State Society going places
JOBURG - Three years of rehearsals, gigs and establishing a fan base has begun to bear fruit for the members of State Society.
The pop-rock act was chosen as part of this year’s Oppikoppi festival line-up, something bassist Mike Pocock described as “an honour”.
“We submitted to Oppikoppi a while ago, and there was a lot of back-and-forth between us and the organisers,” said Pocock.
“Then I got a call from them and was asked if I had checked my email. I told them I hadn’t, and asked if they had sent me a contract. ‘Yes!’ came the reply. We’re really excited about this – we’re big Oppi fans.”
He said the most exciting thing about their selection as part of the legendary festival was to “officially be a part of the festival’s history”.
“It’s a tough one to get into, and because this year is the festival’s 20th anniversary, we’ll be playing alongside local rock greats like Squeal and Urban Creep. This means so much to us, and we can’t thank the organisers enough,” he said.
Pocock said his fellow band members lived in far-flung parts of the city, and that distance and full-time jobs didn’t stop them from rehearsing together once or twice a week.
“We practice in [guitarist] Marchant Pretorius’ garage… We’re a garage band,” he said with a laugh.
“We’re not in this for the money, we love doing this, and we’re lucky enough to have people who enjoy watching us perform. Our fan base has been established through gigs and touring.”
Pocock said while the band labelled their style as pop-rock, the description wasn’t self-limiting.
“Our personal music tastes are diverse. I really enjoy old Norweigan black metal, while other members prefer rock and pop,” he said.
“We enjoy experimenting with new sounds and styles, and there’s definitely room for growth and adaptation in the genre – and we can adapt to line-ups and festivals.”
The important thing for the band is melody and longevity.
“We’d love to still be on playlists in 10 years’ time… We write about things people can relate to, and try to offer positive, inspiring messages,” said Pocock.
In addition to Pocock on bass and Pretorius on guitar, State Society also features Petri Burger on drums and Cliff Barnard on vocals and guitar.
Details: www.statesocietyband.com
Listen to the music at the band’s Soundcloud page
Watch the video for Love to Feel:
Gig guide:
Catch State Society at one of their upcoming gigs:
6 June: Rafter’s Bar, Vanderbijl Park
7 June: Tanz Live, Heathway Square Shopping Centre, Beyers Naude Drive, Blackheath
20 June: Brazen Head Sandton – The Library, corner of Linden Road and Anne Crescent, Strathavon, Sandton.
