Belfast based quartet Stratford Rise lead a new breed of guitar music rising from the Irish noise rock scene. Their debut single ‘Water Running Through Faucet’ cascaded listeners into the epicentre of the dynamic noise that has made Stratford Rise a formidable force both on and off the stage. Their second single ‘World’s Fair’ hybridises their abrasive sound with a new exploration of melody and lush production, offering audiences a taste of each polar end of the experimental rock spectrum. Anxious fixations on minute details, and all-encompassing vagaries permeate their lyrical content, tending to document characters often in varying levels of crisis.
Their explosive live shows have made them one of the most talked about bands in the Irish live circuit. In a short period of time, they have built an impressive repertoire of performances. From supporting noise rock legends, The Jesus Lizard in Belfast’s Limelight, and a sold out show in Dublin’s The Button Factory, proving their ability to hold their own alongside the greats. At Whelans Ones to Watch Festival the band stole the show, with audience members surfing across the room. In 2024 they also embarked on their own five- date Irish tour. Their stage presence is erratic, theatrical, and visceral, with each members becoming enveloped by the music, offering a visually exciting performance for audiences. Other notable highlights: Just Mustard support slot at Limerick’s legendary Féile Na Gréine, support slots for Crows. (https://mcgigmusic.com/crows-stratford-rise-reason-enough-tour-the-sound-house-dublin-12-10-2024/)
2025 is to be a big year for Stratford Rise with their debut eponymous EP set to release in late spring. The EP promises to deliver a blistering collection of tracks that encapsulate the band’s intensity, a tasting platter of their live staples thus far. It is a collection of songs that explore extremes in music, interlocking rhythms, and combining harsh, noisy ideas with consonant ones. Lyrically, it’s about small fleeting glimpses into characters at crossroads and crisis.