We’ve been lucky enough to be asked back to sponsor Hella Rock Festival in Coventry for its second year! Once again, we’re getting to know the bands on the bill in the run up to the big day. First up we’ve got Southern rockers (in every sense of the term), The Outlaw Orchestra!
Tickets for Hella Rock are still available but be quick as there’s less than 50% left!
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
The South of the UK, deep South!
How long have you been playing together as a band?
Nigh on eight years now and as a trio almost five years.
Where does the name of the band come from?
It was a fleeting remark as to the revolving door on musicians that came and went in the very first few weeks: “You play hard outlaw country….who’s in the band? Its like an Outlaw Orchestra!”
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
It is a battle of British rock and roll (The Stones, The Who, The Faces) meets Austin, Texas (ZZ Top, Johnny Cash) with Motörhead being the referee. What makes us unique, in this trio we have a drummer, a guitarist/bass player then a banjo/pedal/lap steel/bass player. We cover all bases (literally) with a bit of a technical set up but all live; one radio DJ said “They’re like a hillbilly version of Rush”.
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What’s your live show like? Why are people going to watch you rather than hanging at the bar or grabbing some merch?
Our frontman likes to tell a story and get into some banter with the audience, we call him “Glovebox” – full of shit and you can’t shut him up. Then the songs themselves are a journey and a plethora of instrument changing. We bring the Saturday night party!
What sort of setlist can we expect?
A range of hard rock, outlaw country, mountain foot-stamping Appellation roots grooves – all blended with some bluesy Latin flavours. Think Carlos Santana s Keith Richards, Kieth Moon and Johnny Cash on vocals.
What are you working on at the moment?
ing how our songs go and keeping a leash on the adrenaline as that leads to mistakes, however, we are masters of landing on our feet when one of us makes a catastrophic error.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
Too many to mention and probably too many that we cannot print. But starting a second set in a packed nightclub wondering where one band member was only to see him being led away by two police officers for an impromptu party situation that materialised in a ladies bathroom… Fortunately some fast talking and he ed on stage about three songs later.
What drink do you throw back to get yourself fired up before going on stage?
Whatever cooking lager they have laid on for us. However there was a gig in Doncaster whereby Dave (the singer) loved the bottle of red wine they had and glugged most of it before the gig and finished it off on stage, he seemed somewhat drunk until we looked at the bottle…..0.5% alcohol, basically it was fruit juice and he thought he was the King of rock and roll! 100% placebo… embarrassment sobers a man up real quick!
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Tickets for Hella Rock Festival 2025 are on sale now!
The Outlaw Orchestra: official | facebook | instagram | youtube
