alright (okay)

alright (okay) are a local band who have performed here at Future Yard a number of times. Alex from the group, who has taken part in our Propeller Programme, explored his relationship with Future Yard and what the venue has meant to him over the years. Groups like alright (okay) are the ultimate example of why it’s crucial to Build Our Future for the development of new talent.

Come and see alright (okay) play at our 48HR PARTY PEOPLE event THIS Saturday at 5.45pm! 

When did you first attend Future Yard?

“I remember it being a thing since it opened really, but it did take a while [for me] to cross the water and come over. And then I remember seeing PVA in 2021, or 2022 maybe. And it was like, the second you come in, you’re like

‘Why have I not come here sooner?”

“So then after that I was going as much as I could really because the billing’s amazing and then it was also like, thinking of the band,

‘I’d love to get a gig here.”

“And then the first time we played with the band was with Hotel Lux. Since then, we’ve just been trying to find our way back in.”

“It’s always like, the second people come to that first gig, or you take them along, they then come again more because they get past that mental barrier of the water being a thing. It’s a 5 minute train ride [from Liverpool].”

What is the Propeller Programme?

“I remember they had Future Now in 2024 and it was like ‘apply to play- artists through propeller get priority’, kind of thing. So I was like ‘I’ll give that a go’ because I’d love to do the gig, first and foremost and also there’s a few things that looked interesting.”

“And again, you do the first session and it’s like having someone who knows what they’re talking about actually being able to give you advice.”

“Because doing a lot of the stuff as an artists is really hard because you’re guessing everything, really.”

“It’s almost like changing what you think your band is and how you write about it. It’s just trying to get that across because the wording that you use sets a certain tone for what to expect.”

“The live side of things, I think, before Propeller, a lot of it we were just trying to do as many gigs as we could. We weren’t thinking about strategy with live. We’ve seen a difference just by trying to be a bit more considerate.”

“It’s really helped us level up as a band and take the next steps, even outside the city, we’ve got gigs in the likes of London, we managed to get Focus Wales and Stockton Calling, just through Future Yard and a few contacts we met through Future Yard or Propeller.”

What is Future Yard like as a venue to perform at?

“It’s amazing. Just first and foremost the sound in that room, whether you’re in the audience or on stage, it sounds amazing.”

“It’s so common that you just can’t hear anything when you’re playing.”

“To be able to actually hear what you’re playing and hear what the other guys are playing, it makes all the difference, which is a small thing to say but you’d be surprised at how much that just isn’t taken into consideration.”

“And then also on the other side, in the crowd, it just sounds amazing.”

“You’ve also got the dressing rooms. It feels professional, and you treat it like that. It feels like there’s respect for artists who come through.”

“It comes across that, no matter who’s playing, they give them that same level of respect and it’s just amazing, because, we’re all there for the same reason, right?”

Finally, what does music mean to you?

“It means a lot of things. Making, creating and forming music is expression, it’s escapism.”

“It’s the main way of getting everything out, I love the performance of it.”

“It’s a real escape. Even listening to it, it’s the same thing, there’s so much joy in it, there’s so much community.”

“That’s the part I love about live music.”

“I love being there and knowing everyone’s there for the same reason. It does bring people together and it’s a powerful thing.”

“Certain songs, albums, gigs can change your life, especially depending on where you are at the time. Nothing comes close to it.”

“So, yeah, music, it’s everything really, isn’t it? It’s class.”

 

We don’t just host shows, we build futures.

And we’re just getting started.

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