Southern are a special breed. Made up of brother and sister, Thom and Lucy Southern, they’re hitting all the right notes and strumming all the right chords in their quest to become the next folk inspired indie outfit.
Just moments after their first ever show in Leeds at the Live At Leeds Festival I caught up with Thom about what he thought of the city and what the band have got planned next.
So, it’s your first time in Leeds. How’d you think that went?
I thought it was really good. It’s kind of hard because you don’t get a soundcheck so you just have to go on stage and sort of wing it a bit but I thought everybody enjoyed it, everybody listened so that was good for me.
You certainly had one of the biggest crowds I’ve seen here this afternoon, have you seen or are going to see any other acts today?
We arrived just before we went on stage and there was a screaming heavy metal band on before us who were actually pretty good. I’m gonna try and go and catch Courtney Barnett, she’s signed to our record label.
Have you experienced much of the city at all?
I’ve never been to Leeds actually, it looks really nice, lots of hip people.
So, what’s next for you in the pipeline?
This May is our first UK tour so we’ve got a gig nearly everyday. We’re going on tour with the Kooks next week so we’ve got four shows with them and then The Great Escape Festival. Then we’re going to the South of France and playing with a band called Thumpers in London, so that’s what we’re doing at the minute. Then bits and pieces of recording, there’s a new single coming out in the next two months and we’re just in between producers at the minute so there will be an album in the pipeline maybe later in the year.
You mentioned The Kooks there, are you big fans of them? Did you grow up listening to them?
Yeah, I think it was actually one of the first albums Lucy ever bought. I’m a big fan, I love what Luke from The Kooks does, he’s become quite a good friend of ours. They invited us out to come on tour so that was such an honour ‘cos they’re an amazing live band, I love Luke’s voice it’s great.
Finally, have you got any bands you could recommend, any you’ve seen recently?
I saw a band based in Liverpool, they were called Silent Sleep who were really good at Sound City yesterday. Courtney Barnett from our label’s brilliant, also Jagwar Ma.
Southern go on tour with The Kooks 6th-9th May and you can also catch them at a series of festivals over the coming months including The Great Escape, Dot To Dot Festival, Secret Garden Party and Boardmasters.
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By Joshua Shreeve (@JJShreeve)