The indie trio Auction for the Promise Club may come from a beautiful beach town in Cornwall (St. Agnes) with a vibrant music scene, but if you are expecting laid-back Beach Boys tributes or upbeat sunshiny summer party music, think again. With the punchy, brooding lilt of singer and guitarist Zoe White Chambers’ voice and Perran Tremewan’s Muse-like inky guitar, they are clearly from a darker lineage than that. Not a soundtrack for cheerful people playing beach volleyball anywhere in the world. Drummer Toby White Chambers’ heavy approach to his drums suggests that they might owe him money. Toby was kind enough to do a quick Q&A with me this week.
Q: What were your musical influences growing up in the southwest?
Toby White Chambers: My Dad, Auntie and Nana used to play the piano, so I guess that was good to see and hear as a child, and then I got into music like Radiohead, Placebo, Muse.
Q: What were the first concerts you attended?
Toby White Chambers: A few random small gigs around the Southwest but a big concert, may be V Festival? Can’t remember to be honest!
Q: What were the first venues you played in Cornwall?
Toby White Chambers: Bunters Bar in Truro, The Driftwood Spars in St. Agnes, The Watering Hole in Perranporth, the Watermans in Falmouth, etc.
Q: How is it different developing as an artist in Cornwall as opposed to elsewhere in Britain?
Toby White Chambers: I wouldn’t have thought it is much different, its all good fun! I would think maybe living in the city would inspire different subject matter or moods? Not sure. I didn’t write as much when I was in the city.
Q: If you had to write a song for a TV advert to order, what product would you want to promote?
Toby White Chambers: Korev Larger by St Austell Brewery, because its beer and its aaamazing!
Q: Your favorite era of pop music in the UK?
Toby White Chambers: Grunge, Yeeaaaaah!
Upcoming gigs for Auction for the Promise Club:
10 July The Driftwood Spars St. Agnes, UK
11 July The Old Smithy Festival Bude, UK
12 July Exchange Bristol, UK
8 August Croyde View Festival Braunton, UK
29 August The Palladium Club Bideford, UK
4 September The Redbarn Woolacombe, UK
19 September The Driftwood Spars St. Agnes, UK
20 September Looe Music Festival Looe, UK
10 October The Mermaid Inn Newquay, UK
Visit them on Twitter, Facebook, SoundCloud, and YouTube.
