The release of a debut album, specifically My Mind Makes Noise, would be nothing without a complimentary tour. Pale Waves, the indie pop group made up of former Manchester uni students Heather Baron-Gracie and Ciara Doran, along with Hugo Silvani and Charlie Wood, has had quite a year or two. From playing support for The 1975 in Europe and North America to selling out their own gigs here and over there, the band look to be continuing this momentum, with an album tour that starts in Europe and hops across the pond to the US by late October.
Lucky for us, this tour includes a stint at the O2 Academy here in Southampton on 2nd October, which means central location and high ceilings, where their dark and dreamy 80s inspired tunes will float nicely. The Guildhall is probably the poshest venue we’ve got, so it’ll feel like a right treat. Having played The Joiners just last year at around the same time, we’ve seen how the band has evolved over the course of the year from underground sensation to straight up sensation.
After the success of their EP All The Things I Never Said released in early February, which includes ‘Heavenly’, as well as a steady stream of hit singles ‘There’s a Honey’ and ‘Television Romance’ (co-produced by The 1975’s Matt Healy), here’s hoping they play a mix of the relatively old as well as the new. The accomplishments don’t end there, with the band earning 5th place in the BBC’s Sound of 2018, behind the likes of Sigrid and Rex Orange County. Healy even helped direct the hypnotising music video for ‘TV Romance’ last year.
The band are signed to the Dirty Hit record label, joining the likes of Healy’s 4-piece outfit, Wolf Alice, Little Comets and The Japanese House. Although a little less well established – you know how it is with an up and coming band and the purgatory of endless EPs and singles – their new album and the accompanying tour should cement their status and their sound on the music scene.
One meet cute in a Mancunian off-licence and four years later, the song writing duo in singer/guitarist Baron-Gracie and drummer Doran has gone from strength to strength, with their new album a manifestation of their working relationship. If the last few years have seen the rise of Pale Waves, the end of 2018 and the start of 2019 should see them surfing the crest of the wave. The Edge may have just found its new great love affair.
Pale Waves will be playing at the O2 Guildhall in Southampton on the 2nd October and tickets can be purchased here. Watch the video for ‘Television Romance’ below.
