I first came across Lauren Harris at Sonisphere in 2009. Her band was playing the Bohemia tent in the afternoon just before Corey Taylor’s acoustic set. At the time I was taken by surprise by her strong vocals and the catchiness of the songs in her set list. Since that memorable appearance guitarist Richie Faulkner has moved on to bigger things with Judas Priest while Lauren has joined forces with like-minded musicians Tom Gentry (guitar), James Bennett (guitar), Mitch Witham (bass) and Olly Smith (drums) and formed Six Hour Sundown.
Now in 2012, SHS are ready to unleash their debut album onto the world, and I had the privilege of seeing them play a small venue in London’s Tufnell Park supporting Night by Night.
The band drew quite a crowd, especially given it was an absolutely freezing February evening and the temptation for punters to stay warm under their duvets must have been a factor. The crowd seemed to be a varied mix – some were clearly die-hard Maiden fans, but there were a substantial number who were there to see the band in their own right. It was a pleasant surprise to see so many singing along with many of the songs, knowing all the words and feeding off the energy.
Lauren Harris should not just receive admiration for her rock linage (her father is Iron Maiden bassist, Steve Harris), but deserves credit on her own individual talent and vocal ability. In an industry seemingly overloaded with female fronted bands, Lauren stands out as a genuine talent. Her powerful voice is superbly complimented by Tom Gentry, an exceptional guitarist with a very bright future ahead of him.
The band describe their sound as taking influences from everything from the Foo Fighters to Velvet Revolver, and you can certainly hear elements of those. However, it’s the catchy riffs and poppy, upbeat nature of their music that stands out. This is especially evident on their debut single Jekyll and Hyde (out now through Transcend Music), which got a great reaction from the crowd.
Six Hour Sundown are a band built on toe-tapping rock riffs, annoyingly catchy choruses you’ll be humming for days and simply stunning musicianship. In a scene full of pretenders, Lauren & Co are the genuine article.
Catch them as they tour this summer. Highly recommended.
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