Off the back of the success of their self-titled debut EP, Vinyl Staircase’s February tour was always going to be a major foray into the industry for the band.
Following positive attention from NME and airtime from BBC DJ Phil Taggart, the band were full of confidence ahead of their show at Sixty Million Postcards on the 21st February in Bournemouth. This truly shone throughout with the four-piece from Surrey etching their name into a new wave of post-indie, shoe-gazer rock and roll in Britain. The band features brothers Jake (guitar, vocals) and Luke Andrews (drums), Mike Thorpe (vocals and guitar) and George Ogle (bass).
The crowd beamed as the band took to the stage, many of whom were unfamiliar with the unorthodox sound of Vinyl Staircase. Independent music can throw up all kinds of surprises, and this atmosphere was clear in the room, with people dotted around the bar and tables, but the first sickly, distorted guitar chord of the opening song “Cherry” shifted the mood, tethering Bournemouth locals to the front of the stage.
Vinyl Staircase are clearly inspired by the contemporary British indie movement, a musical lovechild of Bowie’s sparkling vocals and the biting rawness of Oasis and The Sex Pistols. This was inherently clear in “On the Radio”, a clean, crisp, pop-rock track with punchy 90’s brit-rock edge to boot.
Dressed in vintage shirts and jumpers, the band complimented their unconventional sound marriage of old school and contemporary indie-rock with fans indulging in a similar trendy yet traditional style.
Vocalist Mike Thorpe impressed the most, setting the bar high for independent singers across the country. His soaring, melodic vocal range and enlightening stage presence was refreshing and injected life into the close Vinyl Staircase fans who became animated to songs like 2018’s “Feel It” and their debut single “German Wings” which seemed to resonate with long-time followers.
Jacob Curtis, who has followed Vinyl Staircase for nearly a year, said: “I’m a huge fan of the band but I’d never seen them live before.”
“They were phenomenal, and I really wasn’t expecting their sound to be as close to what is actually on the album.”
After a year supporting bands such as Wolf Alice and Sunflower Bean, the group seem ready to tackle anything that the industry throws at them.
With new music set to arrive this year, there is sufficient evidence that Vinyl Staircase can fully compete with artists at the highest level.
The band are currently taking a break from touring with one date scheduled at The Boileroom in Guildford on the 19th April.
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