BRING THE NOISE FESTIVAL | INTERVIEW

ALRIGHT emerged from Blackpool, UK, in 2021, embodying the quintessential northern spirit with their indie-rock prowess. Comprising of five lads fuelled by raw energy and a charismatic stage presence, their live performances bring an electrifying aura that captivates audiences. From their humble beginnings, ALRIGHT swiftly ascended the ranks, selling out venues across iconic towns and cities such as Blackpool, Manchester, Liverpool, Brighton, London and Jersey. Their rise has found them sharing stages with several esteemed acts, as well as earning slots at iconic UK festivals, including YNOT? and Isle of Wight with This Feeling.

Whilst drawing comparisons to Cast, The Twang, The Coral, and Reverend & The Makers (This Feeling), their infectious sound and dynamic stage presence garnered attention from industry stalwarts, including Pet Shop Boys, The Pigeon Detectives, John Kennedy, and Glastonbury’s Michael Eavis.

Could you introduce yourselves, who’s in the band, what your sound is, and how you came together?

We’re ALRIGHT. Our band originated in Blackpool but now float between our hometown and Manchester. We’re an energetic group of mates with a Britpop sound – often compared to the likes of Cast, The Twang and Reverend & The Makers.

What’s happening for you right now? Any new releases, upcoming gigs, or exciting projects in the works?

We recently released our latest single, Homegrown, which has received an amazing response. We’re also in the process of recording our next single, which is already sounding massive, expect this to land in the next couple of months.

Looking back, how has your music evolved since you first started out? Are there any key moments that shaped your sound or approach?

The quality of our sound and production has developed significantly since we started in 2021. You can definitely hear that in our latest singles. We also feel as though we’ve established “our sound” in the last few releases, in that we are now big on dreamy/ambient guitar sounds, accompanying catchy hooks and melodies.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced as an independent band, and how have you navigated it?

There are so many challenges being an upcoming band/musician, many of which are well-documented (cost of touring, poor pay from Spotify etc). However, one thing that we often find tricky is finding the time to get all five of us together, whether it be for gigs, recording, shoots, or practices. We’ve all got careers, relationships and hobbies, so you have to be very well organised to get your year planned out. This has also been a reason for (sadly) having to turn down many mega gig/festival offers.

What’s your songwriting and recording process like when creating new music? Do you have any unique rituals or methods?

We’re a very lucky/unique band in that all of us write. So, basically, we’re all always throwing initial ideas into our group chat, and then everyone will give their feedback. From there (if it’s good enough), a few of us will take it into a practice room or to Smithy’s home studio to pull a little demo together. If it works, it comes with us to our producer, Dean Glover, in Manchester.

If you had to describe your upcoming (or latest) release in just three words, what would they be?

Our latest single, “Homegrown,” is a powerful track that captures the feeling of being trapped in a small town, longing for freedom but still being proud of your roots.

What made Bring the Noise stand out to you? What excites you most about playing (or being part of) the festival?

Bring The Noise is going to be massive! We absolutely love Sheffield and Network but aside from that (and even the fact we’re playing), the line-up is absolutely mega. As music fans, we can’t wait to watch all the other acts on the bill – Spangled, Pastel, Sunbeam, Lock-In to name a few 🤯

Sheffield has a rich musical history; how do you see your band fitting into or challenging that legacy?

It is an honour for us to play the city of Sheffield, considering the bands that have come from there. Now, we’re not saying we’re The Rev or AM, but our tunes are often likened to those bands, so we think we’re a great fit.

The indie scene is constantly evolving. Where do you see it heading, and how do you hope to contribute to its future?

The indie scene is still on the up again, isn’t it? The circuit we’re currently in is full of unbelievable bands, many of them 100% underachieving in terms of where they should actually be. But we see bands “like us” breaking through, which is amazing! Will it ever return to the heights of the 90s / early 00s? Probably not. But it’s back, and our plan is to be a big part of it!

If one band on the lineup could cover your tracks, whom would you choose?

We would Ruby J to cover one of our tracks. She is a ridiculous talent who, we imagine, would put a really unique spin on what we do.

Alright, play Bring The Noise Festival at Sheffield’s Network on the 26th of April. Tickets are available here: https://www.skiddle.com/festivals/bring-the-noise/