FFO Kids In Glass Houses, You Me At Six, Futures
As we head back to UK shores for this week’s Introducing band, we ask South Coasters The Afterparty to step up, a five piece pop rock band from Southampton and Bournemouth.
The band started in early 2010 when five friends from in and around the scene decided to start a project that was slightly more aspirational than any of their previous efforts. Bassist Dave Sheard explain; ”We recognised that all of us had the same ambition so it felt like something that had to happen.”
To put it simply, they haven’t looked back, notching up support slots with the likes of The Dangerous Summer and We Are The In Crowd so far, with a UK tour with Jody Has A Hitlist in September.
Dave explains how their debut EP came together: ”Since forming some 18 months before. Our musical direction had become a lot more defined and it was really important to us to make our first EP as strong as possible.”
So, what do The Afterparty sound like? Think along the lines of Kids In Glass Houses mixed with the hooks of You Me at Six and you’re almost there. Predominantly a pop rock band at heart, their choruses are pretty huge, and the verses constantly set the foundations of the songs brilliantly. You can check out a stream of their song “Sticks and Stones” below to listen for yourself.
The Afterparty have not long released their debut EP ‘Restless’, and when asked about the response that it’s received, the overall feeling is that it’s all been overwhelmingly positive. Reviews have been great and their videos have graced television and plenty of websites. While that’s a true achievement in itself, it’s one that doesn’t come without the accompanying music being pretty bloody good. The band themselves struggle to pick a favourite from the EP, telling us ”I really don’t know! Whenever ‘So Much To Say’ comes on my iPod when I’m out and about, it still makes me smile, but ‘Sticks and Stones’ is a real favourite for me, I can’t decide!”
Their UK run in September with Jody Has a Hitlist is a tour that they’ve described as ”…the biggest tour we’ve done.” and Dave (Sheard) has made the decision to come back home from living abroad to make sure the band stand the best chance possible, which is serious dedication. From thereon after there are some plans in the works with a new video being a possibility as well as some tentative plans to get back on the road again.
The Afterparty could be the next big thing out of the UK scene, and while being on the poppier end of the Punktastic spectrum; they pull it off with class and style. They’re a band that is well worth three and a half minutes of your time to check them out, you won’t really regret it.
CHRIS MARSHMAN
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