The Velvet Hands label themselves as “4 boys from Cornwall making waves”. The 4 boys in question being Toby Mitchell (vox and guitar), Dan Able (vox and guitar), Louis Willbourne (vox and drums), and Sam Hilder (bass).
The lads dropped their debut album, ‘Party’s Over’, back in 2018 on impressive blue vinyl and it contained their ‘I Don’t Mind’, ‘Sick Of Living’, ‘Only Blame Myself’ and ‘Gimme Some Time’ singles and was Radio 1 ‘Album of The Week’ for Huw Stephens. Their latest long player (from last year) consists of a dozen cuts and is titled ‘Sucker Punch’ and comes in marbled red vinyl. There’s a swagger in their tunes complete with sufficient depth in what they’re saying and thus are to to be taken seriously. They have been compared to “early Rolling Stones” and Tom Robinson of BBC 6 Music referred to their tunes as “a wonderful mess, a soundtrack for demolition.” Whereas GigSlutz picked up on The Velvet Hands “snarling vocals and intense riffs”, the NME observed they are “full of bolshy spirit” and GodsintheTVZine noted them as “bolshy, brash garage punk rabble-rousers somewhere between the attitude of early Cribs or Libertines colliding with the death or glory of the Clash”, and finally Dork declared that the band are “A satisfying mix of classic punk, rock’n’roll and modern indie magic”.
On the airwaves The Velvet Hands have in their time received huge support from Steve Lamacq at 6 Music, where the band have been interviewed live on the show. Radio X presenter John Kennedy has apparently played every release and had the lads perform 2 live sessions on his show.
The band sold out Old Blue Last, The Social, Paper Dress Vintage & The Lexington in London. Old Bakery Studios and The Cornish Bank in Truro and Falmouth and near sellouts in Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and Cardiff. They have supported Liam Gallagher at The Eden Project, Frank Turner, Paul Weller, Yak, Wallows and more. They have toured nationally and have played Boardmasters, Y Not, Truck, Isle of Wight, Leopallooza Festivals. In Sept 2022 they were chosen by Michael Eavis to support Elbow at The Pilton Party. In April 2023 they supported Trampoline on their national tour. More recently they performed live off the top of a yellow US School Bus at The Great Estate Festival in Cornwall as well as a main stage late afternoon slot. They played The Truck Festival on July 21st and toured nationally in Nov 2023. April 26th 2024 the band played a sold out headline gig at Omeara London, their biggest London show to date. The band played and sold out Supersonic in Paris in April 2024. A new single, ‘Chick Habit’ was released on 5th April.
All sounds rather impressive doesn’t it! Well, punters in Brighton will be getting the chance to decide for themselves as The Velvet Hands will be heading out of Saint Austell and heading our way! They have announced a headlining concert at The Prince Albert on Friday 9th August, with support from upcoming Brighton duo COWZ and special guests Pythies who hail from Paris.
Purchase your tickets HERE.
