SHADE : Big In 2022 with the Spring release video / single: ‘Illusive Dreams’. Biggest show to date: 12th March, This Feeling at Manchester Deaf Institute.

Fittingly, the latest Blueshift Studios video collaboration with up and hard-coming classic guitar band, SHADE, sets up a choir-melody rock song of biblical musicality, in a Failsworth church.

As per the previous short (created with Blue Shift) it’s directed by bassist, Adam Taylor Clare.

Click Here To Watch The Brand New Video.

‘Illusive Dreams’, the first release of the year, was recorded at The Motor Museum by Al Groves (Elvis Costello, Ian Broudie etc…)

Mixed by Gavin Monaghan (The Twang, Editors, The Sherlocks) it’s the Manchester band’s sixth single for pro-active northern independent label, Fear Records.

Wait did we just get dance floor break in there? This is a(nother) big record (shut yer eyes and listen to a song that would not sound out of place being performed to the biggest of crowds).

It is, additionally, a ballsy live favourite. The tune unfolds into a pulsed urgency on and off stage. “To everyone who has come to watch us over the past few years, you know this song goes WILD.” say SHADE. Yup. TheZineUK documentary has borne witness from right down the front.

A psyche-tinged and expansive, energised chorale, ‘Illusive Dreams’ is the next step towards the stature their musical route (and the obvious adoration of music lovers) is driving at. SHADE ooze the promise of potential. When they’re especially on fire, the music world gets its own climate change. Well, you do really need something extra in a city where talent has to fight like a prize boxer for break-out attention. Ideas and dynamics pump through SHADE like an artery and this single is no exception.

SHADE guitarist, Macca, October 2021, Liverpool Sound City Festival. Manchester gifted Johnny Marr and John Squire in the 20th Century. A new generation guitar hero in the making, here.

It’s cooler in the…

SHADE wove into TheZineUK’s story in Autumn 2020 as #FuturePicks with the single, ‘Head In The Clouds’.

Produced by the wizard, Gavin Monaghan, their first release for northern independent label, Fear Records.

The majority of their progress, so far, takes place during the pandemic age.

As we adapt, the songs that arrive in these times will be the best kind of trigger in the future. We’d be in a very bad place without music.

If you like guitar bands you’re gonna love whats happening at grass roots level.

In spite of the “interesting times” that we are living through, within a year and a half of all strong yet differently wired alternated rock singles, to say that SHADE “are coming on a bit” is a major understatement. Artists and our grassroots venue circuit are struggling right now, even the slightest win is a triumph. They’ve gone further than that.

2021

As the ambitous releases and positive feedback kept coming, there was an element of “surreal circus” with an expanded crew of support and belief from audiences and connected industry alike.

Reputation building organically. Lyrical compositions of tempo changes and audible temperature changes. Youthful lifetimes of fused artistic influences. Connecting ideas to rhythmic, structured riffed layers. SHADE are becoming their own genre beyond “indie” or “alternative rock”. That’s another fresh thing about the newer wave of guitar bands - the spectrum of sounds. Soon people will say “For Fans Of SHADE” in comparisons.

In and after lockdown, they’ve played sessions, festivals, key supports, various music TV sessions, been all over both national and independent radio and even topped the Netherlands Indie charts, amidst international positivity.

Autumn/Winter 2021 - being adored at Manchester Night & Day’s This Feeling show. Image by **Neil Winward** https://facebook.com/neilwinwardphotography/

DIY media with their ear closest to the ground are already on board alongside the likes of bigger radio stations like XS Manchester and Radio X.

With a hard working ethic and prolific creativity (plus over 230,000 streams on Spotify and a swathe of great reviews for every release), SHADE had earned being chosen as one of This Feeling’s tips for this year.

Their solidarity anthem, ‘Test Of Time’, inadvertedly co-incided with Summer 2021’s rush of love in defense of Marcus Rashford. The timing was accidental but it felt like a beautiful song for the beautiful game. In a World Cup year, it’s now a track for posterity on the Big In 2022 triple vinyl compilation (Blood Records). The limited album, which sold out within a day, raises money for the Teenage Cancer Trust charity.

The music world good souls at This Feeling have been a consistent SHADE supporter since early days and have staged a series of incremental live shows since their earlist gigs.

Macca (lead guitar), Luke (vocals/guitar), Adam (bass) - this will be drummer, Dylan’s debut show. Photography, Chris Ramsden. https://www.ceeramsden.com/

TF, the No.1 guitar bands / events promoter in the land knows formidable artists when it hears them and has an inimitable reputation for consistently spotting awe inducing alumni at an embryonic state.

Take SHADE seriously.

Get involved.

Spring 2022:

Setting up and stepping up with ‘Illusive Dreams’ underlines all the above just before the bands biggest headline home town show so far at The Deaf Institute on Saturday 12th March.

Ah that gorgeous venue brings back memories - last time I was there? Nova Twins at Neighbourhood Festival 2019. I notice that The Great Leslie, (caught being all sparky on stage at last Summer’s SNCFest), are in support. This whole documentary is about a spreading music movement in the most impossible of times. What a tapestry weaves. We might even know what we’re on about! Have not caught The Hazy Janes show yet, but they're picking up new gigs at a respectable rate so something’s going on. Go early and get the full night out. The headliners have got a new set list and arrangements up their sleeves. Not only that, there’s something a bit churchy about The Deaf Institute.

This is a key (14+ Entry) Saturday evening out for the city to celebrate one of it’s own. Tickets are of course going… going… click here and be there.

…and hear here! Spotify , Apple Music and Amazon Music via https://facebook.com/SHADEbandmcr

Whatever you do, at times like these, be like SHADE and keep dreaming.