From Brighton’s underground to festival stalwarts, SNAYX are on a charge with their explosive blend of genre-alchemy, all while navigating engine failures on the way. Dive in with our DORK x THE GATHERING SOUNDS festival guide cover feature.
Words: Stephen Ackroyd.
Photos: Jennifer McCord.
In the dimly lit confines of an Airbnb somewhere between Oslo and Germany, SNAYX are huddled around a screen, watching their drummer, Lainey, navigate the virtual world of Roblox. It’s an oddly serene moment for a band whose reputation has been built on explosive live performances and politically charged lyrics. But SNAYX have always been full of surprises.
It’s a rare bit of downtime for the Brighton-based trio, who have been riding a wave of success that’s seen them share stages with some of rock’s biggest names. Their summer has been a whirlwind of activity, including stints supporting Billy Talent and Royal Blood. “We’ve played some of our biggest shows to date,” they explain, “Crazy experience for us. Absolute dons, the lot of them.”
SNAYX, aka original duo Charlie Herridge, Ollie Horner, and the more recent addition of drummer Lainey Loops, have quickly established themselves as one of the UK’s most electrifying new live acts. Their music, a potent blend of punk, grime, hip-hop, and dance, has been drawing comparisons to some of the more incendiary names of recent years, but SNAYX are carving out their own unique space in the British music scene, their sound evolving at a pace that’s turning heads as it goes.
As they prepare for their upcoming appearance at The Gathering Sounds Festival in Stockton-on-Tees, SNAYX find themselves returning to a familiar part of the world. “[We’ve been] twice, actually, for Twisterella and Stockton Calling – two incredible new music discovery festivals,” they recall of their previous visits to the North East. “We’ve always been well looked after there and well received by the locals. Bring on Gathering Sounds!”
“We spent seven hours sleeping on a grass verge in the rain on the side of the autobahn…”
The Gathering Sounds Festival, set to take place this Saturday (28th September) across multiple venues in the County Durham town, has been steadily building a reputation as a showcase for emerging talent. This year’s line-up, which sees SNAYX arriving as one of the buzzy headline acts, promises to be the festival’s most ambitious to date. With the introduction of two new stages – the Famous Last Words stage and the This Feeling stage – the event is expanding its scope, offering even more opportunities for up-and-coming bands and artists from across the UK to showcase their talents.
SNAYX’s enthusiasm for the festival extends beyond their own performance. The band are looking forward to catching sets by other acts on the bill: “Particularly keen for some Fat Dog, Gallus and Swim School,” they enthuse. “Also looking forward to being out and about watching some bands we’re not already familiar with.” It’s a reminder that despite their rising profile, SNAYX remain music fans at heart.
The festival circuit has become a second home for SNAYX, but it hasn’t been without its challenges. “We missed our 2000trees main stage set this year because our engine blew up on the way back to the UK from Germany, and we spent seven hours sleeping on a grass verge in the rain on the side of the autobahn,” they recount with a mix of frustration and humour. Yet even this setback couldn’t dampen their spirits. “Luckily, we had a second set lined up, and it felt like a hero’s welcome on the Forest Stage, despite having been awake for 30 hours straight…”
As they gear up for their autumn tour, they’ll be hoping to avoid any more of that drama. Instead, SNAYX are focused on delivering fresh blood to their growing army of fans. “We’re rehearsing our new material to pack in a few new tunes and surprises,” they reveal, teasing that they “certainly have a few tricks up our sleeves.”
The band’s most recent release, the ‘Better Days’ EP, has allowed them to push into new territories. “We had a great time exploring a few different sounds musically, and it’s helped us to better hone our sound,” they share. The impact of their music is clear: “We still get people telling us they haven’t seen an instore top our release show at Resident Records in Brighton, which is some very high praise indeed.”
“It’s a turbulent time in British politics, and there’s still a great degree of uncertainty regardless of who’s in power”
SNAYX’s lyrics often engage with the socio-political climate of the UK, but then it would be hard for a band like theirs to avoid it, given everything going on in the world around them. “It’s a turbulent time in British politics, and there’s still a great degree of uncertainty regardless of who’s in power. It definitely rubs off on our lyrics,” they admit. A SNAYX without teeth would be an entirely different – and lesser – prospect, after all.
Looking beyond their upcoming shows, the trio are already setting their sights on the future. “After the tour, we’ll immediately be shifting our focus to the studio in preparation for 2025: The Year of the Snake…” they reveal, hinting at ambitious plans on the horizon, but when pressed for details, they remain tantalisingly vague. “There are a lot of wheels in motion for 2025, and we can’t say too much right now, but expect us to be busier than ever before.”
Still, they can drop one final piece of news: “We’ve recently had the pleasure of being asked to record an exciting cover for Amazon Music UK. We’ve put our own twist on a classic and can’t wait for everyone to hear it.”
From the mosh pits of Brighton to the stages of Europe, SNAYX have come a long way in a short time. But as they gear up for The Gathering Sounds Festival, it’s clear their journey is far from slowing down yet. With new music on the horizon and grand plans for the future, SNAYX are poised to make 2025 truly ‘The Year of the Snake’. Stockton-on-Tees, brace yourself – this serpentine storm is slithering ever closer. ■
Follow Dork’s The Gathering Sounds Festival Guide Spotify playlist here. The Gathering Sounds takes place in Stockton-on-Tees on Saturday, 28th September 2024.
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