhythm guitar), Sky (drums and vocals), Abi (bass and vocals), and Sam (lead Guitar).

Nasty Party

Crushing riffs and snarling vocals reignite the chaotic dreams of the riot grrrl scene. There’s an aloofness to Lottey’s vocals, which is utterly intoxicating. Her aloofness breeds a spellbinding power that’s impossible to shake.

Coulrophobic

Although stripped back and more melodic, Lottey's attitude remains. Its ability to impart anguish and pain amid the pop-cum-grunge guitars cuts through, allowing its fine pop sensibilities to shine.