Kampala are a 4 piece alternative rock band from Dublin and Kildare, Ireland. Formed by Rob McDonnell (vox, guitar) with Baz Daly (bass) and Justin Capocci (drums), before finally adding former Keeley guitarist Dan Kane (guitar/vox), they are more than sum of their parts. Bringing their own blend of a mixture of melodic and aggressive beat-heavy indie rock. It feels new but with mileage, hooky but with complexity.
Drawing inspiration from several decades of iconic sounds, the band’s music carries echoes of Depeche Mode, The Cure, Smashing Pumpkins, Suede, Seattle Grunge, Johnny Marr, Joy Division, Gang of Four, DIIV, Interpol, Foals, among others. In more recent times, the band have also been influenced by contemporary artists such as Fontaines D.C., The Murder Capital, NewDad, The Twilight Sad, Osees, Lo Moon, The War On Drugs, Deep Sea Diver to name but a few.
The band in full flow is earning a name for their electrifying live performances, seamlessly blending a powerhouse rhythm section with bold guitar work and commanding vocals. Playing regular shows and festivals in Ireland and Germany since 2022, Kampala have honed a dynamic and self-assured energy in each performance.
2025 sees the band going into the studio to record a debut full-length offering, with a dozen songs in the pipeline. The lead single for the upcoming album is ‘Fifteen Seconds’, released on May 30th 2025.
See you at the next show!
The follow up to May’s “Fifteen Seconds” (a song about the problems with the modern world’s attention span, Orangutan looks at the state of partisan politics in the world and how our elected leaders regularly fall short of any sort of meaningful leadership and effectively are making the world more a zoo led by the apes every day.
Like the rest of Kampala’s forthcoming debut album “Orangutan” was self produced and recorded live at the band’s rehearsal room in Ballymount in Dublin. And mixed by Diarmuid Breathnach.