FOUR BEATING HEARTS

Hearts, the Gothenburg-band who debuted with "EP1" in 2023, are once again going on a UK tour in May of 2024. Consisting of members from Catfish and The Bottlemen (UK), The Bongo Club (SE) and Bottlecap (SE) - we caught up with guitarist & vocalist Jesper Jansson for a chat before their Great British adventure.

Hey Jesper! How’s everything this early Spring?

– Hello there, all is well! We’ve managed to kickstart the year in a good way with new music, already had time for a few shows and can rejoice in the fact that there's more of that to come! Our new EP comes out in May, but already in April we’ll go in to the studio to record the next - no rest!

You had a great season 2023 - debut release with EP1, well-received shows in Sweden, the UK and Spain. What will you bring with you from 2023 to 2024?

– Tremendously fun that we managed to do so much during our first year as a band. It’s a bit special to start up a new project when you're 30 compared to when you're 15 years old. Everything goes a bit quicker for some reason. From the first jam to the first gig in just a couple of months. It’s great to see that what we do has been received so well both at home and internationally, which has given us a confidence boost for 2024.

What’s the mindset for your second UK tour - any does & don’ts you’ll bring?

– Luckily, most of the tour last fall went pretty well so we don’t have any obvious “don’ts”. We’ve gotten better and better at avoiding trouble, so all should be fine as long as we manage to remember adapters and passports. But we do have some tricks to bring. For example, it works very well to book a family room for three adults and a child through Travelodge - as long as the reception isn’t on ground-level. And right, we're also bringing Irn-Bru and vodka! Goes together as a hand in glove.

May will be a month on all cylinders for the band! Between the 10th-11th you’ll be in Wrexham, doing three shows at Focus Wales. How do you feel before the premier at Glyndwr TV on the 10th?

– It'll be awesome to go back to Wrexham. Everyone in Hearts have played there with their previous bands, so it'll be a dear reunion. It'll be two intense days to say the least, especially the show at Glyndwr TV will be critical as it's being filmed. I’m thinking that brings some edge to the performance, which will be a nice up-charge for the next two gigs, among them The Parish a bit later the same evening.

Glyndwr TV, The Parish and The Rockin’ Chair - three stages where the festival-goer can catch Hearts. Who of your co-performers do you look forward to sharing a stage with, or festival for that matter?

– It’s with sorrow that we’ll miss The Royston Club who’s playing already on the Thursday when we’re in London. I’ll however try to squeeze in both Manilla Times and The Mysterines before our show on Friday. Other than them, we’re looking forward to discover new great bands the whole weekend!

You waste no time after Focus Wales, but instead hit the road onwards through the UK. Where will the stops be for Hearts on this tour?

– That’s correct! We take the opportunity to get as much playing out of the trip as possible every time we travel. Apart from Focus Wales, you can catch us in London, Preston and Sheffield, along with Brighton. If all goes well, we may also have a show in Manchester!

Speaking of Brighton - you’re doing the The Alternative Escape in connection to The Great Escape festival between the 15th-18th of May. Do you have a differing strategy for the Escape show from the ones at Focus Wales?

– We’re going in with the same attitude towards that gig as all others we do - making sure that we perform to the top of our ability for every person there. It’s more fun for us and the audience that way. However, there’s some extra nerve in Brighton as there will be a whole lot of music industry present. We’ve nonetheless learned that there’s no point walking in with high expectations and in the end, all shows we do are equally important. It’s sound cliché, but you never know what a show’s going to bring.

Bring it on, bring it on. Here's where you can catch Hearts, which you should definately do.  

Thu, MAY 9, Bermondsey Social Club, London
Fri, MAY 10, FOCUS Wales 2024, Wrexham
Sat, MAY 11, FOCUS Wales 2024. Wrexham
Wed, MAY 15, The Ferret, Preston
Thu, MAY 16, Record Junkee, Sheffield
Fri, MAY 17, The Alternative Escape @ The Sidewinder, Brighton

Hearts
Focus Wales
The Great Escape

Photo: Chloe Dunscombe