Deaf Havana- Roundhouse Camden

Big Sixes are a small band from Chesham with their own special enticing approach to music that just makes your ears melt. We were lucky enough to attend the Old Souls album launch party in Camden at the Jazz Café where acoustic performances by both Big Sixes and Deaf Havana were made. From that evening onwards we became fans of Big Sixes. Big Sixes invited the Deaf Havana boys on stage with them during their set to harmonise with them on their track ‘Love Let Me Go’ before handing us over to Charlie Simpson, better known for his past role in Busted and Fightstar. He played a collection of tracks from ‘Young Pilgrim’ and treating us to a few new ones dedicating them to his fiancé.


Opening with the first single off their new album Old Souls, ‘Boston Square’ put into perspective just how far this talented band has come. James’ tireless croons become lullabies with dark meanings behind them- Deaf Havana’s newly become trademark. The crowd screamed every single lyric to every song back to this band, songs off Fools and Worthless Liars all the way through to Old Souls. Track by track, you could see from James’ face how much we as fans mean to bands, mean to him in particular.


The boys covered a track by The Cure, ‘Friday I’m In Love’ which in our honest opinion was a bit disappointing as the crowd themselves didn’t appear to know it and James gave the impression that he didn’t either. Yet this minor dip in the atmosphere enabled the smooth transition into their famous ‘Hunstanton Pier’; an emotional ballad capturing at heart, their coming of age.


Throughout their set, the Gilodi brothers kept praising the audience for their continuous support throughout the years, as without us, they wouldn’t be where they are today. James made a promise to write ‘true music’ as long as he shall live. The band finish with ‘Fifty Four‘ which was the ultimate send off from a band that has started off as a small post-hardcore band to a grounded alternative rock band. Some fans expected music from their first album Meet Me Halfway, At Least (2009) yet were clearly disappointed has none of the hits from that album were performed as they are far from what that era was, as Ryan Mellor (screaming vocalist) departed in 2010 to focus on other projects. They’ve simply moved on, grown up and reformed.


Deaf Havana sing about real life and the struggles they’ve been through growing up and losing friends without sugar coating it.


True music from a true British band.

Deaf Havana- Old Souls

After the release of Fools and Worthless Liars, they set pretty high standards to beat in the makings of their 3rd album (especially if you listened to the alternative version of Fools and Worthless Liars which was utter perfection). Funnily enough, they proved everyone wrong and created something that was alone better than anything they had done previously. In addition to the newer sound, Deaf Havana took on 2 new members Max Britton and Matthew Veck-Gilodi (James’ younger brother Matthew who dropped out of college to play with the band on their festival dates at Reading and Leeds, since then has had a permanent place) Their first release off their new record was Boston Square which was an insight to where the band has moved musically to. With this track there’s elements of their older albums with the punky guitar riffs, which as the album leads on is lost and replaced with mature experimental sounds, featuring trumpets and choirs.


One thing with this band is that they can hide deeper meanings behind music that transports you to a better place. They might write lyrics that reflect their lowest points, but the music makes you want to belt out the songs wherever you are.