Tina Sherwood
25 mei 2022
Live from Call Of The Wild Festival, 2022
South Of Salem. Mean anything? Not a direction to an American town, but an incredible new band from beside the English seaside!
Hailing from Bournemouth, South of Salem have made it up to the Lincolnshire Showground for Call Of The Wild Festival, 2022 and last night produced what frontman, Joey Draper, called ‘one of the best gigs (he’s) ever played!’ Anyone in the audience would find it hard not to agree that their set was a ‘standout’ memory of the festival’s first day.
I was lucky enough to catch up with Joey and his wife, Lolly the morning after the night before, to find out a little more about the SOS ‘phenomenon.’
Conceived just a month before Lockdown 1, it’s astonishing to realise that this band is holding its own alongside bands of much greater experience within the New Wave Of Classic Rock genre.
Belying everything his stage persona would lead you to believe, Joey Draper is shy, unassuming and well spoken. When he talks, his whole being is embroiled with the passion he feels for what he and his band of amazing creatives are doing.
He has a vision, clear and entirely realistic in terms of the speed with which South Of Salem have rocketed onto the scene during unprecedented times. The Voice of Conscience rings loud and clear through the lyrics, addressing contemporary issues such as male suicide, sadly something which has impacted on the band with their friends over the last year and a half.
With Gothic-style dolly dancers, (one of whom is Joey’s wife, Lolly), pyrotechnics, creative lighting and boundless energy, the front row members continuously leap atop strategically placed risers, allowing everyone to enjoy the limelight.
I’m not a betting person, but I’m prepared to lay long odds that the Big Name Rock Festivals will be after these guys for their shows next year.
Get ahead of the crowd and discover them for yourselves now.
South Of Salem really do ROCK!