VERT
Website: vertonline.com
Formed in the Midlands in late 2002, Vert quickly set about building a following in the Telford & Wolverhampton area. An early slew of supports with the likes of The Blueprint, Million Dead & The Fatal Mistake, mixed with headline residencies at local rock venues, injected a much needed sense of urgency and energy into a previously waning local scene, and helped sow the seeds for a loyal and always growing local fanbase. During 2003 the band recorded two demo EPs and rehearsed hard. Though formative, these EPs saw Vert receiving their first underground press coverage with positive comparisons to mega-unit-shifters like Incubus and Lostprophets from many fanzines and webzines. This, coupled with their rapidly growing reputation in the Midlands, soon landed them an endorsement with clothing company GoodVsEvil and a live acoustic set on WCR 1350AM, based in Wolverhampton. 2004 found the band regularly selling out hometown area shows in 200-capacity venues whilst crafting their latest set of alternative rock anthems into May's 'No Retreat, No Surrender' EP. Lead track 'September' created a buzz on the web, taking sufficient downloads on www.soundclick.com to stay in the sites 'Rock/Metal' chart for over nine months and prompting respected US-based webzine East Coast Romper (www.ecromper.com) to proclaim the DIY release "just the golden spike the music industry needed". Interviews and introductory features were soon to follow with publications such as Skratch The Surface, Planet Loud, Dripfed & Rockzine and the band received airplay/interview time on 'Tribalism' Rock Radio Show in the Midlands. November saw Vert undertake their debut UK headline tour, hitting the road for 8 dates whilst simultaneously breaking in new drummer Gaz Ayres, following the amicable departure of original member Andy O'Brien. A seasoned player at the young age of 20 having previously toured the UK and Japan, Ayres and the new look Vert dove straight into tightening and refining their infectious live shows. Soon settling into a groove, Vert flew into 2005 supporting the likes of The Ga Ga's and Tokyo Dragons, being invited to return to Teesside University's annual EROCKTION festival and maintaining a presence on the UK's infamous 'toilet circuit'. Shows with the likes of Enter Shikari and Severed State followed, along with an explosive appearance at the Virtual Festival in Islington, London and another invite, this time to perform at a release party for Lockjaw Records' signings Have A Go Hero. Summer 2005 found the band rehearsing and writing with new found conviction, whilst strengthening their profile with a short run of shows on rising metal acts I-DEF-I and Profane's summer tour, a packed local support with pop-punkers Caffeine and scattered Midlands shows that continued to swell in both attendances and regularity. With the year still young, 2006 saw a quick-hit series of profile shows supporting the likes of Devil Sold His Soul, Mendeed & Skindred before Vert entered MCC Studios in Cheshire to record their debut album 'Accepting Denial' with rising producer Andy Giblin (I-DEF-I, Profane, Kill 2 This-live, Slipknot-live) . Their catchiest, hardest, hookiest set of songs yet, early mixes of album tracks received club play in Wolverhampton and Manchester to positive dancefloor reactions, and sneak preview of new track 'Skin' took hundred of playbacks on www.myspace.com within hours of being placed online. Reaction led to a request for material from Extreme Radio, who had received mail from listeners asking for new Vert tracks to be aired on the station. 'Accepting Denial' is set be released in Summer 2006 to be followed by extensive touring of the UK.