Interview: Emerging Icons presents – Tankus the Henge, Annaca, Auction for the Promise Club

Each band has a unique feel, something different to bring to the table, and personalities you can’t help but love instantly.

The larger than life characters which are Tankus the Henge cavorted around the dressing room in a trolley, deciding that this would be the best way to conduct an interview. Once they’d seen this wouldn’t really work out, Will Stanley announced “We’re going to interview you.”

“Where are you from?” asks bizarro front man Jaz Delorean. “What’s your full name? Where do you live?” After prying into some personal details, it transpires that the band has some Mancunian connections; Jazz attended University of Salford, and Tim Fulker was born in Stockport. also form The band is based in London, also consisting of Dan Mason, Jake Stoddart, and Louis Shultz-Wiremu and the current formation came together two years previous. Jaz talked about the last time the band had come through Manchester (with a slightly different line up), “I remember buying quite a lot of the contents of a second hand china shop and smashing it all up in the Roadhouse, with hammers. On stage. They weren’t happy at all.”

All of the bands performed on the Emerging Icons Olympic stage this summer. Jaz reminisced, “My favourite bit, and this is genuine, is when we were playing a gig in the Olympic Park to one person, and Mo Farah won, and we heard the roar. It sounded like the crowd cheering for us.”

Tankus the Henge could best be described musically as a mash of gypsy carnival jazz rock. Trumpet, trombone, accordion, and plenty of sass. Ringmaster Jazz used to fix fairground organs before creating the band. Raspy vocals and circus antics on stage made for a great performance which everyone could get behind, and leave you wanting more from their headline tour in the new year.

Annaca came off stage and replaced the brash boys of Tankus (who cryptically refused to explain the meaning behind their name), sat with a flower in her hair and a beaming smile. Joined by her band, Ben (drums), Harrison (guitar) and Leo (bass, keys), they explain how they met at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music, where Annaca swept them off their feet with her “breathy” soulful voice.

Annaca has been working on an album with Jim Lowe, who produced Stereophonics, and Dutch band Southern Sunrise have asked them to headline their European tour. “We’ve been told our stuff would go down well in Europe,” says Annaca. Harrison adds, “I’d love to play Paris. Tres chic.” “Harrison’s a romantic dreamer.”

“I’m a Francophile as well.”

Their current EP, featuring recently released track Delilah, is only available to buy at their gigs, which they explained was to have that more exclusive feel. “It’s all very homemade, Annaca’s mum did the artwork for it and it’s really nicely packaged like a gift.”

Fellow coastal musicians, Auction for the Promise Club, an indie rock group from Cornwall, spoke next about their new EP which will be released in February in line with another tour. “We’ve had a really good reaction from up [north].” No strangers to Manchester, Zoe, Toby and Perran have previously played at Fac251. “We ended up sleeping in the back of the van,” admits Zoe. “Got a parking ticket …” adds brother Toby.

The trio have been performing together for three years, a year of that with Emerging Icons. “Any new band should get on their website.”

“They’ve been such great help, championing new music. They’re so committed, and their enthusiasm really drives it. It really spurs you on.”

Toby revealed that they’ve been working together with surf brand Quicksilver, and are looking to record in their studios in France in the new year. Already featured on BBC 6 Music, XFM and Absolute Radio, Auction for the Promise Club are on track to make waves in the female-fronted rock scene.

As part of the Emerging Icons Live Tour, there is an open invitation for new bands and unsigned acts to register (for free) on unsignedbandreview.com and take part in a demo drop at their nearest gig.

www.emergingicons.com

Facebook.com/tankusthehenge

Facebook.com/annacamusic

www.auctionforthepromiseclub.co.uk