GIA VALENTINA SET TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP ON ROAD TO FAME
News release
Cave Wall Records
- Band ready to seek new audiences
- Gia Valentina keen to hit the road with their music
- All Day Gig follows debut album launch
Approaching the ripe old age of two, fledgling Coatbridge band Gia Valentina are ready to spread their wings.
The six-piece, who will celebrate their second birthday in October, have already passed other significant milestones this year, signing to a record label and releasing their debut album.
They play their biggest event to date – the All-Day Gig at the Eagle Inn in Coatbridge - on 9 August, alongside acts including Pronto Mama and The Velveteen Saints, and are now planning to take their music to audiences outside their home base.
“It would be nice to get gigging outside of Glasgow. Maybe a trip to Edinburgh, Dundee or Aberdeen to test the waters and build a bit more of a fan base”, said lead singer Steven Warnock. “Festivals will hopefully be something we will be looking into next year. A wee festival appearance would be scrumdiddlyumptious, but we'll have to just wait and see. Keep the fingers and toes crossed tightly.”
Gia Valentina came together when Steven joined guitarists John McArthur and Ciaran ‘Cheesy’ Febers, bass guitarist Andrew Tracey, drummer Anton Lafferty and keyboard player and vocalist Amy Robertson in a jam session when they were looking for another singer.
They made their first demo as a band in January 2013 and have since been gigging around Glasgow honing their sound, which has been influenced by the likes of the Arctic Monkeys, Queens of the Stone Age, Talking Heads and Kings of Leon.
They were the first act to be signed to recently-established independent Scottish label Cave Wall Records, which has been launched by Coatbridge-based Cave Wall Studios. Studio manager David Lang worked with Gia Valentina just over a year ago, when they recorded their first E.P and later tracked their progress.
The band’s self-titled debut album was launched at the end of May: “Our following at the moment is mostly friends, family and fellow musicians”, said Steven. “But, since the album launch, there seems to be more 'randomers' who like us. Randomers in the nicest sense if the word. Just people who have seen a t-shirt or seen the name and Googled it.
“We also are a tighter band thanks to David. We had to put the heads down and work hard to get the album to recording standard and then gigging standard, so it's been a short, wonderful journey so far.
“It’s no picnic trying to get heard, but nothing worthwhile doing is. It seems the best method is to persist, so that's what we'll do.”
A revival of interest and sales in vinyl, particularly in the independent market, prompted Cave Wall Records to issue the album in that format as well as on CD, a move backed by Steven: “It is pretty class. We have CDs and other merchandise as well, but vinyl seems to hold more value.”
The All Day Gig will be the next stop on the Gia Valentina journey and Steven says the band are ready to look forward: “We'll be back in the studio a good few times between now and then to rehearse and draw up a game plan for the coming months. Stay tuned.”
For more information contact
Jenna MacCulloch
Lucid PR
Tel 01463 724590
Mobile 07725643212
Email: jenna@lucidmessages.com
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