Off Axis is a musical movement dedicated to allowing bands to get out of their comfort zones, and allowing them to play away from home.
Hastings may be in the far bottom corner of the UK, but it’s at the heart of the project, and as the Off Axis team get ready to expand their reach to more and more UK towns and cities, Hastings’ someone/anyone are set to put on one of the first in a huge programme of nationwide gigs.
The venue is the briliant Printworks (which if you haven’t yet been is tucked down the alley to the right of the Observer Building in Claremont), and the date is 23 December.
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Here’s the lowdown on the bands (someone/anyone, Spark, Hattie Briggs and Eleanor Mason)
someone / anyone
Anyone who has been lucky enough to wander into a someone/anyone gig whilst doing the Hastings rounds will know why this is a band worth coming out for. Funky grooves fuelled by a jazz-infused melody all provide that perfect foundation for Harry Osborne’s vocal talents, and the song writing just makes things even better. Lie back and relax or put on your dancing shoes – you can choose.
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Spark
Wearing the Beatles badges proudly on their sleeves, Liverpool’s Spark aren’t afraid to dip into the Manchester vibe with Oasis overtones in the rockier sections of debut single ‘Lemonade’.
Technically brilliant guitar work and restrained drums underpin honey-sweet vocals that peak with impassioned emphasis at just the right moments.
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Hattie Briggs
Released back in 2014 here is Hattie Briggs’ beautiful song ‘Old Eyes’.
With 25,000 YouTube views it’s not doing badly – but if there was any justice in the world that number would have at least two more zeros on the end because this is one of those timeless classics that just drips out of the speakers in a gloriously gooey way.
Redolent of late nights curled up with a good book on a cold night in front of a roaring fire, this is music to carry you away.
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Eleanor Mason
Tucked away in her influences list Eleanor Mason name-checks Joni Mitchell. And it has to be said that in her more wistful moments Joni does bear a striking similarity to Eleanor’s easy-going tones on ‘Letting Go’.
The fact that more people haven’t heard of her is again proof there simply isn’t any justice in the world.
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