International Blues act Dapper set to rock EK
Eight months after selling out one East Kilbride venue, international outfit Dapper are set to rock another when they play on home soil later this month.
Lanarkshire frontman Gary White and bass player Mike Macdonald, who now lives in Madrid, Spain were born-and-bred in EK and can’t wait to debut songs from their forthcoming album, Dapper Dos, to a home crowd.
The sophomore to their hugely successful debut, Dapper As, is similar in sound with a selection of diverse, genrehopping tracks.
The five-piece are collective of musicians from Scotland to Venezuela, with influences ranging from Muddy Waters to The Black Keys.
Despite the difficulties that come with the majority of the band being based on Mediterranean waters, Gary insists the logistics involved in laying down tracks were no nightmare – thanks to the wonders of modern technology.
The former Murray man said: “Since we first came back to East Kilbride in February, we’ve been on the circuit in Madrid and the new songs have been tremendously well-received. We currently have a selection of 20 songs which we hope to get down to a dozen or so for the album, so we plan to release a fivetrack EP in the next couple of weeks before bringing the album out at the end of the year.
“I go to Madrid four times a year to get the vocal work and guitar parts down. It can be difficult, but Skype and Facetime makes it so much easier to carve out ideas.
“When we do get together it’s as if we’ve been rehearsing for months.”
Describing themselves as a blues-revival for a modern audience, Dapper are also made up of guitarist Carlos Mirete, from Madrid, drummer Jan Hajny from Prague and producer and keyboard player, Victor Hugo Mendoza from Venezuela.
“There’s a repeated vibe from the first album into the second with real versatility in the songs and we don’t stick to one genre,” added Gary.
“From punk all the way through to rock ballad with a heavy blues influence – it’s very Dapper in feel.”
Gary also revealed the band have caught the eye of a Madrid-based Grammy award-winning producer who is set to work his magic on Dapper Dos.
Speaking about their homecoming gig in The Union bar on November 16, Gary said: “We are really excited to be back in East Kilbride. It’s so nostalgic for us.” Tickets £10.