REMEMBERING VIOLA BEACH
The 'alternate future' created by Coldplay's Chris Martin at Glastonbury this year, where the late Viola Beach headlined the festival, was certainly the future that you would have predicted hearing the indie-pop four-piece play live. I was lucky enough to experience this, before they sadly suffered a tragic car accident with their manager Craig Tarry in February this year. Driving back to the airport in the capital Stockholm in the early hours of the morning, their car plunged more than 80ft into a canal in Sodertalje. An accident that shook the music world an left family and fans devastated at the loss of four talented young men.
River, Jack, Thomas and Chris were touring as supporting act for Irish duo All Tvvins when they played the Manchester's Ruby Lounge in November last year. It was a dreary Monday night and the turnout for the gig was disappointing, but the band brought some sunlight to the winter weather to celebrate the news that they had just made it onto the BBC's Introducing list for Radio One. After boasting that they had been recording a live session for Radio One earlier that day, the energetic "slacker pop" lads warmed the few that had gathered with 'Swings and Waterslides' and other demos. BBC Introducing recommended the band to fans of Coasts and the Kooks and i don't disagree, When asked in an interview with the Liverpool Echo about the bands' musical influences, guitarist Kris Leonard said, "I'm definitely not consciously influenced by anyone", but went on to name the Coral, the Beatles and Hooton Tennis Club (we approve!) as being among his favourite Liverpudlian bands. He also told Peter Guy that the Kooks' album Inside In/Inside Out was a favourite, and a big influence on his desire to become a musician. The day the news of the crash was announced, there was a great round of applause for the band, to show respect, at the Premier League match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur as band manager Craig Tarry was a huge Manchester City fan. The feeling In the week following the crash, was of a similar enormity, and their single "Boys That Sing" entered the UK Singles Chart at number 80 and their other single "Swings & Waterslides" joined even higher at number 11. This was a result of the public campaign by the fans on social media to boost sales and recognition for a band who were just about to hit the big time, but sadly couldn't be there to share it. The campaign later drew support from former Oasis singer Liam Gallagher, Ian Brown of The Stone Roses and rock band Kasabian and on 18 February the single reached number one on the iTunes chart. It was later announced that all proceeds would be donated to the families of the band members and of their manager.
Months later, it is as important as ever to enjoy the music that the Viola Beach boys made, and share the singles in their memory. For a small band from Warrington, they didn't only shake the North West, but the world.