Imperial Leisure

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQXG6X5xRf0

Imperial Leisure are a North London band born from high school friendship and a huge admiration of great groups, both close to home, such as The Specials and Madness, and from further afield, such as The Beastie Boys, Jurassic 5 and Rage Against The Machine. The fan-base Imperial Leisure have built through their live activity has paid off with their debut single, In A Letter, selling out on the day of release. Radio support for the band has been extensive, with singles winning plays by Zane Lowe and Colin Murray at Radio One, Xfm nationwide and Virgin Xtreme, and with additional enthusiastic spins from BBC London’s Gary Crowley, Shaun Keaveney at BBC 6Music and Kerrang! Radio.

The band have been conquering crowds across the UK, playing festivals such as Glastonbury, Camp Bestival and Bestival, not to mention (illegitimately playing in the car parks at) Reading 2007, Fruitstock and LoveBox, as well as springing spontaneous guerilla gigs on unsuspecting but hugely appreciative crowds in shopping centres, parks and on beaches around the UK. They then headlined their own live dates around the UK in October, followed by supporting Less Than Jake on their UK tour last November. Previous support appearances have included Roots Manuva, Gym Class Heroes, Ugly Duckling, the legendary Sugar Hill Gang, Sway, and Skinnyman.

Playing their own particular take of rock steady, party hip hop and mosh-pit inducing punk, complete with live brass, decks and keys, their music is a killer combination of neat beats, great tunes and irresistibly catchy hooks. The band’s sense of unity comes from years of friendship and hanging out together. They are based at their own rehearsal/recording studio in North London and their familiarity is never more evident than in their stellar live shows.