NME Awards Show: Darlia at The Garage

Darlia played a heavy set to a boisterous audience at The Garage, Islington last week. Hailing from Blackpool, and in the midst of a UK tour promoting upcoming album Petals, the band played a series of crowd-pleasers that made for a raucous Tuesday night. This is a band whose music is brought to life when played live and with an audience chanting the lyrics along with them. Queen of Hearts saw emotion sweep through the venue, with line “Aurora Borealis” being repeated again and again with increasing fervour.

Drummer Jack Bentham thrashes out and seems lost in his own little world, while bringing forth thunderous and hypnotic beats. Songwriter and lead singer Nathan Day constructs powerful songs, with a mature grit to his voice that exudes a quiet charisma. Dave Williams initially seems out of place on the stage but his creative riffs on the bass guitar prove his contribution to the band’s sound.

2014 was meant to be the year that grimy guitar music made a comeback, and Darlia are definitely leaders in this movement. There are elements of Nirvana grunge to them, not least in Day’s resemblance to Kurt Cobain. But they don’t sound dated, rather bringing fresh angst to their songs that from another group might grate.

There is something genuine about Darlia that makes you want to root for them. The combination of their exposed lyrics and the fact that they are appreciative about the position they are in makes them and their music approachable. They are not rock stars or moody teens moaning about lost loves, they are artists who have put in time to build up their craft. Nathan and Jack have played together since they were 12, with the former writing music from the age of nine. If they continue to put in the work and produce attention-grabbing songs that make you want to sing along without knowing the lyrics, their longevity in the industry is guaranteed.

Yassine Senghor
Photos: Matthew Pull

For further information about Darlia and future events visit here.

Watch the video for I’ve Never Been to Ohio here: