Asked to name the highlight of their career so far, The Maccabees answer without hesitation. It was 13 June, 2006 at London’s Café De Paris, the last date of their first UK headline tour. It hadn’t been easy. In some towns, they played to 10 people...
Then an amazing gig, their first ever queue round the block, and a killer party to finish (featuring a snake charmer, no less).
“It was the first time we felt the excitable energy that you get at a good gig,” says guitarist Felix White. They never looked back. Now every gig has that same energy.
Front man Orlando Weeks’ lyrics are as unmissable as his brightly coloured cardigans and second-hand jewellery.
The Maccabees’ story began four years ago. While still at school, Orlando and Robert used to watch TV and write songs in Orlando’s bedroom. By the summer of 2003, Rupert and Hugo had joined them. Felix was playing with a band called Jack’s Basement, named after their frontman Jack Peñate. When Jack broke up the band to concentrate on a solo career, Felix joined The Maccabees, and the line-up was complete.
They chose the name by flicking through books. The biggest in the house was The Bible. They came across the story of The Maccabees, Jewish rebels who fought against Greek rule and established Jewish independence in the second century BC. As soon as they saw they name, they knew that was it. But it’s only a name. They’re not a religious band.
They relocated from London to Brighton as Orlando chose to study illustration at Brighton University, and it was here that popularity of the band started to rise.
Their first single, X-Ray, received airplay on XFM and earned them support slots with Arctic Monkeys, Maxïmo Park and The Subways.
Helpfully, Orlando, the starting point for most of the band’s songs, fell in and out of love at the right time. The band got some good songs out of it, although it didn’t help Orlando get her back.
Nevertheless, say hello to The Maccabees. They’re coming to steal your heart away.
The Maccabees play Carling Academy tonight. For more information, see www.themaccabbees.co.uk.