A growing buzz surrounds Newbury band Who Ate All The Crayons

Rising Newbury band mark their one-year anniversary with debut EP out yesterday and summer mini-tour... ‘If we still get to play and write music this time next year we’re doing something right,” lead singer Harry Stradling tells Arts Editor TRISH LEE

IT’S been a whirlwind journey for emerging local indie band Who Ate All The Crayons, who are celebrating the first anniversary of their debut single 5 Seconds.

In just a short span of time, they have made remarkable progress, transforming from a duo consisting of Harry Stradling on lead vocals and Lee Smith on percussion, to a dynamic four-piece band, elevating their sound immensely.

“We’ve been steadily building a small but supportive fanbase over the past year,” said Harry.

“Our journey has been incredible, playing at various local venues such as The Lion, The Catherine Wheel, and The Globe.”

The addition of Luke Newman on bass and George Jackson on lead guitar has brought fresh energy to the band, propelling them to release four successful singles.

WAATC’s sound is best described as as melodic rock in nature, with strong indie influences and a bit of folk for Harry’s vocals.

They draw their influences according to Harry “ from bands like The Howl and The Hum, Mumford and Sons, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Bombay Bicycle Club, Twenty One Pilots and many more”.

And the band’s name, where did that come from?

“The name was seen etched into a bar’s toilet cubicle on a drunken night out. To which I suggested to the boys, WAATC would be quite a funny band name... we haven’t changed it since!”

Last weekend they played the Hop Dog Festival – Hungerford’s now annual music, cider, ale and hotdog fest at The Plume pub, an event which by all accounts, despite the monsoon conditions, was a great success with simultaneous stages in and outdoors.

“Hop Dog Festival went down really well,” said Harry. “Thanks to band The Station for putting on the event at The Plume, we had a great crowd and it felt like the beginning of a fantastic summer tour to come.”

Now, they are embarking on an exciting mini-tour, coinciding with the release of their debut EP Deep Blue due out tomorrow (Friday).

Kicking off in Plymouth at the Marina Bar tonight (Thursday), the band will be visiting a series of independent venues, including Bristol’s Sidney and Eden, Reading’s Oakford Social Club and Oxford’s beloved The Library, wrapping up in their hometown of Newbury at The Globe on August 26.

If their track record of local gigs in and around Berkshire is anything to go by, this tour will go down well.

This latest release, Deep Blue Delivery, is a single that offers a glimpse of the EP to come.

You can stream the single on all major music platforms, in anticipation of the full EP.

The band credit their success, in part, to the unwavering support they have received from local radio stations, such as Kennet Radio and BBC Introducing Berkshire.

Having put on outstanding performances on line-ups for the likes of BBC Introducing they are extending the promo with an independently curated tour.

Adding to the excitement, Who At All The Crayons will also be appearing at several prominent festivals, reaching wider audiences.

You can catch them at Wokingham Festival on Sunday, August 27, at the Club Stage, followed by a performance at Bunkfest in Wallingford on Sunday, September 3.

Finally, they will headline the main stage at the much-loved Newbury Real Ale Festival on Saturday, September 9, bringing their soon-to-be released EP to life for the crowd to enjoy.

With a growing buzz surrounding them, Who Ate All The Crayons promises to deliver quite a summer, packed with energetic performances and a music style, aiming to leave a mark on the music industry.

Where do they see the band in a year’s time?

“I know we’d love to play some more festivals next summer, hopefully with a whole new roster of tunes to perform.

“But all in all I think if we still get to play and write music this time next year we’re doing something right.”

Whether you’ve been there a while or you’re a new listener, make sure to mark your calendars and catch them live during this tour.

Claim bragging rights that you saw them before they went mainstream.

Pictures: Hop Dog Festival: Ade and Louie Morris; others: Theo Bostock and Anna Stradling