This Velvet Feeling
The Velvet Hands: #BigInThisFeeling
Hands Up if you’re going to The Velvet Hands on tour! Image: Opia Photos for TheZineUK
November 2023 Headline Tour - with second album, ‘Sucker Punch’ and SO many gig favourites live on stage + an array of special guests.
Summer 2023 photography at Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage by Opia Photos https://www.instagram.com/opia_photos/
The calm before the (Truck Festival headline set) storm… image: Opia Photos
This month, October 2023, is the seventeenth anniversary of the UK’s No.1 live rock n roll music club, This Feeling. Next month, Zone Rangers, The Velvet Hands head off on tour - punking it live with This Feeling. Perfect!
THIS (VELVET SUCKER PUNCH) FEELING
01 LONDON COLOURS 14+
02 CARDIFF THE MOON 18+
03 BRISTOL THE GOLDEN LION 18+
04 LIVERPOOL JACARANDA 18+
16 MANCHESTER 33 OLDHAM STREET 18|+
17 LEEDS OPORTO 16+
18 BIRMINGHAM DEAD WAX
23 FALMOUTH CORNISH BANK 16+
25 PLYMOUTH UNDERGROUND 16+
Tickets https://thisfeeling.co.uk/thevelvethands/
Did someone say The Velvet Hands? Rock show fans, Dizzy Spell (TheZineUK) and John Kennedy (Radio X, The Remedy, This Feeling) by Opia Photos
There are so many artists who have experienced being #BigInThisFeeling - the time warp of 2020, 2021 and 2022 means humans are all three years younger and 2023 begins a brand new next world of potential. That’s the thing about following the cast and crew of a documentary… You should buy a ticket (check availability) and dive in. Hard working rockers, VH are fun as fuck.
A nice cold Signature Brew can of Roadie (and a Zeenagers badge!) while relaxing before the show by Opia Photos
We saw it. We heard it. We booked it.
The Velvet Hands played TheZineUK social, early doors, looking like tall school children. We spent their soundcheck time arguing with the band that Prince could not possibly have died, it’s Prince(!), then popped over to Sainsbury’s for some booze.
They - and various Cornwall crazy crew massive - rocked the roof off - and Velvet Hands have not left our collective affection. In December 2017, They returned to grace our first #MusicPeopleParty(with host DJ, Katie Owen) at The infamous Hawley Arms in Camden (that they continue to keep groovy).
Stage Style. always. Image, The Able Bruvz, by Opia Photos
2018
The Velvet Hands are one of the bands that inspire our 2024 Expo, Zeenagers and are no strangers to This Feeling’s artist development runway “Zone Airport”. The Expo byline is “2018, Where Do You See Yourself In Five Years Time?”
This particular year began when the above mentioned Katie did her first filmed interview for TheZineUK, with The Velvet Hands double lead singing guitarists, Toby Mitchell and Dan Able at This Feeling’s Water Rats Theatre. Before that year’s debut album, ‘Party’s Over’ was released, all the signs were that the party was only just beginning. For band, presenter and promoter, alike.
51 seconds YouTube: “We Love This Feeling”
Nearly stage time! Image by Opia Photos
In Spring 2018, The Velvet Hands played John Kennedy’s live music club, The Remedy, just before it’s finale (lucky it’s returned after lockdown!). There’s a relationship between this respected music guru and so many artists. Before their set, we were chatting the imminent LP and not only did John mention that the songs all sound like hits, but yes, he could be quoted on that.
Alongside widespread national music press, our DIY site said something at the time along the lines of “Hamburg era Beatlesey and Rolling Stonesey and Strokesy with overtones of The Undertones”.
Looks like John’s singing to The Velvet Hands, but it’s good to check the latest news when you’re hosting a best buzz bands stage like This Feeling! Image by Opia Photos
2019, Supporting Liam Gallagher and Fontaines D.C. is just a fraction of the story. 2020 The band will have no idea how much the song and video ‘When This Is Over’ meant to more than just my own mental health during lockdown, I’m sure… They’ve got so many sing-along-songs. Punchy…
Show Time! Image by Opia Photos
2021, we’re allowed outdoors a bit more! When False Heads couldn’t make their GET ON music TV taping slot ‘cos of Covid, The Velvet Hands stepped in. What a treat!
TheZineUK cover stars
We Kelly Munro (End Of The Trail) presenter Louise Schofield, PR, Lisa Knight and TheZineUK) got a taster of brand new song, ‘Holiday In My Head’, from the forthcoming next album. Film makers, Roobi TV heard me commenting that it “sounded like The Smiths covering The Sex Pistols”. What a freaking TUNE though. That’s gotta be in the Expo, right?
The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos
2022, 42 Seconds of Boardmasters Festival. (YouTube) The Velvet Hands are Cornwall’s biggest punk band and they carry a torch for the locality, big up their peers and gig there whenever possible. Fair play to this band.
The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos
2023
Sucker Punch - The second album and gearing right back up! We all reboot as we claw our way around the increasingly culled star breaker circuit. As fans dig deep to escape to the best gigs (small venues, that is) during a cost of greed crisis and that ever impending doom vibe of reality. Rock and roll as a way of life has never been so essential.
The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos
The LP fuses riot-beat rhythm section, duelling guitars, duetting vocals - With hints of The Libertines, Gang Of Four, The Clash, The Stooges and The Velvet Hands, it's the latter band that mostly influence themselves.
The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos
Songs with a roar-along vitality from a band who come into their own with each release but take that to a moshpit level live on stage. Then Jim Morrisson grabs them by the Devil's Tail and boof, they're gone
The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos
We zoned into The Velvet Hands at This Feeling again this year.
Spring 2023 - Start the year at their Lexington headline in Oxfordshire. Great to see Lion Machine 23 again and absolute kudos for inviting the jaw dropping Sasha Assad onto the bill. An instant new favourite.
The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos
“There was loads of emotion for @thevelvethands and friends at their sold out and music industry busy n buzzy #suckerpunchalbum launch” (Insta clip at TheZine.UK) and fans of the bands know that there’s regularly a Party’s Over Party on stage for the crowd (clip at TheZine.UK TikTok)
The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos
Summer time and here we are in Oxfordshire where The Velvet Hands are headlining This Feeling Stage at Truck Festival on the Friday night and taking no prisoners. Ace to bump into many of the Zone Rangers community down the front, too! One of the key new music sites, Travellers Tunes, correctly reported “The Velvet Hands were and are the real deal.”
The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos
TheZineUK does, indeed, have about a minute or so of souvenir film clips from Truck Festival at our Insta. Documentary, innit! Much appreciation to This Feeling, as ever for the hospitality and good times!
The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos
Scenes are next coming to a show near you in November, if you’re lucky.
Zeenagers assemble! The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos
