Sancho Panza & Gingham - The Angel Gig Review

Gingham

Gingham is an amazing new shoegaze-influenced alternative rock band from Birmingham. Tonight, they played their third Nottingham show so far, and I was thrilled to see them support another one of my favourite bands, Sancho Panza. I've known most of them as great friends for many years. I first met them through the Nottingham music scene at various gigs, and seeing them unite to form a band has always been exciting for me. I first watched them when they supported my band (Sam Shaw & The Real Eyes) at Liquid Light Brewery last year, which was an incredible show that really put them on the map in Nottingham. Tonight, as they took the stage, the room was full of people new to them, all eager to see who Gingham are. From the moment they began, they exuded a laid-back yet focused vibe, laying down beautiful atmospheric melodies. Frontman Ted’s soaring vocals combined perfectly with the sweet-sounding harmonies from synth player Charlotte, who added multiple layers of textures and sounds to the mix. Guitarist Guy showed great technical ability, along with a very creative and unique tone, powered on by drummer Rob’s incredibly phat-sounding drumbeats, which really got the crowd moving.

The second song, “Astroturf,” raised the roof before debut single “From the Start” was delivered with great confidence. This was a standout tune in their set, having a hugely noticeable impact on the audience—many of whom had never heard of them yet—complete with huge cheers and many people filming and taking photos, clearly making an effort to ensure they could remember them. It’s clear that these guys have a big future in the Nottingham music scene and beyond. Even when they faced a couple of technical issues, they naturally got everyone laughing and smoothed over the brief pause in the show with an improvised lift music jam. It really impressed me how fluidly they did this; it was done so well that no one seemed to notice the technical problems onstage—they handled it perfectly, which is very hard to do.

Their final two songs of the set, “Lucky” and “Overdue,” proved they have a huge range and variety to their sound. With influences from Slowdive to Pavement all shining through, they still managed to retain a distinctively Gingham tone and sound that is entirely their own. I’m so excited to see what the rest of 2025 brings for Gingham. They deserve huge success in what they do, and I hope to see them in Nottingham again soon!

Sancho Panza

Sancho Panza are a band that always knows how to keep their music fresh and their shows unique, and tonight was no exception. Taking to the stage as the audience swelled to a sardine-tin level of busyness, the crowd erupted in cheers for the funk masters of Nottingham. They started with “Kofuku,” a song named after an Asian restaurant where many hot jams were held, and they quickly got the whole room dancing around like it was Saturday Night Fever. Its catchy riff just takes hold of you and makes you want to move. Cameron’s stage presence shone brightly tonight—he’s clearly reached new heights as a performer, with great confidence and humour, interacting with the crowd effortlessly.

Drummer Harry Laycock and bass player Beau Presley were solid as a rhythm section, powering the band forward like a steam train on speed. Lead guitarist Ryan Baynham played one of the greatest solos I’ve ever heard him play during one of their new slower numbers. That’s saying something, as I’ve seen him play a lot of solos, and almost all of them are mind-blowingly good! Their setlist was the perfect mix of their older “classic” tunes like “Hydro Hotel,” which has now been slightly rewritten and evolved to make it even more funky, as well as more recent hits like “Your Place or Mine,” which sounded particularly powerful tonight as they played it with all their might, causing a mass singalong to the brilliantly catchy chorus. This song really sums up the best of what Sancho do—it captures their rockier Rolling Stones-influenced side, while also blasting a funky beat. It’s a combination that really works!

The new one, “Pixie Queen,” was a beautifully swampy song that reminded me of the style of Creedence Clearwater Revival and other 70’s rock bands. It’s a new direction for them, and I really loved it! Some of the slower numbers, like “I’m Just a Guy,” added depth and emotional weight to the set, which worked well dynamically. The crowd got a brief breather to catch our breath before jumping back into the barnstorming dancing that filled the Chapel with an incredible vibe. After an extensive setlist that showcased the best of Sancho’s music, they ended with a big finale—the huge tune “In the Hive,” which has to be one of the best and catchiest riffs I’ve ever heard them play. This sent the whole room wild and was the perfect tune to end this crazy party. There’s no question that Sancho Panza are one of the best bands in Nottingham right now, and the ultimate party people who bring the greatest vibes and tunes wherever they go!

Sancho Panza Interview

Sam: So, how did it feel to be on stage last night? It was an incredible show.

Cameron Harris: Yeah, it was really fun. I had a great time! Always good fun at The Angel.

Sam: The support bands were amazing too! Did you manage to watch them?

Cameron: Yeah, I saw them all because I was on the door selling tickets! I heard and saw them all. Rottweiler—very good. Their drummer, Mohammed, is a great guy, and you gotta love his hustle. Calico was funky too, very good. Gingham were great as well—they’re more shoegazy, with the legends Rob and Ted and the rest. They're all really nice people. It was a good night of music. I had a great time. Hope you did too, Sam!

Sam: Yeah, I really enjoyed that! It was a fun night. Tell me about Berlin—you're going soon. Are you excited?

Cameron: We're heading to Berlin on Thursday. That should be great fun. Never played in Germany before, been to Berlin a few times but never played there. It should be nice.

Sam: What sort of venue is it?

Cameron: It’s like a bar, I think. One of the many hip districts in Kreuzberg. There's a bar near the big airport—it’s a mad place near the city, just a huge flat park now. But yeah, Berlin’s great. Hopefully, we’ll also play near Leipzig. We’ll see how that goes.

Sam: That sounds fun!

Cameron: Yeah, it’d be in a warehouse if it happens. I’ve heard whispers it might not, but we’ll see. Either way, we’re flying back from Prague.

Sam: How does it feel to play in a different country? Does it feel different? Do you think the crowd is different?

Cameron: Yeah, I guess. Since they get fewer British bands, it feels a bit more welcoming. It's a capital city too, so you never know who’s going to turn up. Should be good fun. I’ve played in Paris before, and that was great. People just come to see the music, you know? They come to check out some band. It should be good.

Sam: So, you’ve been recording new music for your upcoming album.

Cameron: Yes! It’s taken up most of my life lately. It’s coming along. I’ve got five songs in the can. I’ve still got more to do, but these five are done and dusted. There are a lot of demos, but now we’re working on the real ones. I’ve got the studio now. Life is good.

Sam: How’s the studio been?

Cameron: It’s been interesting to have a new space. It’s great to have a place to work and get all that stuff down. The hardest part of recording is singing. You have to do it over and over and over again. You're always trying to reach for something, but you’ve got to mess it up first before you get there. Everyone hates the sound of their own voice, right? But it’s good to be in a studio, not stuck in your house, singing in a cupboard. It's much more enjoyable to hear it all back properly in a studio space.

Sam: What would you say are your current influences? Any bands you’re listening to a lot?

Cameron: It changes from day to day, you know? I was listening to both Chappell Roan and The Rolling Stones today. Stones for life, you know. But that song "Hot to Go" has been stuck in my head all day. It’s pretty catchy: “You can take me hot to go.” You know that one? Same guy who writes all those Ariana Grande songs. There’s some really good stuff in pop right now. It’s weird, but the aesthetic of pop has gone back to that synthesizer stuff, more 80s-like. The Currents' drums, all that stuff. It's a bit psychedelic with the synth vibe, but still, really nice songs sung by beautiful women.

Sam: Are there any bands in the Nottingham scene that you’re interested in right now?

Cameron: Yeah, they’re all good. It’s never been better, Sam. It’s popping. I love The Cucamaras, Marvin’s Revenge, Do Nothing. Those guys have been around a while, though—they’re veterans.

Sam: Anyone new on your radar?

Cameron: The best band I’ve seen recently is Drury Hill.

Sam: Oh, yeah, I haven’t seen them yet.

Cameron: They’re really good. They can all really play. The guitarist is amazing, and the singer is really good too. I think they’re going to do big things.

Sam: Any memorable gigs in the past year or so? Anything that stands out?

Cameron: Kendal Calling was amazing. We met Gary Neville that day, which was hilarious. We did a show in the Twin Peaks diner—little diner on a hill at the festival with amazing coffee. Tim Burgess was there too, and his wife took photos of the band. It was such a good time. Also, last night at The Angel was brilliant. Great gig.

Sam: Any upcoming Nottingham Sancho shows?

Cameron: Yes, we’re doing Honeyfeet in Nottingham on Monday, March 3rd, then we’ve got a magazine launch gig for Sprawl Magazine with Hotel Lux on March 14th. On March 15th, we’re playing a festival at the new Art Exchange, then we’ve got Record Store Day at Rough Trade next month. We’re also doing a single launch at The Angel again—do you like The Angel? I love The Angel! It’s going to be "Your Place or Mine," hopefully with a music video ready by then. We could even film some of it in Berlin!

Gingham Interview

Sam: So, tell me, how did it feel to be on that stage tonight at The Angel?

Guy: I think initially we were excited because we'd had a bit of a rough soundcheck, and then we fixed the issues. But then, you know, we got on stage and started playing, and everything was good. We had a few little technical difficulties, but then we overcame them.

Ted: We had a lot of fun, but there were definitely moments of panic. It was a very good time.

Sam: But I want to say, you guys overcame those technical issues that weren't your fault and made it a show that was fucking incredible! And that's hard to do, right? So how do you do that? How did you feel when it was going a little bit out of your control, and you made it right? Do you feel like there's a trick to that? Do you feel like you do it naturally because you did it so well?

Guy: Thank you. I mean, like, being as close friends as we've been for a long time, it’s like you sort of learn to deal with situations like that just from being so close, I guess.

Rob: We've played gigs and we know— we've played gigs that have been fucking amazing, and we know it can be a certain way. So we're able to look back on that and be aware that like, this isn’t going the way we want it to, but we’ve got a job to do. Pull it together, let’s make this the best it can be, even though things are going against us. Whereas, like early days, if I played gigs like that, where technical difficulties happened, something would go wrong, and it'd be like, "Oh my god, what the fuck do we do?" You want everything to be like exactly how you did in practice, and if one thing goes wrong, it kind of throws you off. But now, we've been playing together for like, what, a year and a half? Yeah, a year and three months or so.

Guy: There's an ideal Gingham. Yeah, but sometimes it doesn’t go exactly how you want it.

Rob: So we can be like, okay, it's not going 100%, it's not going perfectly our way, but at least we know we can do it.

Sam: Yeah. Let's make this as good as we can and make the best of it. And you did that!

Ted: I think the fact that we've had gigs before where we’ve had some technical issues, it’s like I've somehow broken the same high E string multiple times. You learn how to adapt. It’s always the same stuff. You’ve got to make a joke out of it and let some of the awkwardness go. Like, fucking Guy and Bobbo saved it by breaking out a little samba.

Sam: Yeah, that was brilliant.

Ted: That’s when we were fixing the bass.

Sam: Yeah, that was brilliant. And people were laughing and having a good time while you were doing that.

Guy: But as Ted says, we've done that before. We've had the same technical difficulties before.

Ted: I think we need some better cables.

Guy: Yeah, you have to make the best of it.

Rob: It’s also like, if it was the first time we played Nottingham, it’d be very easy to get in our heads and think we’re never going to play here again. They’re going to run us out of town. But this is the fourth time we’ve played Nottingham—not to be too presumptuous, but at the very least, there’ll be another time. Exactly. There will be. We know that. If this was the very first gig out of Birmingham, we might be like, “Fucking hell, we’re never going to escape. We’re always just going to play the same three venues in Birmingham.” But the tide passes, and you realize, like, you’re solid. You build solidity from the tide passing.

Sam: So, how did you guys meet as a band? When did it first form?

Ted: So, me and Bobbo, there was a conversation in our wood tech class in Year 8. I knew he was a drummer because he built a drum-inspired alarm clock. I was like, this guy's a drummer. We need a drummer. So, in secondary school, we were in one of our first bands, and Bobbo was playing the tubs. We did a couple of gigs as very early bands together. Then I guess I met Guy at a gig in Birmingham when we were like 15 or 16. So, three of us have been friends since we were like 15. Ted since we were like 12 or 13. We met Harry when we were teenagers, and then Charlotte when she was at uni and was mates with our friends. She was in a project with one of our friends. And that friend was the reason we met because she moved to my school from your school. It’s all very convoluted.

Rob: It’s like we were in our first band together. We all went off and did different things. I was in other bands, Ted was in a band that should not be named. We don’t want to give them a promo.

Ted: No way, no way.

Rob: Then I went to uni, came back.

Ted: In Nottingham, by the way.

Rob: Then, I went traveling and stuff. When I came back, these two lived together, and we were like, we’ve got all these songs. Let’s just jam. Then, we decided to make it a band. Since October 2023, we’ve been like, let’s make this a band, and since then, we’ve got Harry in, and Charlotte too.

Ted: And now we’re full.

Guy: I think living together for the past three years has definitely helped with the songwriting.

Ted: Yeah, exactly.

Guy: I come out of my bedroom, and it’s like, "Let’s work. Hey, I’ve got this idea. Let’s work." Yeah, that definitely helps the process.

Sam: About the songwriting, do you feel like there’s a set way that you guys usually do that? Or is it random? How does it work?

Guy: Someone comes up with a chord pattern, be it me or Ted. Then, someone plays along on bass or guitar.

Ted: A lot of times, we write stuff together, where one of us is playing bass. That’s kind of how we build the melodic idea. But there are some songs that have been in the vault for a few years. We’re trying to get them out now so we can focus on newer, more collaborative stuff. But yeah, it helps living together.

Guy: Yeah, it’s close proximity.

Ted: Then we bring stuff to the band, and everyone adds their own flavour to it. We’re just happy to surround ourselves with talented musicians who add their own great ideas. That’s what we thought of when we...

Guy: Said like a true spokesman.

Ted: The politician.

Guy: Definitely PR trained.

Ted: Exactly.

Sam: Tell me about your inspirations for the music.

Ted: Oh God.

Guy: Start the list.

Ted: We like to think we have pretty eclectic tastes. But there are definitely big influences. You’ve got to say Slowdive. And who in the past 50 years, nearly 60, hasn’t been influenced by The Beatles? We grew up listening to the indie music of Birmingham—Jaws, Peace, and things like that. They were our first gigs. Definitely inspired by the psych scene in Australia at that time. We listen to all sorts—Pond and stuff like that. A lot of 80s indie, especially what I grew up on. I had a flashback the other day, I was like, "Wait, Sundaze?" Best little shout-out.

Sam: You were there, dude! All of you.

Ted: That was a good time. But yeah, we grew up on a lot of 80s indie stuff, especially through our parents. My dad was into the C86 tapes. The Smiths is a big one.

Sam: You guys are jangly as fuck.

Ted: Yeah, we’re very jangly. There’s a lot of modern music that influences us too. Who isn’t influenced by Black Country, New Road? That first album...

Sam: I saw Black Midi at the Contemporary Art Gallery on their first-ever tour. It was the original lineup.

Ted: Yeah, that whole London scene. English Teacher’s new album is a huge influence on us. We love that weird time signature.

Guy: Yeah, we were watching the Mercury's together, and we were like, "I don’t think they’ll win it, but if English Teacher wins..."!

Ted: And then they did. We had a drink to celebrate that moment for angular, emotional indie music. It was a good feeling. It makes you feel like it's possible.

Ted: We’ve got friends who’ve recently blown up. We did our first-ever gig with Gans. They’ve just been signed to Pete Doherty’s label.

Sam: Oh, nice.

Ted: They’ve been on tours around Europe, and it’s great to see Birmingham music getting the attention it deserves.

Guy: Justin Hawkins from The Darkness. Yeah, he’s got a YouTube channel where he talks about music.

Ted: He talked about Gans, and when we watched it, we were like, "What the fuck? These are our boys."

Guy: Yeah, my first-ever show, I played bass in a band. Ewan was the drummer. We played a couple of gigs, parted ways, and then it was great to play our first gig with him again. It felt like reuniting.

Ted: We were both in bands in the Birmingham scene, and we both started new projects together at the same time. It’s been inspiring.

Sam: How do you feel about the Birmingham scene at the moment?

Ted: I think it’s so underrated. So much good stuff happening. Bands like Olly Cook, Jazz Cat, Pip—there’s a lot of great music coming out of Birmingham right now.

Guy: And everyone’s friends.

Ted: It’s a small scene. I’m in another band with Genevieve Miles. Bobbo’s doing another thing. Guy’s got a thing on the way. It’s like everyone’s working on something at the same time. But I will say, don’t tell them, but I think the Nottingham scene is a little bit cooler.

Guy: Hold the phone closer for that one! Great sound bite...!

Ted: We don’t have Do Nothing, Divorce, Midnight Rodeo, or Sam Shaw and The Real Eyes.

Sam: Thanks, man!

Ted: So, it’s a great scene, but we love being in Nottingham and playing gigs here.

Sam: We love you being in Nottingham, honestly.

Ted: But yeah, I feel like we’re only down the road. There’s a bit of crossover.

Sam: Yeah, for sure. I’ve always felt like, even from the Jimmy’s Big Ideas days, there’s always been a Nottingham-Birmingham thing, even Sancho Panza are from Birmingham.

Guy: Yeah, definitely. It's like twin cities. There’s a lot of crossover between both music scenes. We’re big fans of both.

Sam: So, you’ve been recording. Is there a new single coming out? Tell me about the recording process.

Ted: Yeah, we’ve got a single coming out in April. First one in a while. We’ve been busy touring, playing gigs, and dealing with life—everyone’s got jobs and commitments, so it’s been hard to fit everything around. But we’ve managed to piece it together over a few months. We recorded drums with Engineer Joe at a uni he works at. We snuck in after hours to record there.

Sam: He’s your man on the inside.

Ted: Yeah, exactly. It’s always good to have a man on the inside. Sneaks you in. We did a lot of the rest of it at home, recorded cello in Joe’s flat, which had really nice acoustics. That might have made the song.

Sam: Ooh, interesting!

Guy: Yeah, we’re getting other stuff ready. Big things coming.

Rob: Big things coming.

Ted: Keep an eye out, basically.

Guy: Keep your eyes peeled.

Sam: That’s exciting! I can’t wait to hear it. So, any more gigs coming up?

Ted: There’s a gig in April to hopefully coincide with the release of the single. We don’t have a set date yet, but we should have something by next week. We’re planning a headline single release gig in Birmingham at the A&E House, but we’d love to be back in Nottingham soon.

Sam: Any standout shows so far? Any memorable gigs?

Ted: Definitely our first headline in Birmingham. We scrambled to get a headline set together and finished a few songs that ended up becoming some of our favourites. It was surreal to see people care about the songs just hours after they were released, singing lyrics to us. That was definitely a standout for us.

Guy: My favourite was probably the This Is Tomorrow 2025 Ones to Watch show. They’re a really big promoter, and we were so honoured to be included on that lineup. It felt so good to be picked as one of the ones to watch.

Rob: For me, the first time we played Nottingham was memorable. I’d been living here for three years, coming to gigs. Then, to be onstage here was like a decade-long fulfillment of something I never thought would happen.

Ted: Shout-out to Babe Punch too.

Sam: Oh man, Babe Punch! They were cool. Shout-out to Babe Punch.

Rob: This project we’re doing together feels like a decade-long fulfilment. Especially being in a band with Ted.

Sam: So, have you got a message for the people reading this who want to know more about you?

Guy: If you like us, thanks for all the support and thanks for sticking with us!

Ted: Lace Market is the best smoke spot!

Rob: Viva Murat!