Debut single gig in Lincoln for local musician

Haydn Leslie, better known to local music fans as Redherrings, is looking forward to leaving the nerves behind him as he journeys to Lincoln on Thursday to launch his new single at Kind bar.

Haydn finds playing in Lincoln is always a far more relaxed affair than the stresses of gigging in London and other major cities: “It’s always fun to do it here in Lincoln. It feels like there’s no pressure at all, it’s very mellow as it’s closer to home, so much more enjoyable.”

Haydn is based in Sleaford, but takes any opportunity to gig around the country to reach as wide an audience as possible with his delicate and dreamy style of folk, crafting songs that sound like a one-man Bombay Bicycle Club. Leslie opted for the stage name of Redherrings when he started making his own music:

“I felt weird using my name as a title to put my music under, and having a moniker to house everything in makes things easier to manage,” he said. “It also leaves things open for me to expand to a full band in the future.”

The show is to celebrate his latest release, new single Wanderlust, which will be available to download at midnight after the performance. Haydn feels it marks a change in the sound which many became familiar with after his debut Do No Harm EP: “A lot of people have told me this is more upbeat and optimistic than my previous songs.”

Despite this marking the first time the single will be available to download, it’s been a staple of Haydn’s performances for almost a year, eventually becoming a favourite among audiences. He said: “I wrote and recorded the first demo of the track late last summer and have played it a lot live. I often began the set with Wanderlust for a long time and always got asked about it, so I decided it would be the next thing I released.”

Anyone heading up to Kind for the evening will also be greeted by sets from Aspen Sails, Matt Colwell and Elliott Morris. Having these acts as support will make the night even more momentous for Haydn: “I’ve been a fan of Aspen Sails for a few years now so to have them play on my own single release night is a treat. Elliott and Matt are also awesome guys, so it’s going to be a special night.”

Expect to hear more from Redherrings very soon, as Leslie has no intention of slowing down his momentum: “Playing music is my only plan, I’ll just keep doing it until it’s no longer an option!”

The night starts at 8pm and entry is free. See the Facebook event for further details.