Out of the shadows

Photo: Seagrave Social Photography

Shadow Palace.

SADDLEWORTH hopefuls Shadow Palace will be out to impress as they play a number of prestigious dates over the next couple of months.

It all seems to be happening at present for the band - frontman Harry Lavin, guitarist Ben Warwick, bassist Dan Gaunt and new drummer Will Brooks - and they are certainly desperate to put on a great show at two festivals during the coming weeks - the Blackthorn Festival near Stockport on Saturday, July 23, and Party in the Pines near Scunthorpe on Saturday, August 6.

Lavin said: "At the Blackthorn we're on the main stage supporting The View, so we won't be messing about.

"You've got to play your best at somewhere like that, treat it seriously of course.

"Party in the Pines too. Jonny Brown has kindly dragged us down on that and it'll be a good opportunity for us.

"Bands like the Tapestry and Cabbage are on that one so there's a lot of good bands on.

"Louie Louie are another Manchester band who are getting about everywhere it seems, it's pretty good.

"Regardless of who we're on with, though, we'll always give it that extra ten or 20 per cent.

"At the end of the day we're a band who play to impress. Without sounding snobby or anything, we'll aim to blow everyone else out of the water, though of course everyone will be saying that.

"You've got to be confident in what you're doing.

"We'll have these great rigs to play through at Blackthorn and Party in the Pines, and we'll play at 200 per cent there."

Shadow Palace have worked hard on honing their sound in recent months, and creatively there does appear to have been a surge since Paintbox Fires' sticksman Brooks was called upon to replace Danny Walsh, who has left the band to pursue his studies.

Warwick has been delighted with Brooks' input so far, particularly on the five new tracks the band recorded at Futureworks in Salford recently.

He said: "Our creativity levels have risen loads since Will joined.

"He's a songwriter too, he's just brought something new to the band, his drumming style is great.

"Danny's a great drummer and we'll never knock him, but it's been different with Will, a bit more punchy. The band just feels bigger.

"Everyone's contributing more now, though, and overall everything is improving.

"The songs are more refined now, and the atmosphere is really nice. That comes across in the new songs we've written.

"We're all chipping in so the songs will be a lot stronger.

"Collectively things are definitely moving forward musically."

Fans can get to see Shadow Palace play an acoustic set tomorrow week, July 20, after they were invited to support fellow Oldhamers Cupids at the second of their rooftop residency gigs at the Spaceport X venue in central Manchester. Check whether tickets remain before setting out to that show.

Meanwhile, Shadow Palace have also secured their first headline slot at Gulliver's in Manchester, on September 3.

Carnation and The Claremonts will provide support at another high-profile gig.

"That's going to be great, it's a natural progression from the Castle really," said Lavin.

"It's twice the size, and we've played there before so we know what to expect.

"We'll promote that as hard as we can, and see what happens."