Fresh off the release of acclaimed debut album It Goes On and a rapid rise as one of British indie music's most exciting new bands, Manchester four-piece Westside Cowboy will make their Australian debut in March, announcing three headline shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
Westside Cowboy's hotly anticipated debut album It Goes On – 35 mins long and 11 tracks, recorded with producer Loren Humphrey (Geese, Cameron Winter, Wunderhorse) – arrived this past August to widespread praise, drawing comparisons to everyone from Courtney Barnett and The Velvet Underground to Parquet Courts. Formed in Manchester by Jimmy Bradbury (vocals, guitar), Reuben Haycocks (vocals, guitar), Aoife Anson O'Connell (vocals, bass) and Paddy Murphy (drums), the band's rise has been fuelled by an infectious mix of heart-on-sleeve songwriting, community spirit and a refreshingly uncomplicated approach to making music.
Formed in 2023 after members met in earlier outfits while others studied at the Royal Northern College of Music, the newly christened Westside Cowboy swiftly became a place for concise, straight-hitting musical ideas. There was only one rule for what would follow. "We just wanted to make simple music. I think the reason there was such chemistry – and when we look back, even after two weeks we were really working well together – is because it was such a simple statement of intent," recalls Reuben. "Any time we'd disagree on something – which was very rare – we'd just consult the original mission statement: if you've got too many chords in it, you're wrong."
Since then, they've won Glastonbury's Emerging Talent Competition, appeared on Later... with Jools Holland and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, toured Europe with Geese and Black Country, New Road, scored an upcoming North American tour with Fontaines DC, and sold out their biggest headline shows to date across the UK and USA. Now, it's Australia's turn.
With a focus on what unites rather than divides us, alongside their musical releases Westside Cowboy helped co-create 'No Band Is An Island', a Manchester-based collective which puts on fundraising nights to spotlight both local artists and important issues via speakers from charities and direct-action groups. Renowned for their live shows, Westside Cowboy transform their songs into something even bigger on stage: the kind of joyful release that can only happen when band and audience are locked into the same moment.