Profile

Vardo and the Boss Band Biography

Musical Style
Vardo and the Boss from Colchester, England, create a sound that blends piano and acoustic guitar with powerful female vocals that echoes the female rock artists of the mid-90s such as Alanis Morissette and Fiona Apple. More recent artists that VATB have been compared to are The Noisettes, Paloma Faith and Florence and the Machine. The double fronted four-piece have recently completed their debut EP and are working hard to promote it preparation for their official release early in 2012.

The Band
The group are a mis-matched bunch, comprised of a singer-songwriter, a classical pianist and a rhythm section plucked from the Colchester metal scene. The songs on the new EP hint at the varied influences of the band members. From the feel good pop stylings of the opening track Im Not Sorry right through to the explosive outro of Shame. Vardo’s influences include (among many others) The Noisettes, KT Tunstall, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Rachmaninov, Jamiroquai, The Gorillaz and Tina Turner. The sound that has resulted from such varying sources of inspiration is surprisingly distinct; catchy choruses, meaningful lyrics and the instantly recognisable blend of the two lead vocals.

The EP
The story that connects the dots throughout the EP is that of a broken girl, trying to replace the love of her estranged father with various men who have led her astray. The tracks on the EP are complemented by the EP’s graphic novel style artwork which provides a visual representation of the concept. The song “Breathe” has recently been played on BBC Radio Essex as part of BBC Introducing, the tracks “Breathe” and “City Girls” have been recorded live as part of a pilot episode for a new music show called “Attitude”. The band are currently working on a music video for the EP’s opening track “I’m Not Sorry”.

Playing Live
Vardo and the Boss have played numerous live gigs at venues such as The Purple Turtle, Monto Water Rats, The 229 Club, The Bridgehouse 2, The Wilmington Arms, The Twist, The Colchester Arts Centre, The Haymakers and many other venues in Essex, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. For the last two years the band have played at the Standon Calling Festival in Hertfordshire alongside acts such as Paloma Faith, Mumford and Sons and The Magic Numbers. This year VATB are due to play Brownstock alongside acts such as Athlete, Ms Dynamite and Example.