Oxford–based quintet The Rock of Travolta is back with two additions to the line-up and plenty of new material.
2006 saw Oxford post-rock outfit The Rock Of Travolta return, transformed with the addition of guitarist Matt Spooner and cellist / pianist Jennie Bates. Die-hards will be pleased to know that they retain the hallmarks of the original Rock, but the current line up adds a fresh approach and brand new material, marking the beginning of a new era for The Rock of Travolta.
Formed in 2000, the band played their first gig in front of 50 people in a cow shed that summer but by the following year they had played in front of 45,000 supporting Radiohead at their immense South Park gig, released two records, recorded a John Peel Session and featured at No.48 in his Festive Fifty.
Between 2002 and 2004 there were two more EP releases and the release of their 2nd album Uluru, alongside touring with Oceansize, Trans Am, Seafood, Kat Bjelland, Do Make Say Think amongst others, alongside sell-out gigs in their home-town Zodiac venue.
In late 2005 the addition of the two new members spurred the band into writing new material and getting back out there gigging. After playing at venues such as Moles and Joiners, the new line up made their Oxford debut at a packed Cellar – gaining them critical acclaim in the local press and from the BBC, who hailed them as a band in a class of its own with phenomenal stage presence and an awesome sound. Oxford’s music magazine ‘Nightshift’ agreed, describing the sound riot as ‘exhilarating to behold’ and as fresh, vigorous and downright brutal as ever.
Headline gigs in various London venues followed and media were quick to pick up on the excitement, with the band featuring on BBC Radio Oxford and on ITV South Central news. In July 2006 the band played on the main stage of the Truck Festival alongside the likes of The Mystery Jets and Jetplane Landing. TROT’s performance not only excited Kerrang, who exclaimed that electro squelches morph into shattering rock complexity, but also led to appearances on the documentary Rock Feed Back on MTV 2 and Channel 4, who featured the band’s Truck performance and post-set interview.
More new material and further gigs have led critics to say that 2006 has ‘set Mk. II of the band well on their way back to the top of the pile.’ (Oxfordbands.com).
‘they’re still ablaze with symphonic rock and roll glory…Every time we see the Rock of Travolta we want to scream their name from the rooftops and grab passing strangers to make them understand. This band ROCKS! Period.’ (Nightshift Magazine)
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