A Chat with Blackout The Arcade (18.04.20)
Hailed as “Darlington’s indie-rock four-piece”, Blackout The Arcade has already knocked it out of the park with their debut single ‘Limbo‘. Taking a moment to chat, Rhys, Theo, Tom and Connor answer some questions about the band, upcoming single ‘Walk Away’ (to be released May 1st), and first-world problems.
OSR: Cliché as hell, but how did you come up with the name ‘Blackout the Arcade’?
BTA: Blackout the Arcade was a name that just appeared out of nowhere, like a moment of magic. The band used to be called ‘Neon Waves’, but it didn’t really feel right for us or seem to suit what we produced musically. Blackout the Arcade signifies the uprising of a new revelation within the indie and alternative music era; introducing a fusion of “no-nonsense” reverberant rock with psychedelic undertones
OSR: Can you tell us about your upcoming release ‘Walk Away’? Perhaps why you chose to write it and the meaning?
BTA: ‘Walk Away’ is a track that we actually wrote some time ago during our college years aged 16/17. It is one of the first tracks that was written alongside some of our older ‘Neon Waves’ material. The song has developed a lot since our earlier days as a group, however, the message hasn’t changed. It is a rebellious track about ‘walking away’ from a person or scenario, hence the repetition in the chorus ‘Walk Away’.
OSR: How did the band form?
BTA: The band originally formed as a five-piece in 2017 in college. It was more of a hobby, but since we have looked to take things up a level and now operate as a four-piece playing as many live shows as we can.
OSR: How would you describe your sound to a person who has never heard of Blackout The Arcade?
BTA: Blackout the Arcade emulates a ‘stadium rock’ sound. We use a lot of reverbs and delay and have a very raw/aggressive and upbeat sound. We fall into the indie/alternative rock genre.
OSR: This might be a bit of a toughie: how do you define alternative rock to someone who knows nothing about it?
BTA: Alternative rock is made for live venues. It is loud and lifting and thrives off energy and drive.
OSR: Obviously, you’re unique, but who would you compare Blackout the Arcade to?
BIA: We have a very broad interest in artists, however, some of the artists that influence our sound include: The Killers, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Oasis, Cage the Elephant and The Amazons.
OSR: Why should people listen to your music?
BTA: Our music is upbeat and sounds incredible when played loud. Our lyrics are very honest and down to earth and always revolve around a catchy melody or hook.
OSR: Where do you see yourself in five years?
BTA: We dream of playing rock festivals such as Reading/Leeds as well as TRNSMT. We aspire to be an established and regionally recognised indie/alt band playing sold out shows.
OSR: We try to add some random questions, so here we go: Where is the most relaxing place you have been?
BTA: The bath.
OSR: What are some problems you know are “first world problems” but they annoy you anyway?
BTA: The music that gets played when put on hold. It’s terrible. The quality is always pathetic and it’s the same old flamenco guitar rhythm each time.
OSR: What message do you have for our readers (and potential fans)?
BTA: Thanks for reading this! We would love it if you can check our music out. We operate on all social media and streaming platforms as ‘Blackout the Arcade’. If you want even more of our material, check out ‘Neon Waves’ as this is our former band name.
Thanks to the guys from Blackout The Arcade for the chat! To engage with this talented being, check out the lads on Facebook, SoundCloud, Instagram, Youtube and Spotify
