Dry The River: British Music Abroad
For:
SXSW 2011
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Dry the River formed in spring 2009. Based in a shared two-bedroom house in Stratford, east London the five came together via circuitous geographical and musical routes.
From singer-songwriter Peter Liddle, born in Norway and drawing narrative inspiration from university studies in medicine and anthropology, to once homeless drummer Jon Warren, with his background playing in DIY punk bands, via classically trained violinist Will Harvey, the band are a diverse bunch.
Musically the back-history is no less intriguing, with the band citing an esoteric list of influences – Leonard Cohen, At The Drive-In, Neil Young, Arlo Guthrie, Neutral Milk Hotel , Bruce Springsteen and Devendra Banhart.
Since 2009 the band have lived and worked in their east London house, an ideal set –up, allowing them the freedom to work when they like. So by June of the same year they had self- released their first single – The Chambers & Valves EP was a limited download-only single that was live tracked in just two days.
The EP proved to be the catalyst; the last 18-months have seen the band play extensively supporting the likes of the Magic Numbers, Johnny Flynn, Plan B and Two Door Cinema Club and make their first festival appearances at last year’s Glastonbury (BBC Introducing), Big Chill and Standon Calling.
By late 2010 the band had picked up enough momentum via the likes of a sold-out headline slot at both London’s Luminaire and Lexington and much-watched Black Cab and watchlistentell sessions to be offered a publishing deal by Transgressive (Foals).