“If you drive into Carlisle,” says Hardwicke Circus frontman Jonny Foster, “the first roundabout you’ll hit is Hardwicke Circus. Whenever we’d travel anywhere, I’d say, ‘We’re from Carlisle,’ and the response would be, ‘Where the fuck is Carlisle?’ But there are no excuses now”.
Hardwicke Circus aren’t your average guitar band – a six piece collective from the wilds of Carlisle, a band who value the song above the single, a group who have a sound soaked with the classic sounds of rock n roll history but still sound completely of the moment, individuals channelling their differences into a similarity to become more than themselves. Debut single “Walking On Broken Glass” is a distillation of the bands unique sound. Infectious melodies laid over classic sounding rock n roll but infused with a true punk spirit.
Their forthcoming debut album “The Borderland” is a collection of songs about growing up in the in-between – from a town you only end up in by accident – and will be released on July 9th 2021 through the bands own label “Alternative Facts Records”. The band have honed their craft on the road. With over 700 gigs under their belt, including supports to Neil Young, Bob Dylan and Alabama 3.
They had 165 shows lined up for 2020 including SXSW. When the touring was cancelled the band ended up writing and recording their debut album in a remote farmhouse in the Yorkshire Dales on a hill above the river Swale (a la Withnail And I}. But more of that later… An insight into the mind and influence of the band can be gleaned through the radio show presented by Jonny Foster, put together for their Patreon followers.
The band also livestreamed a full gig in July 2020 (Editors note, go see the clips its very good!) Hardwicke Circus are Jonny Foster (lead vocals, guitar), Tom Foster (drums, vocals), Ben Wilde (bass, vocals), Lewis Bewley-Taylor (keys), Andy Phillips (saxophone) and Zack McDade (guitars, vocals).