John O’Groats’ based Neon Waltz became one of the hottest bands in the UK without leaving Britain’s most northerly village.
Neon Waltz have toured with Noel Gallagher, the Coral and The DM’s.
They have played in the United States and forged a large, dedicated fanbase all from their home at the northern tip of Scotland.
Glasgow is a seven hour drive away, Inverness three.
Neon Waltz are the embodiment of Ian Brown’s 1989 declaration ‘”It’s not where you’re from, it’s where you’re at’ whilst singer of The Stone Roses.
Now Neon Waltz re set to play a min-tour of the Highlands & Islands in a bid to inspire young musicians from areas bands rarely visit.
The band play Kyle of Lochalsh’s Skye Bridge Studios on April 20 and Dunkeld Birnam Arts Centre on April 21.
They then play Upstairs in Inverness on April 25 before concluding the tour An Lanntair on Stornoway on April 26.
During these shows Neon Waltz will offer the opportunity for young, local music fans to watch soundchecks and ask the band questions about touring and recording.
Singer Jordan Shearer said; “It’s really important for us to play these places.
“We come from John O’ Groats where no-one bothers to come up to play.
“When we were younger if we ever wanted to see a band we had to travel to at least Inverness.
“And more often than not Glasgow or Edinburgh.
“We would have loved it when we were younger if our favourite bands came up to our remote corner of the country.
“Hopefully these shows can inspire young musicians from remote places like where we are from.
“If we can do it, then so can they.”
Recording with legend Edwyn Collins
Neon Waltz recently completed a headline UK and Ireland tour in support of Honey Now, their second album.
On the album Neon Waltz collaborated with Scottish legend Edwyn Collins (Orange Juice) who has released a string of sublime solo records.
Collins lives in Helmsdale on the north-east Sutherland coast where he has built the Clashnarrow recording studio.
Jordan said: “We did two songs at Edwyns’s and one of them, All I Need, is with him.
“It was amazing working with Edwyn as he has been a hero of mine for years.
“We filmed a live session in Freswick Castle (three miles from John O’Groats) and he tweeted about it saying it was amazing.
“We were playing Wick at the Assembly Rooms and offered Edwyn and his wife Grace to come see us play and have a chat.
“They did and ever since then we have kept in touch.
“They’ve been so sound and basically have an open house for us.
“Even if we are passing by on the road we will always nip in for a cup of tea.
“Edwyn lives about an hour away, which is close for us.
“He did a couple of songs with us on stage.
“We offered him to come up with us and said it would be really cool if he sang a couple of songs as well.
“Edwyn really wanted to play and we did A Girl Like You and one his songs from the Losing Sleep album called In Your Eyes.
“Playing with Edwyn was unbelievable.”
Noel Gallagher is a Neon Waltz fan
Oasis legend Noel Gallagher is also a fan of the band.
Neon Waltz have supported Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, including the former Oasis’ star’s homecoming show in Manchester.
Jordan said: “Supporting Noel Gallagher was surreal.
“We thought it would happen at some point as he had talked about us before and said he really liked us.
“We have played with him a few times.
“When we first got the call it was amazing but I get proper imposter syndrome with stuff like that.
“It was class though and quite a lot of people from up north came down to see it which was great.”
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