It’s fair to say that 2017 has so far been a tremendous year for Leeds four-piece Marsicans. It began with the release of their latest single, Friends, the first of a string of scheduled releases on LAB Records planned for this year, which earned an array of hugely positive reviews; and a UK tour with Minnesota’s Hippo Campus, again generating thrillingly enthusiastic reviews.
The single itself received repeated plays on BBC 6Music, BBC Introducing, Radio X and Amazing Radio, before being added to the playlist at BBC Radio 1 after wholehearted support from Huw Stephens, Phil Taggart and Tom Robinson.
In between, the band played their highest profile headline tour to date, often visibly shocked by the love and enthusiasm emanating from the crowd.
Then, early one Saturday morning in March, a tweet out of the blue, reading “Chris and I are really enjoying this new Leeds band”, entered the ether from Coldplay, who posted the Friends video on both their Twitter and Facebook. Those who have witnessed Marsicans live, and grown to love their music, don’t need any further endorsement to justify their faith, but it was a lovely touch. And it certainly didn’t do the YouTube views any harm.
Following their appearance at Live at Leeds Festival, Marsicans have now announced their lengthiest tour to date, mostly with label mates Natives, but interspersed with a further number of prestige festival appearances, including Close Up, Dot to Dot and Barn On the Farm.
All long-term friends from school and the Leeds music scene, Marsicans’ line-up started sampling old synths, distorting guitars and writing songs together in 2014. From an early incarnation of raw 18 year olds opening for the then up-and-coming Catfish & The Bottlemen at a small venue in Wakefield, in the past year Marsicans have also played shows throughout Europe alongside a Glastonbury performance that was showcased on the BBC’s Best of Sunday highlights.
Catch Marsicans live in Milton Keynes at The Craufurd Arms on Tuesday evening (May 30).
Doors at 7.30pm.
