By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: August Bank Holiday 2023

Last year, on a rather slow evening at Victorious 2022, we discovered what would become our new favourite band, Welly.

• Read on for reasons including why Welly love returning to play on the south coast

Having interviewed them now and having seen them play a few times in Southsea since, we are almost on first name terms with the band, who grace us with not only a sweaty hug post-gig, but an interview too.

So what, we ask Welly (pictured right with A Humdrum Mum, left), has changed between this year and last for the band? “We’ve got some different members, but apart from that we’ve not grown up, we’ve still got the same jokes, the set list is about 50% the same and we haven’t had haircuts. Why fix what’s not broken?”

Welly is right about these things, but what he’s not telling us is the huge growth musically that we can hear at each gig. It seems cliched to say that they just get better and better, but they do.

Their blend of small town observations and the humdrum of life, with banging beats and a huge guitar wall of sound, not forgetting the odd kettlebell (obvs) wow the audience at the Casemates Stage, a bigger one than last year.

What’s next? “The Castle would be nice, but we like it here,” Welly humbly admits. This year, we waited patiently for the fans to all finish talking to the band, mostly Welly.

We could hear loads of “We didn’t know you but we loved that set” etc. On the way into the festival, we spotted diehard fans with merch T-shirts and in the audience was a super fan wearing a wing defence netball bib. (Welly perform in PE kits.)

When we ask Welly what’s happening from here, he muses that whilst it’s cool for some bands to act aloof, they’d rather act as if they were everyone’s friend, not like they are above the audience.

“It’s hardly a chore,” he quips, “to talk to a load of people after a gig. It’s fun. We’ll keep it up for as long as we have to keep it up.”

Welly love returning to play on the south coast, because people here seem to “really get it.” He thinks it’s because the music is quite suburban. They’re not trying to be too subversive, nor ironic.

“I think people around here just get that. We’re not trying to sound like we’re from London or America.” (They’re from Southampton, but based in Brighton.)

Goo Records put out Welly Live in a Village Hall as a single earlier this year. They are, quite rightfully, very proud of that. In fact, Me and Your Mates was used as a bed for the official Victorious Festival round-up video of Saturday’s performances (listen and watch below). We can’t wait for what the year ahead brings them.

• Pictures via Facebook courtesy Welly. Tickets
• Read more from Carron at her blog A Humdrum Mum
• Have you seen any of these shows? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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