This summer, be on the look-out for The Royal Artillery because they’re here, they’re loud and they demand to be heard.
“We're really trying hard to break into the festival scene,” says frontman and songwriter Zed Poschelk. “We just played Grotto Fest, we've got Angus Water Bluesfest lined up next year, plus Devil Kitchens Music.”
The Royal Artillery are a three-piece blues, rock & roll band with an edge inherited from their many influences. These range from old school rock legends like Jimi Hendrix and Cream, to desert rockers Queen Of The Stone Ages.
The result is a brilliantly refreshing take on the grandaddy to pop and rock music – blues and roots.
“A band I would kind of liken ourselves to is Earthless... We're more bluesy, but we've got that same energetic, uptempo, instrumental adventurous thing going on. We're kind of like Tame Impala, but just go a bit heavier and a bit harder.”
The Royal Artillery certainly put on a good show, always re-inventing themselves on stage and pushing the audience as far as they can go without being “ridiculous” in Zed's own words.
But this is what sets The Royal Artillery apart from a host of similar bands – they're the group you'll remember.
“We're pretty aggressive with how we play, we're a pretty energetic live show. But it's not just guys jumping around, being ridiculous.
"We try to bridge a gap between ‘60s blues and progressive stuff like Hendrix and Cream, and put a different spin on it.”
The band has been around since 2005, swapping members, changing tunes and trying to break through to major success.
Zed and the others have decided at this point the best strategy is to just hit the road and get their music out there and in people's faces.
“Festivals are kind of the last hope for music with the radio and the state it is in, in my opinion.
"If you play real music the festivals is where you've got to get your head in. It's very competitive, I guess, because that's just how the game works. But once you're in – you're in.”
The Royal Artillery play The New Globe Theatre November 30.
