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We are Duke Street, an acoustic band dedicated to many genres, but mainly emo at the moment. Hailing from MANCHESTER, the greatest city in the world!
We recorded a 4 track demo at FutureWorks with the help of Dj Hoonboy as our producer, that went quite well as it was our first piece of studio time we managed to get to record some of our tracks instead of just using Garageband on a Mac laptop, so excuse the quality of some of the tracks in the player up top.
Currently penning and strumming some new tracks so keep checking the page for additions.
Hoping to get some gigs in and around Manchester soon, so we'll be updating the page when we have news of up and coming performances.
If you would like to make a booking please contact [email protected]
'i like your music, it's honest and a little bit dark' -DJ Thom 'Hoonboy'
'Introducing chorltons finest, two of the most diversley talented people in the up and coming business... -Tom Starkey A.K.A. Ski ( the no.1 Duke Street fan)
Duke Street Review in Pulp Magazine-http://pulpmagazine.co.uk/2009/02/12/duke-street/
Duke Street - Academy 3 - 09/02/09
While hundreds flocked, inexplicably, to see The View, something much more interesting was happening upstairs: Academy Unsigned 369, a showcase of raw and uncut talent. The gig attracted a good crowd, unusual for a lineup of young bands. I love going to shows like this because you see something rarely available on the big tours: potential.
The Articles, Third Cortez, and According To Alan all put on good performances, Third Cortez especially, holding sway with strong portions of stage presence. However, in terms of potential, it was a late addition to the bill that shined the brightest.
Duke Street, a duet made up of singer Terri Hartshorn and guitarist Hayley Parr, walked on stage to what was essentially an empty room. People had just arrived and were still milling around at the back, by the bar. The pair looked nervous, and rightfully so, this wasn’t going to be an easy one. But then something happened: Terri started singing.
Like a wave of curious bystanders, the crowd ebbed and flowed towards the stage. Potential is such a hard element to identify, but people naturally know it when it’s there. Duke Street had it, and in spite of all their nerves and inexperience, they drew the crowd towards them like a magnet.
If you’re nervous playing to an empty room, I can only imagine how it feels playing to a room full of people walking towards you. Is it a lynch mob? You’ll never know ‘til they get here.
Their set was beautiful, a real diamond in the rough kind of performance. Yes there were mistakes, they went out of time occasionally, and sometimes the keys didn’t match, but none of that mattered. The fact is that Hayley Parr is a very promising guitarist and Terri Hartshorn has a voice that could make doves cry. They’re just not the finished article yet.
What they need is some serious tightening rehearsals, and the confidence to go out on stage, knowing that they’re ready. Until then, the nerves will always get in the way. It’s the old counter-intuitive paradox: if you go onstage and make a fool of yourself, you’ll go down a storm; if you go out all shy for fear of being called a fool, that’s exactly what the crowd will say. Duke Street need to put aside any fear of failure and give their songs the performance they deserve.
Potential alone will carry them through their early days. It’s rare and it’s pure, and it gives us something to watch while they polish the diamond.
Duke Street are next playing on March 11th at Night & Day.
Words by Alexander Walsh
Photos by Ahmed Darwish
(www.flickr.com/photos/adarwish)
