By Arne Sjostedt
Talking to groove bandit Grant Simpson from ARCHIE was an opportunity to share a polite moment with a serious man who is passionate about drawing in crowds.
Having sold out their first single launch at the Transit Bar, these practiced musicians have done their homework and thought things through.
Keen to make each impression last, one of the most important things for any outfit is to have their brand tight. And that is just what ARCHIE are doing, as they put all their love for jamming and practicing hard into a vehicle they can deliver to the world.
Playing their brand of surf synth rock for a little over a year, this isn’t a wild stab in the dark for these guys. Instead, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to strike a match, light that candle and take off.
“It’s such a tricky process, if you want to take it seriously, ” Simpson says, enthusiastic about what the band have in front of them. “I just want all of the music that we have out. I want it in peoples ears. I want everybody to be able to listen to it.”
With 13 shows under their belt, ARCHIE have already had ample opportunity to generate fun times for large numbers.
Playing most of the venues around town, the lucky 13th gig was a short online event, where these young guns were one of the hand picked bands taking part of Mercury Hard Cider’s online series Mercury Rising. In partnership with Lime Cordiale, ARCHIE were selected from a list they didn't even know they were on. "It was very out of the blue," Simpson says. "We didn’t apply for anything. We were suggested and it came through."
Massive fans of Lime Cordiale, the event can be seen here, and involved ARCHIE performing a cover of the band's track Inappropriate Behaviour.
"We have so much to learn from Lime Cordiale. A lot of the stuff we do is referenced from their work," says Simpson. "I’ve been listening to their music for a long time."
.
But it is ARCHIE's songs, and their super tidy live work that they are banking their future on.
“What it comes down to is having that killer song," Simpson explains. "We have a lot of fun at the live shows. And it’s super fun that we can maintain this level of enjoyment.”
With a new single close to being ready to go, the plan is for the band to continue releasing a couple of singles and build a fan base before they release a large body of work. And the Canberra music fans are sure to be with them every step of the way.
"We really want to push out music and play more shows to more beautiful people" Simpson says, super grateful for all the attention they have been geting. "This town is such a fun place for live music. I don't know if people realise it."