The K’s ...are on Fire!!!! By Sharon Henry
ABOVE: DEXTER, JAMIE, RYAN & JORDAN
Late in 2017, two school friends, Jamie and Dexter started a band in Earlestown (a suburb directly in between Manchester and Liverpool), now they have become impossible to ignore, one of the biggest underground successes.
radio including Radio X and have now been play-listed on XS Manchester prime time. They have also recently been featured on several American radio stations in LA and Laguna Beach, California including The Rodney Bingenheimer Show, SiriusXM.
nfluenced by The Clash, The Jam, Squeeze and The Libertines, originally named the Kaleidoscopes, after their local record shop, they added the apostrophe and shortened it to the K’s. Now a four piece band, the current line - up is Jamie Boyle (Vocals/ Guitar), Ryan Breslin (Lead Guitar), Dexter Baker, the comedian of the band (Bass Guitar) and Jordan Holden, from sunny Blackpool (Drums).
In the last few years, The K’s have sold out every headline show they have played, including venues such as the O2 Ritz Manchester (1,500 capacity) and were set to headline Manchester Academy (2,600 capacity) in October 2020 as part of their UK tour before COVID meant postponing. They’ve caused festival tents to be closed due to over capacity crowds, such as Kendal Calling 2019, with hundreds locked out trying to join the 2,000+ fans within.
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Before the pandemic, the lads had given up their day jobs to start their amazing music adventure and fortunately were able to return to them.... Jamie is a Teacher/Teaching Assistant, Ryan a Building Surveyor, Dexter a Mental Health Nurse and Jordan does charity work. With just six singles released, their streaming numbers are comfortably in the millions, with 37,310 monthly Spotify listeners and self-released debut single ‘Sarajevo’ a head-banging tune, notching 2.2 million streams. The K’s are being played on national
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The K’s also made their TV debut in 2019, performing live on Sky Sports Soccer AM and this year making it onto a film set. Starring as the band and providing the soundtrack for the new film ‘To Be Someone’, which was released on July 9th. This is a follow up to the cult 1979 film ‘Quadrophenia’ and is a modern day gangster comedy. Because of their love of Paul Weller and The Jam, it made them a perfect fit! It also stars original cast members Leslie Ash, Toyah Wilcox, Mark Wingett and Perry Benson.
LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE
The start of 2020 saw The K’s embark on their UK tour and they sold out every single date months in advance before going into the national lockdown. Keen to not rest on their laurels, the band quickly released ‘Valley One’, an acoustic ballad recorded at home in isolation, before releasing the latest single ‘TV’ in October 2020, both sharing hundreds of thousands of streams, with the limited edition 7” vinyl selling out within 48 hours. The band also featured on the 2020 Recording Academy GRAMMYs and have hosted two live streamed shows since the start of last summers lockdown, which sold in excess of 3,000 tickets. The online attention drawn from these shows and the weekly hosted “Friday Night with The K’s” Facebook live streams has also led to the band receiving brand deals from various companies, notably Gibson Guitars, Scotts Menswear and Lyle and Scott, all of which are still on going. The band have recently been signed to Solo Music Agency with John Giddings and Charly Beedell who represent James, Iggy Pop, Blondie and on behalf of Live nation the likes of Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga and Madonna. They find themselves unsigned with a record label at the moment... but I am sure, it will not be long before their talent is snapped up. Through the lockdown, they have continued to write an abundance of songs and will find it difficult to choose what to play at their gigs. Hopefully an album will be in the making. The K’s 2021 full UK tour went on sale during lockdown and has already sold over three quarters of all available tickets, scheduled to start July 2021, along with 20 major bookings including main stage slots at some of the UK’s biggest festivals. Do not expect to lay dormant at one of their gigs... be prepared for an electric and inspiring atmosphere!
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