Festival gig could shoot Hip Parade to fame

Jul 1 2009 by Judith Tonner, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

A COATBRIDGE band will crown their extraordinary rise to fame when they realise their dream of performing at T in the Park next weekend.

Hip Parade, who finished as runners-up on Channel 4 show Orange Unsigned Act in February, will star on the T Break stage at Scotland’s biggest music festival.

The popular four-piece have been given a prime slot at 5.50pm on Saturday, when they will play a half-hour set.

After their performance, they will be reunited with their celebrity TV mentors The Script and show judge Alex James, the bassist with Sunday headliners Blur.

Guitarist David Flavell admits that the prestigious invitation is another dream come true – and says he is hoping for traditional festival weather to boost the audience at their tented venue.

The 25-year-old from Blairhill will be performing alongside drummer Kris McDines, 22, of Townhead, and brothers Rob and Sal Shah, respectively the singer and bassist, who attended St Ambrose High along with Kris.

Former Coatbridge High pupil David said: “The timing of our set is really good and we’re almost hoping it rains for that period so that everybody will be in the tents, so we’ll be taking our cagoules and doing rain dances for the next couple of weeks!

“We don’t quite know who we’re clashing with on the main stage at that time but it could be Paolo Nutini, James or Katy Perry – it seems bizarre to be saying that since last year we were just playing for our pals.

“It’s extra-special because this is my 10th T in the Park; Blur were also the headliners at my first one when I was 15 and it’s always been the best summer festival, so it’s amazing to be offered this chance.

“We’ve done a few shows at King Tut’s through DF Concerts, which have sold out and which the promoters have really liked, so they got in contact about it a couple of weeks ago.

“At T in the Park in previous years, I’d listen to sets by up-and-coming bands and my friends would joke that Hip Parade were better than them, but I never thought we’d actually come to play here.”

The band have been catapulted into the spotlight since their successful run on the TV talent show six months ago.

Every gig they have played around Scotland since then has sold out, and the quartet are now mulling over a potential record deal and hope to enter the studio soon to begin work on their debut album.

David said: “To be offered a record deal and be playing at T in the Park means we’ve achieved the two things we wanted most out of Unsigned Act.

“We hope there will be a few thousand watching us on the T Break stage, and then we can enjoy the rest of the festival.

“Hopefully Alex James will introduce us to the rest of Blur and we can catch up with The Script, who promised we could support them at some point, so we’ll be reminding them of that!

“It’s been absolute madness ever since then and we’ve been back at our jobs on and off but hopefully this deal could make everything official and we can try to pursue music full-time.”