Houdini Dax
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GB Cardiff – Britpop / Indiepop / Rock / Indie
Houdini Dax

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The Underclassed
Edit-artist-releases-release-placeholder Our Boy Billy Single 2013
See Monkey Do Monkey
Edit-artist-releases-release-placeholder You Belong To Dax Darling Album 2009
Houdini Dax
Edit-artist-releases-release-placeholder Good Old Fashioned Maniac Single 2014
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Cardiff’s prodigious, whimsical and wonderful modern psychedelicists” Adam Walton, BBC Radio Houdini Dax are an enthralling, infectious and energetic live band who are paying their dues and are fast becoming one of Britain’s must see live acts.

Recently added to the ‘This Is Now Agency’ roster (Public Service Broadcasting, Skinny Lister, Beans On Toast) Houdini Dax are in good company. ‘The Dax’ have created their own blend of rock n’ roll and are often described as a three headed musical beast because of their harmonising prowess and command over their instruments. Houdini Dax have been pumping out music on stereos and in clubs across the land with their ‘three-buttoned punk-funk with inch-perfect psych pop’.

Houdini Dax are Jack Butler, Owen Richards and David Newington. As a result of a tight friendship and musical kinship that started on the schoolyard in their home city of Cardiff they have a genuine and united passion for music. The life long school friends started making making music and composing original songs which blossomed into Houdini Dax. They soon embarked on an adventure that is has taken flight and is now on the ascent.

“With their three-buttoned punk-funk and inch-perfect psych pop they’re now quite the sight to behold as they whipped through a set that was tighter than an elephant in Speedos.” David Owens, Wales Online at Swn Festival 2014.

Houdini Dax have often been likened to the music of the fab four due to their infectious hooks and harmonies. Lead vocalist Jack has mentioned on a number of occasions that this is possibly the consequence of him discovering the ‘White Album’ whilst on a family holiday as a child and then playing the record endlessly and enthusing Owen and David of it’s brilliance. Other strong influences include The Beach Boys, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Supergrass, Tame Impala, Arctic Monkeys, 60ft Dolls, Racehorses and John Peel’s favourites, Murry The Hump.

Jon Robb editor of Louder Than War elaborated on their sound when Houdini Dax featured as the Louder Than War artist of the day “uplifting music and the songs have an inbuilt sing-along thing going on- they manage to walk the tightrope between art and populist and with a bit of luck could be massive.”

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NOTABLE SUCCESSES

Several regional single releases have laid the bedrock of their following, with the band regularly filling clubs and festival tents in Wales. Several high profile supports have cemented this following with the band being invited to open for Twisted Wheel, The Tea Street Band, Dan Croll, Cloud Control, The Pigeon Detectives and by Charlotte Church who took the band under her wing on a full length UK tour. Houdini Dax have also started to branch out internationally performing in Ireland and at the NH7 festivals in India. To add to this Houdini Dax have received an invitation to perform at the worlds biggest music showcase SXSW in Austin, Texas USA in March 2015.

Houdini Dax have enjoyed radio support in the regions and on national radio through BBC Introducing. DJ’s who have supported the Dax include, Adam Walton, Jen Long, Ally McRae, Tom Robinson, Bethan Elfyn and Huw Stephens. Throughout their journey broadcasters including Eleri Sion, Jason Mohammed and Jamie Owen have all registered support for the band.

Through partnership with publisher Sentric Music, Houdini Dax have been playlisted in Jack Wills stores nationwide and saw their song ‘Legs’ featured on an Autumn commercial. BT Sport also used Houdini Dax’s song ‘Good Old Fashioned Maniac’ on a recent weekend goals round up of their coverage of the Barclays Premier League. Houdini Dax have recently signed up to a sync-partnership to work with Bounce Music, a Cardiff based music publisher headed up by Charlotte Church and Rhiannon Morgan-Bell.

In 2014 the band successfully ran a Pledge Music campaign to record an album. The album was titled ‘Naughty Nation’ and was released exclusively to those who pledged. The album is awaiting general release.

Houdini Dax Dinefwr Festival 2014
Houdini Dax Dinefwr Festival 2014

HORIZONS/GORWELION

In 2014 Houdini Dax were selected as one of 12 artists to participate in Horizons. Horizons/Gorwelion is a scheme delivered by BBC Cymru Wales in partnership with Arts Council Wales to develop new, independent contemporary music in Wales.

Horizons helped develop the band’s profile with the media by involving professional photographers and videographers. It also helped connect the band at a music industry focused event at Fforest in Cardigan. The initiative saw the band perform at Liverpool Sound City, Focus Wales, Wakestock, and the world famous Hay Festival, amongst others. Horizons supported Houdini Dax’s successful tour of India and invited them to record a session at BBC Maida Vale Studios, London. The session was played on a variety of shows across the BBC including Huw Stephens Radio 1 show, over the Christmas period.

Owen Richards, Houdini Dax NH7 Festival November 2014.
Owen Richards, Houdini Dax NH7 Festival November 2014.

INDIA

Following in the footsteps of great UK acts Led Zeppelin and The Beatles, Houdini Dax toured the subcontinent in November 2014 taking in two shows at the NH7 Weekender festivals in Kolkata and Bangalore. NH7 is a contemporary music festival run by Mumbai based promoter Only Much Louder and Glastonbury Festivals. The band also performed to Indian and international music industry delegates at the Blue Frog venue in Mumbai during the Mix Music Connects conference. Whilst on tour the band picked up notable press coverage with a broadsheet full page feature in the Bangalore Mirror and reviews in The Hindu.

Since the tour the band have released a single called ‘Get Your Goo On’ exclusively to the Indian market via the Mumbai based label OK Listen! The single’s video saw a exclusive premiere by Rolling Stone Magazine India further cementing the band’s presence in the country.

Evaluating the appreciative and receptive audiences and the growing Indian fan base, combined with the band’s fervent curiosity to explore this culturally rich country further, has led Houdini Dax to make a commitment to India. In addition to releasing further exclusive content to India and collaborating with Indian artists, Houdini Dax plan to tour India taking in more NH7 and university shows culminating in a performance at the Indian Independence Celebrations in 2017.

WHAT’S NEXT?

For 2015 Houdini Dax plan on releasing UK singles to gather momentum as an emerging artist. The band will be touring the UK and Europe extensively taking in club shows and summer festivals. The band will be releasing new tracks month on month to their fanbase until the release of ‘Naughty Nation’. Aside from the single releases the band are focusing on developing their community online. The band are always looking for opportunities to share their journey with their followers. They will be continuing to post updates and the popular aCARpellas (clips of the band singing requests from fans on the way to shows) whilst touring and recording new music.

PRESS QUOTES

“uplifting music and the songs have an inbuilt sing-along thing going on- they manage to walk the tightrope between art and populist and with a bit of luck could be massive”. – John Robb

“Cardiff’s fab three at the heart of a new scene” – Total Guitar magazine

“There’s something indefinable about the band, some heady, uncontrived charisma that just makes you like them the moment they get on stage” – Adam Walton, BBC

“One of the most enthralling and engaging of live acts, they gel like some sort of supernatural force” David Owens, Wales Online

“Local three-piece who’ve gained a lot of momentum over the past few years by being really, really good. It’s impossible not to compare them to The Beatles, given their resonating three-piece harmonies, slick riffs and their rascally working-class motifs. Anyone acquainted will often agree that they’re on their way to big things – and they’re probably right.” – Chris McSweeney, Cultured Vultures

“The Bacardi NH7 Weekender did better this year with good weather and better music. This year’s edition saw Indian bands get a better reception compared to the international acts. The festival also saw the coming together of a wide berth of genres and featured showstoppers like Houdini Dax, Money For Rope, As Animals as well as local hits like Skrat, F16s and Bengaluru’s Peepal Tree.” – The Hindu, India

“After their performance the crowd just moved across to the Bacardi Arena where the Welsh Band, Houdini Dax, drew them in and raised the game. This is definitely a band I’d be looking up, with catchy tracks like Get Your Goo On, they definitely are a surprise favourite.” - Falah Faisal, Bangalore Mirror

“With songs like ‘Get Your Goo On’ that and storming last year’s Swn Festival in Cardiff, I can see only big things for Houdini Dax in 2015.” – Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music