A scouse band have described their “surreal” journey from playing in back gardens to performing at On The Waterfront last month.
Linus Bell, Jude Williams and Jobe Owens are members of Reignmaker, who were a support act ahead of Jamie Webster’s memorable set at the Pier Head. It was a proud moment for them, as well as fellow band members Isaac Grover and Harry Fox.
Linus, Jude and Jobe spoke to the ECHO about their massive achievements so far. Jobe, a 19 year old, from Garston, said: “It was the first time I’ve ever played something to this scale, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.”
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Linus, 20, from Garston, said: “You can’t get a better spot than that in this city. There’s nowhere we’d rather play.” Meanwhile, Jude, 19, from Garston, described it as a “bucket list” moment.
It marked a major milestone for the group, who formed five years ago while they were at Gateacre School. Jobe, said the first gig was in “someone’s back garden.”
For Linus, seeing their family and friends while performing at the Pier Head caused him to reflect on their journey to this point. He said: “It was a proud moment. People who’ve been with us for years like family and our mates have seen us come from playing the Zanzibar years ago and the back gardens.”
The band, who have released three singles so far, were not fazed by this step up and insisted there were no nerves. Linus joked that they have probably played “every venue in the city by now”.
Focussing on their music while still in full-time work can be challenging, but they remain calm and focussed about it. Linus said: “It’s always hard with work. Doing that and the band takes up a lot of time and effort.
“But you’ve got to find the balance. If you’re happy and enjoying it, you’ll do bits.”
Jude said: “It’s nights like the other night, it makes you realise, you can’t let it bother you.” Linus admitted however that, at times, performing in front of huge live audiences can “feel half surreal”.
The trio were keen to credit Jamie Webster for his support. Jamie gave them their first chance to gig outside of Liverpool on his UK tour last year, and they both share the same agent.
Linus said: “He’s been a massive help for us. We’ve supported him in London in Shepherd’s Bush, in Blackpool and in Liverpool. It’s properly helped us as an up-and-coming band to get our names out there.”
Jude said: “At the time, they were the only gigs that we’d done outside the city so it was a massive experience.”
When asked if On The Waterfront should become a regular event, the trio were incredibly supportive, believing it to be a shining example of Liverpool’s thriving and supportive music scene post-lockdown.
Linus said: “There’s a buzz around the city when it happens. The music at the moment has exploded after lockdown.”
Jude said: “It’s the strongest anywhere in the UK. There’s a bit more togetherness after covid.”
With regular rehearsals at Whitewood Studios on Parliament Street, they are keen not to rest on their laurels, with Jobe admitting “there’s still a lot of work to do”.
Nevertheless, exciting plans are in the works, details of which have not been revealed yet. Jobe said: “We’re gonna do a big show at the end of the year. I can’t say too much about it! But it’ll be an upgrade from when we played the 02 Academy. It’s gonna be a party.”
Reignmaker’s music can be found on all major streaming platforms. The latest single, Stay Behind, was released in April.
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