Among the list of classic acts and A-list stars playing as part of the festivities at this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, it doesn’t escape Kicksound’s notice that they rank squarely among the least known.
Even put alongside the three other UAE rock bands playing Beats on the Beach, they stand out a mile – the only band without an album to their name, at the time of writing Kicksound clock just 652 Facebook likes, dwarfed by Juliana Down’s 25,800, Nikotin’s 14,300 and The Boxtones’ 35,500.
But as Saturday’s Corniche gig wraps up a manic month in the Kicksound camp, all that could be set to change. One of the UAE’s best-kept secrets for too long, the trio performed to their biggest crowds yet at Gulf Bike Week (October 30-November 1), as thousands gathered at Dubai Media City Amphitheatre. Friday saw the long-awaited live launch of Kicksound’s debut EP, a four-track disc of alt-rock brimming with ideas and verve.
The band are the brainchild of the singer/guitarist/frontman/songwriter Olly Ephgrave, a 33-year-old Brit who rocked Beats on the Beach back in 2010 as a member of the Latin-tinged singer Fatiniza’s band.
“Beats on the Beach is a major coup for us,” says Olly. “We’re the least established band, which is nice because people don’t know what to expect. Hopefully we’ll prove ourselves on the night and pick up some new fans on the way.”
The EP’s release was preceded by an inventive social media-baiting publicity stunt, which saw Kicksound release a fresh video of them performing classic rock riffs, or original material, for 30 days leading up to the launch.
Listening to the set as a playlist, it’s amazing how well the band’s dense, aggressive but slightly groovy compositions sit next to classics by bands such as Guns N’ Roses, Nirvana and Metallica. More amazing, everything is new – before Kicksound, Ephgrave had never written nor sung lead vocals. Three of the EP’s four songs are the first he ever wrote, the bulk of material written in a single month-long burst of inspiration three years ago.
However, the recent recruitment of the fresh bassist Will Skidmore – a 34-year-old Brit who joins the Serbian drummer Branislav Trkulja, 40, in the rhythm section – has reportedly energised the creative process, with new riffs starting to flow thick and fast. Let’s hope they are caught on a full album soon – because after Beats on the Beach, Kicksound will rank clearly among the ones to watch.
Kicksound perform at Beats on the Beach on the Abu Dhabi Corniche on Saturday, time to be confirmed
rgarratt@thenational.ae