Teen Spirit: Introducing The Orielles
Meet Halifax trio The Orielles, as they prepare to unleash the Late Night with Jimmy Fallow weekender on Manchester
Listening to the dreamy surf-pop sound of The Orielles, it’s easy to be transported to a faraway paradise, where wavy garage resonance dominates and vibes are laid-back and relaxed. But their reverb-ridden jangles of guitar provide an unlikely juxtaposition with their origin, as the trio hail from the grey and rainy town of Halifax.
Having met at a house party only three years ago, and with two of the members starting on their instruments almost entirely from scratch, the band have managed to fast-track from just three friends jamming to being flown across the Atlantic for Canadian Music Week and receiving recognition from the likes of Steve Lamacq. The rollercoaster success of The Orielles is a refreshing tale of how far talent and a positive attitude can get you.
So who are The Orielles? “Groovy, golden guac-lovers,” apparently. We meet Henry Wade and sisters Esme and Sidonie Hand-Halford as they tuck into their veggie lunches prior to one of their many live performances, seemingly giddy and excited to hit the stage. “We’re just three kids, trying to have a good time and play some sweet, sweet tunes,” says Henry, in between mouthfuls of vegan burger. “If the music that we make creates happiness, then that’s all we want.”
With several successful tours and festival appearances under their belt, and a burgeoning nationwide reputation, it’s pretty evident that this is exactly what their music is doing among their growing fanbase. How easy was it for three fresh-faced, fashion-savvy musicians to kick up a fuss wherever they went?
“Everywhere we go, everyone’s been really welcoming into their own scene and it’s just been really nice to make loads of friends everywhere,” says Henry. “On our last tour it was really nice because we only knew a couple of people from the internet, and we just met up and made some really good friends.”
Even in areas alien to them, the three musicians have managed to charm their way into new friendships. “We went to places like Ramsgate,” Esme adds, “where we didn’t think we knew anyone, but then we’d end up making friends with people which is always pretty cool.”
With such a relaxed and friendly attitude, it’s no wonder the band have managed to establish a name for themselves across the UK, and with so many links in so many locations they have decided to showcase their favourite up-and-coming artists by curating a weekender in Manchester in November – the two-day affair Late Night with Jimmy Fallow.
“We chose Manchester because it’s definitely the city we feel most at home in,” Sid explains.
“It’s our true home town – well it actually is mine and Sid’s original home town,” adds Esme.
“The scene is very much alive in Manchester as well,” Henry chimes in. “It's really good to have the opportunity to support little venues like Fallow Cafe that really should get more recognition.”
“It definitely is important to us to give our friends’ bands the chance to showcase their sounds and stuff,” says Sid, clearly passionate about the subject, “because all of those bands are really good and definitely deserve more attention than they’re receiving at the minute.”
There’s a certain romanticism to The Orielles' view of the music industry. Just rocking up at various locations to play a show and forming friendships along the way is without doubt an optimistic approach to touring, but one that has evidently worked for this band – and their somewhat old-school attitude recently landed them a tour with a band they love, The Parrots.
“We met them a couple of years ago when they played in Leeds, and we just gave them one of our singles. When we got back they’d added us on Facebook and they asked us to tour with them!” Sid explains, the excitement in her voice indicating that even she is still surprised by the outcome of simply handing over a CD. Esme describes the experience as “a privilege,” but as the buzz surrounding The Orielles becomes more intense, it seems that the privilege is all ours.
The Orielles present: Late Night with Jimmy Fallow at Fallow Cafe, Manchester, 25 & 26 Nov, 7pm, £6/£8. The Orielles headline both evenings, supported by ZuZu, Party Hardly and The Roasts (25), and Fentonville Street Band and Corey Bowen (26)