The Cold Stares - The Carlisle, Hastings Friday 30th August 2024

The Cold Stares

For the past ten years, The Cold Stares have toured the world relentlessly as a duo, blowing away audiences across the US, UK and Europe with a fierce, blistering live show that belied their bare bones, guitar-and-drums setup. Now, the band is embracing a whole new kind of chemistry as they launch their next chapter, adding a third member and channeling the classic power trio sound they grew up on with their explosive new album, "Voices".

“The chains were off when we made this record,” says guitarist/singer Chris Tapp. “Suddenly, all the parameters that had dictated what we could and couldn’t do just disappeared and we were free to create whatever sound we wanted. ”That sense of total artistic liberation lies at the heart of "Voices", which pushes The Cold Stares’ signature mix of blues, southern, and hard rock to bold new heights. Recorded almost entirely over the course of just two days with producer/engineer/mixer Mark Needham (Taj Mahal, The
Killers, Imagine Dragons, Walk the Moon, Fleetwood Mac), the album stands as the band’s most mature, eclectic collection yet, balancing gritty muscle and tender emotion in equal measure.

It would have been easy for Tapp and drummer Brian Mullins to simply crank the  volume here, but instead they make the most of bassist Bryce Klueh’s arrival by getting more nuanced and adventurous in their approach, chasing a raw, unvarnished sound that manages to feel both vintage and modern all at once. Add it all up and you’ve got a gutsy, cinematic record that’s as honest as it is exhilarating, a high-octane dose of unadulterated rock and roll that tips its cap to everything from Cream to Led Zeppelin as it reckons with love and loss, sin and redemption, hope and regret.

AK and the Red Kites

AK & The Red Kites Is A Modern Rock Band With A Retro Infused Vibe Bearing Big Riffs And Vast Melodic Soundscapes. The Cornerstone Of This New Exciting Venture Is Frontman/Guitarist Andrew Knightley, Rising From The Ashes Of His Previous Band Blues Rockers Trident Waters.

Having Eloped To The Chiltern Hills UK During The Global Pandemic, Andrew Began Writing Songs That Would Shape The Project To Come. He Muses, “I Wrote Most Of My New Music Looking Out The Window Onto The Woods And The Red Kites Are Always Circling Overhead. I Felt A Connection, That They Were Part Of My Inspiration, As They Glided Across The Sky Crying And Going About Their Business. I Wanted To Honour That Sense Of Freedom And Protection That They Have Provided Me With. AK & The Red Kites Is A Direct Reference To My Creative Process And Where I Am Now As A Person.” 

Working With Multi-Platinum Award Winning Producer Mike Krompass (Everybody Loves An Outlaw), The Forthcoming Releases Will Showcase Knightley's Eclectic Range As A Songwriter And Musician; Ranging From Full On High Tempo Hard Rockers To Panoramic Swamp Vibes With Incursions Into Country And Blues Rock Territory In The Vein Of Rival Sons, Greta Van Fleet And ZZ Top. “There Were About 25 Tracks Demoed And Initially There Were Only Going To Be 10 Recorded. As The Process Went On We Decided To Stretch That To 16 As There Were Too Many Strong Tracks To Whittle It Down. It’s A Really Exciting Project And I Can’t Wait For The World To Hear What’s Been Cooking!” With Audiences Also Promised A Visually Striking Experience When The Full Band Take To The Stage, AK & The Red Kites Is Perched To Soar Throughout 2024 And Beyond.