VIDEO PREVIEW: Alvarez Kings play Leadmill web gig to help save music venues

Fans are being asked to buy a ticket with all proceeds going to the #saveourvenues cause – a new national campaign to help hundreds of grassroots music venues at imminent risk of closing down due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The live stream will be on the Veeps site on Saturday, September 19, from 9pm BST, or UK time – which is 1pm Pacific Daylight Time.

BUY A TICKET: Fans are being asked to support the campaign and buy a livestream ticket for £5, £10 or £15 – CLICK HERE.

The stream will generate money for #SaveOurVenue and the event will be available to view until October 10, 2020.

The Barnsley and Rotherham band - brothers Simon Thompson (vocals and guitar) and Paul (bass, keys and backing vocals), Sean Parkin (guitar) and Richard Walker (drums, samples and pads) - have made a huge name for themselves touring in the US.

They started out as school pals playing Oasis and The Beatles covers in local venues but have gone on to perform thousands of gigs and at some of the biggest stages in the world.

Alvarez Kings, who gleefully share their moniker with an infamous old school South American gang, racked up more than 700K Spotify streams.

In a joint statement they said: “We are looking at people to help us raise awareness of this cause and our journey to make sure we can stop venues being closed forever.

"The Leadmill has played a crucial role in the development of us as a band and we will do what we can to return the favour."

The quartet has quietly built up an international buzz since their 2012 formation in a place that, as they like to say, “resembles The Shire in The Lord of The Rings.”

BBC Radio proclaimed the group’s song “No Resolve” the “Single of the Year,” while they impressed audiences at Isle of Wight and O2 Wireless Festival in addition to show-stopping stints on the Vans Warped Tour in 2013 and 2015 and support slots on tours with Melanie Martinez, PVRIS, and Echosmith.

Their 2015 EP, Fear To Feel, expanded their foothold in the US.

Spotify featured the title track on coveted playlists such as The Indie Mix and Ultimate Indie Playlist, notching 40K streams in less than 12 hours and eventually amassing over 700K and counting. Meanwhile, they drew acclaim from Billboard, Huffington Post, and more.

Their 2017 full-length debut album was Somewhere Between [Sire/Warner Bros. Records].

“In terms of influences, there’s all kinds of stuff in there,” says Sean.

“We’re all rock guys, but we also love dance music. There are orchestral elements and this big synth sound we’re obsessed with. It’s everything that we are.

“Our first album as a band was like the soundtrack of the past God knows how many years,” he added.

In order to record that “soundtrack,” the boys traveled halfway across the world to Los Angeles in the Spring of 2016.

Holing up in Burbank’s famed Ocean Studios, they cut the album in just three weeks with producer Carlos de la Garza [Paramore]. Hollywood definitely left its mark on the music.

“There’s a sort of eighties nostalgia to the album because we were around Sunset Boulevard, and we got to experience that dramatic LA sunset every day,” Sean added.

“We were listening to Tears For Fears pretty much on repeat. It was all really Miami Vice-style."

“It was great working with Carlos,” added Richard.

“He instilled a hell of a lot of knowledge in terms of production values. He really helped us get to the heart of the song. He was a big influence.”

LINKS:

Web: www.AlvarezKings.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/alvarezkings

Twitter: @AlvarezKings

Instagram: @AlvarezKings

YouTube: @AlvarezKingsOfficial