Meet the Band: Gathering of Strangers

The Manchester based band are essentially five strangers who gathered in Manchester September 2015 to begin their musical study journey.

Their aim was simple, to change the musical landscape ahead of them. Hailing from Birmingham, Scunthorpe and Carlisle, over the next 3 years Conor Rabone (23 vocals) Tom Wingate (22 guitar) Bruce Higgs (23 bass/keys) Peter Crampsey (24 drums) and Andre Ilkiw (22 guitar/bass) refined their craft bringing together an eclectic mix of musical styles.

Since moving to Manchester and meeting at ‘BIMM’ music college they developed their style taking in many musical influences to create a sound that has intensity, depth and maturity.

They write anthemic songs that scream passion and a sound that would wear velvet. Over the coming years the five-piece started to build a strong following with regular shows across the city and surrounding area with an avid following who  ‘can’t get enough’ of the captivating symphony that resonates from them.

The band comprises of five very different personalities each having separate and personal influences, these in turn effect how they write music as a collective. Early signs show the band have found their zone of pleasure, roaming the soundscapes of melancholic ambience within beautifully curated psychedelic and power rock/pop.

Their underlining story captivates and invites a portal of transportation right into the hearts of the band. Their First release ‘Nice Hair’ (June 2018) set the tone and the follow-up ‘Lady’ (March 2019) brought them much attention having worked with Neal ‘X’ Whitmore (Marc Almond/Sigue Sigue Sputnik), Cenzo Townshend (Decoy studios) to mix and Frank Arkwright (Abbey Road) to master. With the power and rawness of 70’s inspiration, ‘Lady’ has all the class of modern-day appreciation, with lead singer Conor Rabone’s husky vocals transfixing the listener into a dream state of intoxication.

In September 2017 they were brought to the attention of manager Andy Bernstein at ‘Nowhere Talent’ who knew from the outset that he had something very special that needed to be brought to the general public’s musical attention. So the journey began.

Conor says; “We came together to study in Manchester and now consider it our adopted home, we are currently writing our most forward thinking and power-driven music to date and plan to express ourselves even further as we grow and move forward”.

Manchester’s Gathering of Strangers are a band that have already won over their adopted city and have now set their sights on the rest of the world.

Gathering of Strangers gather to fashion a storm and in this weather their meaning is born! See them on 14^th December at the Soup Kitchen,  and get your tickets here.