Every week we interview the hottest new bands on the scene in partnership with BIMM Brighton. This week, acoustic four-piece EdwardAlice speak to Oliver Barker about all things Brighton, music and plans for the future. They are definitely ones to watch if you like upbeat, feelgood music.   

How and when did the band form?

The band formed around January 2013 when Tom (uke/vocals), Olivia (cajon/ vocals) and Christian (guitar/vocals) were at university at BIMM. We played a few open mics and then got our first gig in Cambridge when we decided to ask Katherine (melodica/keys/vocals) to join us to help us get a thicker, more versatile sound.

Your influences include The Beatles and Toots and the Maytals. How would you describe your sound to those who have never heard you?

I guess we would describe our sound as being acoustic but upbeat with four-part harmonies and catchy lyrics that are well thought out.

Why did you choose to pursue music further in Brighton?

We’ve always loved Brighton and as a general rule we find any excuse to go back there. One of our band members lives there which helps. But more importantly, Brighton is just a really good place to get your music out. There are so many young people (and some older people too) who are enthusiastic about seeking out music they haven’t heard before, that it can be a really great place to gig.

In what ways did BIMM nurture you as musicians? Do you feel that it provided you with useful opportunities?

BIMM was a great experience and it allowed us to spend three years in Brighton playing in the local music scene and meeting new people. There haven’t been many opportunities that have come directly from BIMM but it helped us begin to understand the industry we wanted to step into and gave us the time we needed to practise.

What are your thoughts on the Brighton music scene and how hard is it to make a name for yourselves and stand out from the crowd?

It’s incredibly hard to stand out in Brighton, but that’s true everywhere. For Brighton the obvious problem is saturation; there are just so many bands that it’s hard to make waves. The other problems are fairly consistent with the music scene in general, like promoters who really don’t promote and expect you to do that as well as playing. There are some good things too though – we played a little gig at The Brunswick the other day and that was great. It’s never been easy but it can be very rewarding.

Which are your favourite places to play in Brighton and do you have any upcoming gigs in the area?

We will be back at The Brunswick soon and hopefully any other venues that will have us. Our favourite places to play in Brighton would be The Brunswick, Bleach and Komedia.

What are EdwardAlice’s plans for the future?

We intend to play as often as possible and get our music out to as many people as possible for as long as we can. There’s not much more we can do – hopefully have a good time along the way, too. We’re going to get some new music out soon and we plan, as always, to keep writing new and hopefully more interesting stuff. So please connect with us via the internet or in person at a gig.