Ballot-winning band share Truck stage with Kasabian: 'It will be insane...'

Indie rockers CARSICK open the Main Stage today having won through from 3,786 hopefuls. ‘It will be insane’ drummer Jack Hardiman tells CAMERON BLACKSHAW

“We’re sharing the stage with Kasabian. I can’t quite compute it.

“I think I’m only going to realise what’s happened once the whole thing is over. It will be insane.”

This is what Reading-born and Thatcham-raised Jack Hardiman, 22-year-old drummer for the indie rock band CARSICK, had to say about opening the Main Stage at Truck Festival this weekend.

The band were one of 3,786 hopeful artists that applied to play the festival.

CARSICK were part of the final 100 act shortlist, and they were the band that won the public vote to play Truck’s opening slot on Thursday afternoon.

“It was basically ridiculous from the get-go,” said Jack.

“We were thinking like yeah, we’ll chuck our names in there, but there’s no way that they’ll notice us because we’re only just getting started.”

The band only formed in October last year, but their beer-fuelled brand of witty and energetic guitar music has already gained a cult following, with CARSICK regularly playing sold-out shows across the South West.

Jack described CARSICK’s sound as “The Streets with guitars” and he acknowledged the British indie and hip-hop influences of artists such as Jamie T, Slaves and Slowthai on their music.

His own musical interests lie in the worlds of hardcore punk, metal and British rock which he states influenced his punky drumming style.

“We all have different specialities in music, so when we all bring our influences together I feel like we can create something unique,” he said.

Jack currently lives in Bristol with the band’s lead singer, 22-year-old Joe Richardson.

Joe hails from Salisbury, along with his brother Jack, 25, the bassist, and Bailey Saunders, 20, the guitarist.

Salisbury may be the band’s hometown, with Jack describing CARSICK’s biggest ever gig to 350 people in the city as a, “huge moment” for the band, but Newbury plays a major part in its existence too.

CARSICK record all their music at Greenham Business Park’s Studio 91, a successful recording studio that has also hosted bands such as Supergrass and Bring Me the Horizon.

The band have released three singles so far, with the catchy and anthemic Is What It Is having already reached nearly 13,000 streams on Spotify.

However, for Jack, it’s performing live that really fuels his passion of being in the band.

“It’s all about being on stage. It doesn’t matter where it is.

“We’ve played to 15 people, and it’s still great.

“No matter what the vibe is, as long as you give 100 per cent energy on stage there are people that will react positively to it that haven’t seen you before.”

CARSICK will bring their signature energy to Truck Festival when they open the Main Stage on Thursday afternoon at 3.30pm.