The Tricks at Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen

The Tricks are an unpretentious, slightly starry-eyed four-piece pop/rock band hailing from London. They’ve partied with Johnny Depp and recorded in LA but remain loyal to their legions of fans who continue to come out to watch them perform in hip venues across the UK. 

You could be let off for thinking The Tricks are an all-American rock band trying their luck in quaint old England; their sound is best described as somewhere between The Strokes in their early days and the runners-up of a Middle America Battle of the Bands. Think of the greased-up, semi-naked rivals in School of Rock but cleaner and with more clothing.

Vocalist Joel Hodge fronts the band with the look of straight-laced Irish band The Script but the sound of Tom Petty. If you close your eyes you’ll hear punk roots and pop overtones and envision beer-soaked floors, teenagers in 90s leather and stacked amps violating a multitude of health and safety codes. Open your eyes and you’ll soon realise this is what the Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen goes in for, albeit with much more Reebok, thick-rimmed eyewear and facial hair.

Having recently signed to label Unison Music and recorded their debut album in LA earlier this year, it shouldn’t be surprising that the band sound so American. What they do maintain however is their unproduced quality, despite having been produced by co-founders of the label and an ex-band mate of Johnny Depp. This rasping, unrefined element is a special thing to witness live, channelling sentimental bands such as The Clash and early Bruce Springsteen. It’s a sound that may perhaps have missed its slot in music history, nevertheless it still has the potential to provoke nostalgia along with a slight yearning to relive an American youth you never even had.

Laura Tucker
Photo: James Hammick

For further information and future events visit The Tricks’ website here.

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