Electric River say they are buzzing about a return to the Lounge on the Farm festival next month.

The four-piece punk rock act, who come from Canterbury and Ashford, sold out the Gulbenkian Theatre last year and played to hundreds at the King’s Hall in Herne Bay on Friday.

Matt Hoople spoke to guitarist Will Whisson ahead of the three-day festival at Merton Farm, Canterbury, on July 11-13.

Can you describe your music/look to anyone who won’t have seen or heard of you before?

Loud punky ska beat rock pop and roll.

What do you know of the Lounge festival?

It’s a massive mash-up of great local bands/acts of all genres with some slightly bigger names to top the festival off.

It has a great vibe, lots of booze and food and plenty of other entertainment for all ages.

We played last year at Lounge. It was an amazing gig for us as we were moved from a smaller tent on to the main stage after a couple of the organisers saw us before the festival at our own sell-out show at the Gulbenkian Theatre.

At Lounge we received great feedback and local magazine Zebra gave us a brilliant write up, dubbing us as their favourite live act of the weekend.

We were just grateful to be a part of it all and to be honest we’d never heard of the festival before so it made it even more exciting.

Does playing on a farm appeal?

Of course. This is how all festivals start out and grow. Everyone is there to have a good time and enjoy live music.

We were so glad to be asked back this year and to be headlining the Tractor Trash stage – it’s an honour to be a part of it all!

We’ve been working really hard this year with a new album, bigger and better shows and generally spreading the word.

There are a few tricks up our sleeve for this year’s performance so we’re all buzzing about it.

Name the band members and tell us a little about what each one brings to the party?

Alex Mayland (hits the drums); Sponge (ensures the crowd are a part of everything, plays bass/vox); Chris Aldis (generally goes mental and holds the rhythm); Will Whisson (gets the place going and soars on the guitar).

What do you think of the local music scene?

We think times are hard for many young bands/artists. Many venues don’t have the facilities needed to put on proper gigs or choose not to.

Many venues operate a pay-to-play policy and more new laws against live music are enforced all the time making it ever more difficult.

However, things like the Lounge, Sellindge Festival and BBC Kent Introducing are trying really hard to get young talent out there so it has its pros and cons.

Is it hard work to get gigs or are the possibilities endless?

You get as much out of it as you put in.

Lounge is obviously a great believer in local talent. Who do you listen to from the area if anyone?

We’ve been to see heaps of local bands/artists over the four or five years we’ve been together. We enjoyed The St Peter’s Band at Sellindge festival a couple of weeks back with their tight and great-sounding reggae. Monday Street were cool too – a lot of energy and great indie good tunes.

The list is endless. Seven Story Down were great on the BBC Kent Introducing tour, Rosie Horn (solo country singer), Fundamental Skillz (rock/rap), 8 Fold (drum&bass), Sizen (heavy prog rock).

Who are you most looking forward to hearing at the Lounge?

No one in particular. Like we said there’s a lot of local talent and bigger artists to choose from. We’re just glad to be a part of it all and will enjoy the whole weekend.

Where do you want Electric River to go eventually?

We just want to be able to do what we love and play for the people who appreciate what we do. What we don’t want is to have to slave away with dead-end jobs for the rest of our lives.

This country has little to offer our young generation with rising costs to everything, more and more hidden taxes and little chance of getting on the property ladder.

It doesn’t look set to change. It’s our way out and only we can make it happen.

For more on Electric River visit www.myspace.com/electricriver

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