Soft Launch have been on a rapid rise and showed at their first performance why they are considered one of the hottest new bands around.
Words: Jamie Muir.
Photos: Patrick Gunning.
Soft Launch are the kind of band that seemingly came out of nowhere, fully formed and ready to shake things up. They mix the melodic sensibilities of classic pop with an edge that feels decidedly contemporary, a mix that’s as refreshing as it is familiar. Their debut single ‘Cartwheels’ is a jangly, swaggering slice of indie pop that demands attention, and they haven’t let up from there. There’s a certain cheeky confidence to their sound, as if the band are daring you to underestimate them, only to prove you wrong when the chorus kicks in.
Live, Soft Launch exude a raw, infectious energy that’s impossible to ignore. Watching them on stage is like watching a band on the verge of something big. Despite being relatively new to the scene, they’ve managed to gain a passionate fanbase that usually takes years to build. This weekend’s performance at Reading Festival is a prime example of that – a wild affair that sees them gaining new fans while cementing their place as one of the most exciting new acts around. We caught up with them after their performance to find out how their first Reading went.
How did it feel for you, having just come from the stage in Reading? Was that your first performance?
Conor: Yes, it was incredible. It was the first time we saw diverse people in the audience at our shows. There were young guys jumping around, dancing and having fun, it was incredible. It was fun!
You’ve been playing a lot of concerts recently and often see familiar faces in the audience. How does it feel to see completely new people reacting to your music?
Josh: I think that’s it – we haven’t played that many gigs so this is our first real attempt at playing all the festivals and cities we’ve never been to before, so it’s a bonus to see someone we don’t know in the crowd. There were a lot of guys jumping up and down… it was a lot of sugar, we can tell you!
Were you nervous before the show as it’s the Reading Festival, which you’ve probably heard a lot about? Or are you at a point now where you’re confident and know exactly what you’re doing?
Conor: I think you’re always nervous at first, but…
Josh: We didn’t have enough time!
Conor: We literally drove for 10 hours and only got there a short time ago, so we’re just now processing it all! In the end, we didn’t have time to get nervous.
Henry: We were too busy finding toilet paper!
Conor: There is a serious shortage of toilet paper here.
Since we last spoke, you’ve released more music. What’s it been like seeing the reaction to your new songs and can you feel that reaction tangibly when you perform?
Henry: I think the shows are really so tangible, and most importantly, you meet people after the shows. It’s great to see it growing online and stuff, but there’s a certain disconnect with reality. On days like today, when people show up, it’s like they’re real people.
So nobody is falsifying the streaming numbers?
Josh: SO SO…
Conor: Someone has to do it!
Henry: Well, we didn’t say THAT.
Reading Festival has such a rich history. Have you always wanted to play at this festival? What does it mean to you to be on the lineup here?
Josh: Yes, it’s such a legendary festival with so many legendary performances. Just being on the program is a huge plus. Hopefully we’ll be back on bigger stages next year and the year after – it’s honestly a dream to play here.
Does playing at Reading boost your confidence, especially given the crowd size and the time window you had?
Josh: Yes, to be honest, we were shocked that we were online for so long. It’s already past our bedtime.
Conor: I should have been in bed an hour ago! I’m surprised we played the concert and so many people came because there were so many other great artists playing at the same time. It’s good that they came to our show, right?
There’s a tour coming up soon. Are you looking forward to it? How are the preparations going?
Josh: I think we’ll have time to get back to working properly on the set. This run has been great, but we haven’t really had time to rehearse anything while we’ve been on the road or at festivals. So we’re going to take a week before and work out some new songs. I think we’ll even out the set-up and tighten up a bit. That’s pretty exciting for us internally because we’ve been playing the same set all summer, and that’s exciting with the new crowd and everything, but for us it’s important to add new songs to the setlist to keep things fresh.
And now it’s off to Leeds next! How do you feel about that?
Josh: Yes, the wind has died down.
Conor: Although it seems to be raining…
Josh: There is nothing wrong with that.
It’s OK! You have a little tent up on the stage, right?
Henry: Well, as long as we are dry, that is the most important thing! Keep our hair well! ■
