When iconic Hacienda DJ Dave Haslam called Air Cav asking the band to headline his night at Paris' coolest venue, La Fleche D'Or, it was the beginning of something big. Sharing a passion for all things aurally uplifting from traditional English ballads, sixties garage to Eastern sitar music they'd been making waves on the local scene since summer 2006 when Sophie brought her folk-flavoured violin to join Chris, Mark and Allan's sparkling, crashing anthems. Travelling over the water for the show in November 2007 with a small army of excitable Mancunian fans in tow, the band were amazed to find the hip Parisian kids shouting along to every word.
Back home, indie label Surbia Records were paying attention and with a deal inked in Manchester's favourite rock'n'roll pub The Castle, preparations began for the release of the debut single 'Alliance' in February 2008. "As promising a debut as you'll hear all winter" said DrownedInSound. "Air Cav's songs glide between rock and nuclear powered folk all too easily; this is the sound of a band who are pretty much unstoppable" said manchestermusic.co.uk. Steve Lamacq, a fan since he heard the demos a year earlier, enthusiastically played the single on his In New Music We Trust show on the day of release. And the packed launch party, held at Manchester's renowned Roadhouse venue, garnered five star reviews, with Audioscribbler noting that "where they really excel is in providing what seems initially like a wall of sound, before allowing themselves to carefully pick out and remove bricks from within the wall; this gives them a range as poised and beautiful as it is powerful and full on."
The band were invited to headline the Wickwar Tent at the Wychwood Festival in May and brought their euphoric ambient indie rock to Cheltenham, attracting a new following from the South in the process. A second single followed in July; double A side 'Embers' / 'Picking At The Bones', with a launch party at Manchester landmark Urbis. Air Cav have since been booked for winter London shows, at the legendary 100 Club and at Alan McGee's Death Disco, and following a series of Dutch shows in early Spring looks set to coincide with the release of a new single.
Finally got those new promo shots up then Mark! The one with the faces on the faces is my favourite, you know the one... Good luck with crossing the Channel tomorrow
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