Meet ‘Em – Archy & The Astronauts

We have award-winning local legends Archy & The Astronauts bringing us a mega headline show on Saturday 20th June (as well as making an appearance on our Bodega New Music Stage at Splendour Fest). We thought it was about time we sat down to meet ’em…

Hey Archy & the Astronauts! Thanks for dropping by for a chat. Could ya let us know who we’re chatting to and what your roles are in the band?

Hello! Thanks for having us. You’re chatting to Archy (vocals and guitar), Travis (drums) and Nathan (bass), broadcasting live from our official Mission Control, otherwise known as Archy’s loft.

You’re getting geared up to bring a massive headline show to us on June 20th. How is prepping for that going, and what can punters expect from an Archy & the Astronauts live show?

Preparations are well underway. We’ve been taking Nathan on plenty of walks to maintain his on-stage Jack Russell energy, Travis has been hitting his drumsticks on pretty much everything he walks past, and Archy has been spending most days suspended from the ceiling to prepare for the zero-gravity feeling of being in the mosh pit.

We’re incredibly excited for it. It’s our biggest Nottingham headline show yet. We always aim to put on a proper live performance and get the crowd involved, so expect plenty of energy, a few surprises, and some brand-new songs that people might not have heard before.

 

Last year was mega for you guys! You walked away from the Future Sound of Nottingham competition at Rock City as winners and as a result, opened the Splendour main stage on the Sunday. Hopefully you’ve recovered? Controversial one, what was the bigger highlight, winning the comp or opening Splendour?

We’re still not sure we’ve fully recovered to be honest. It all still feels a bit like a dream. We were just grateful to be recognised and to have all the hard work pay off.

As for the bigger highlight, that’s a tough one because both were incredible experiences, but we’d probably give it to Rock City. Winning there, with all the history of the venue and alongside such a talented lineup of bands, gave us a huge boost. That said, opening the main stage at Splendour in our hometown was incredibly special too. We felt like proper rock stars for the whole weekend.

(Photo: @aliciawphotos)

After your show with us on 20th June, what next? Are you guys having any other ideas about more recording? Festivals over the summer? Any other plans you can tease for us?

We’ve got loads planned over the summer. After this show, we’ve got another headline date in Lincoln before diving headfirst into festival season. You’ll of course be seeing us back at Splendour on the Bodega Stage, alongside a few other festivals dotted around the country.

We’re also looking to expand our reach, conquer the rest of the UK, and then move on to the wider solar system. Recording-wise, we’ve got plenty of new tunes in the works, but you’ll have to stay tuned for more on that front.

 

Out of the whole band, who would make the best Prime Minister and what would be their headline policy?

Nathan would make an excellent Prime Minister. His first decree would be replacing all guitars with bass guitars, ensuring they finally take their rightful place as the best instrument. As a close second, he’d also introduce free Nando’s or Wagamama’s for everyone every Tuesday.