Small Island, Big Ambitions: Interview with Voodoo Bandits
Thanks to Gary from Vannin Photos for providing the photos for this article.
Living on an island of eighty thousand people does have its perks. Though getting yourself out there can be tough for young musicians, in a place so small, you’ve got the chance to forge your own path. We are in a unique situation on the Isle of Man, one which fits in very well with an indie music spirit: if opportunities don’t exist, then you can make them exist. That is what local band Voodoo Bandits are trying to do.
Primed and poised to take on the UK music scene in early 2020, the band were forced to stay on-island and try to make it work in their Manx homeland. Tired of being stuck playing three-hour cover sets in the corner of a pub, Voodoo Bandits have started to take matters into their own hands, beginning with a self-organised gig, Indie Sandwich, at the Villa Marina a couple of weekends ago. We spoke to Ben and Charlotte from Voodoo Bandits, and later to members of two of the support bands, The Tinkermen and Sanssouci, all about making it happen for themselves and taking advantage of the here and now.
When asked how a gig like Indie Sandwich (where original music is championed) is different to playing a cover gig, Voodoo Bandits’ lead vocalist and guitarist Ben was quick with his answer: they don’t compare. Here, people have paid to see you; besides, you’re playing your own music to an audience that actually expects it. The Promenade Suite at the Villa is one of the only dedicated music venues on the island ー stage first, drinks second. They first played there at a successful Made In Mann gig back in September, part of a series of free concerts supported by The Arts Council.
Now, Voodoo Bandits have decided to return to the venue and make a go of it there themselves, testing the waters with a fiver’s entry. They hoped that if they created the live music then the people would come ー and they did. Hell, some people knew the words!
A Stones Throw kicked off the evening.
The name Indie Sandwich might be a bit of a stretch for this eclectic collection of bands, each with their own blend of genres which float around and beyond the indie label. After a classic indie rock opener by A Stones Throw, Sanssouci perhaps stood out the most on the line-up with their more aggressive approach. Still, they told me it was a privilege to be invited alongside these bands to “the best place to play on the island”.
Sanssouci’s complex musical branding ー described to me in explicit detail as “skate punk, a very small hint of stoner and metal, a hell of a lot of melodic rock, a little twinge of pop punk, and a very small touch of British hardcore” ー was embraced by most of the young crowd at this 16+ event. Having seen how Sanssouci led the audience towards the stage, it strikes me that they wouldn’t be too bothered by a few desertersー especially considering how many of us were dancing (and dare I admit headbanging) by the end of their set. If anyone couldn’t handle the heaviness, that’s on them. I was too busy watching drummer Ed having the time of his life on stage (definitely Animal from The Muppets vibes). He was still buzzing when I passed him in the crowd an hour later.
Sanssouci drummer Ed having the time of his life on the stage.
You would think from speaking to The Tinkermen, the next band up, that they take music seriously (and they do), but they had a lot of fun on stage. Throwing merch into the crowd in an act of whimsical (though expensive!) promotion, they rattled their way through pop punk originals with a charming ease. This band is a good example of how different members can bring their own background and influence into the group’s sound. Though the project is very much pop punk-driven, inspirations cited range from the glam rock of Kiss and the heavy metal of Avenged Sevenfold to Red Hot Chili Peppers and even ABBA (though I’m still not sure if that last one was a joke!)
The Tinkermen had a blast on stage, and so did we
Milling through the crowd, I overheard snippets of conversations from people who’d been at school together reuniting. I saw people at the gig that I’d known as a teenager, and in typical Isle of Man fashion, I actually went to primary school with Ben from Voodoo Bandits. Over a decade later, he’s fronting one of the island’s best-known bands.
Voodoo Bandits’ style has been sliding around and shifting over the past couple of years. They’ve been saving unreleased singles for when the UK starts to reopen before cementing what Ben and Charlotte think is their final evolution: that is, garage rock / surf punk, if they had to put their finger on it.
“It’s a bit of a unique kind of sound for the UK. You take a bit of Australia’s scene, and a little bit of California, you mash it together, you bring it to the UK, you put whatever the heck our brains have on top of it and you get… whatever the hell that is! It’s a thing, it’s music!” ー Ben Donaldson, Voodoo Bandits
Gig attendees got a taste of this new world of Voodoo Bandits. Though they started (and ended) with crowd favourite Empty Swimming Pool, the rest of the set was made up of unreleased tracks, giving us light and shade, playing with powerful dynamics, and staying extremely slick and tight ー even through numerous tempo changes and a double encore. Safe to say, they had the crowd on-side. The walls were dripping by the end of the evening.
Talking to them backstage, you could feel a sense of community amongst these bands, which reflects the wider Manx scene as a whole. A Stones Throw had to jump in last minute when planned support The Scrubs ended up splitting up (we think temporarily) mere weeks before the gig. Incidentally, two of The Scrubs made it down to the gig ー they’re both genuine fans, Ben tells me, and they danced any drama away.
A Stones Throw had another gig booked the same night as Indie Sandwich, and so they ended up missing their soundcheck (and a chat with us, perhaps less crucially), which did cause a prick of tension at first. Never ones to hold a grudge, they shared a smoke with Ben afterwards and laughed it off ー members of the two bands are close friends as it is, and they have done countless support slots for each other.
Keen followers of Manx music gossip may be reminded of some social media drama between The Tinkermen and musician Jamie Blackburn at the end of last year. This too was resolved peacefully before it could turn bitter, and the musicians turned a negative into a positive with a gig at Secret Pizza that raised £500 for youth music project SoundCheck. On an island so small, it seems that no one can stay mad for long.
A Stones Throw’s bassist wearing Tinkermen merch
Voodoo Bandits don’t plan on staying on the island forever ー they hadn’t planned on staying even this long before the you-know-what. Although, it turns out that The Promenade Suite quenches the thirst pretty well for playing all those UK gigs that had to be cancelled.
The band has made some good connections over the past couple of years, and their advice for musicians trying to make it in the UK is simple: present the best package you can, put yourself out there, and make allies. That’s how they’ve managed to be booked for headline gigs in Manchester and Glasgow, as well as make helpful connections ー from indie label Scruff of the Neck in the north to promoter Billy Fitzjohn in the south. They’re especially excited about working with Darren Lawson, who’s produced tracks for names like Bloc Party and Alfie Templemen. Each of these connections is a stepping stone, and with each step they radiate the best version of Voodoo Bandits they can.
A lot of the music industry is about making it happen yourself, and a scene like the island’s can certainly make for some good practice. Though, as we’ve seen, the bands at Indie Sandwich all differed widely in their musical inspirations, the one common thread holding them together was their DIY attitude. Fitting well into both a small island and an indie music spirit, all of them were ready to give it a go.
Here, I’m reminded of a story Sanssouci told me about a gig from last summer. Self-described as “slightly broken and very DIY”, the band joked that something always goes wrong at their gigs. For instance, when they played at Castletown Skate Park, it was Ed on the drums who suffered: playing on a slope, he spent the set putting his bass drum back in place after it kept rolling down the hill.
Indie Sandwich was not a perfect gig, but any minor flaws didn’t detract from the fire on stage (a figurative one, just to be clear). Besides, none of the bands ever profess to play a perfect set (though Voodoo Bandits were damn near close): ultimately, it was about making the best of the here and now, taking to the stage because it’s there, and making the people dance. And I think we in the audience had a pretty great time. Who’s ready for round two?
Written by Owen Atkinson
Voodoo Bandits are teaming up with SIDEWAYS for a show on Sunday 30th May (bank holiday weekend) at Peggy’s. Their next single I’m a Loser drops on June 11th.
The Tinkermen are hitting up QuidsInn with support from Sanssouci on Friday 4th June.
Sanssouci, The Tinkermen and Voodoo Bandits are all playing for the opening of the ManXGames on Saturday 5th June at Castletown Skate Park (watch out for those hills Ed!), alongside a bunch of other Sound Records favourites like Mad Daddy, El Catraz and MotherFunkers.
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