THE BUILDING OF SUCCESS...
ARCHITECTS PLAN SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR THEIR ALBERT HALL GIG, SAM CARTER TELLS JEN THOMAS
THERE are certain dream venues on a checklist of any band. Architects ticked Wembley Arena off their list last year, and now they’re pulling out all the stops for a very special livestreamed show at the Royal Albert Hall this weekend.
‘We didn’t want to skimp on anything,’ says frontman Sam Carter. ‘We’ve never even done a live DVD, so we wanted to make it a really special thing rather than just us in an empty room. Make it look like quite haunting, you know, and really focused on the fact that nobody’s there because it’s such an amazing venue.’ He throws his hands up in mock despair. ‘It’s almost a crime that nobody’s there to see it in person!’
Sam was blown away when the band went to look at the venue. ‘I was walking around the hall and there’s photos of every act that’s played there — Bob Dylan from 1966, The Beatles in 1963… We probably shouldn’t be playing in a venue so beautiful!’ he laughs.
The Brighton metallers’ ninth album For Those That Wish To Exist, comes out next year and features cameos from Royal Blood, Parkway Drive and Biffy Clyro. It’s quite the mission statement. The songs leaked so far have gone down a storm, and you’ll have a chance to hear more this weekend, ‘We’ll be playing two other songs that haven’t been released,’ says Sam. ‘It’s super-exciting to be able to do that, normally we wouldn’t. But what an opportunity. When you make a new record, it’s important to get it out there, and what better way to do it in a venue like this and have it filmed and recorded and mixed and sounding amazing. It’s gonna be one to remember.’
Recording the new album during the first lockdown sounds like quite the covert operation.
‘I was going into a studio every day with just Dan (Searle, guitarist). We had to record everything separately because at that point only two people could meet up. We were getting taxis and riding in separately. No one was around, nobody was suspecting that we were doing any work. It’s normally really busy at this studio with younger bands and people would notice us there and know we were up to something. Stealth recording!’
Although he’s been enjoying spending time with his fiancée and two cute dogs, Sam definitely misses the live shows. ‘Honestly, what I wouldn’t give to play in front of a crowd? I wouldn’t care if it was just ten people. To see that reaction in person when we play the new songs, or a song that a fan really loves. It’s that moment when you make eye contact with someone when they realise what’s going down, even if it’s just for a second. That connection is what makes it so special.’
Some old photos recently sent Sam down memory lane. ‘We’ve had a photographer with us for the last three or four records. I found every photo he’s ever taken of us and it was like “wow, there’s a lot of people in these pictures… stood so close together!”
‘My dogs don’t give quite the same reaction to when I sing, compared to 5,000 people in Germany. I want to have somebody sing these lyrics back to me.’
Having never done things by halves, Architects are planning to put on the show of a lifetime to clear away the cobwebs of 2020.
‘I want people to watch us this weekend and be like, holy s***, these boys have really gone for it. The other option was me to perform Oasis covers badly on Instagram live in my bathroom. I know which I’d prefer.’
■ Architects play live at 8pm on Saturday, architects.veeps.com
‘We probably shouldn’t be playing in a venue so beautiful!’