Band On A Run - Gauge The Room
When a group of friends decided to put a last-minute set together for Sherborne Unplugged, it led to them forming a new band with a fast-growing fanbase....
For many bands, the journey from performing covers to writing their own material is a long one, hard travelled. But not for Sherborne Boys’ band, Gauge the Room, whose progress to being popular music-makers in their own right has been remarkably speedy.
The band got together after a group of friends at Sherborne hatched a last-minute plan to perform at an intimate unplugged event. Their set went down so well they soon appeared as a four-piece again. This time, they took to the stage at Courtsfest, Sherborne Boys and Sherborne Girls’ annual celebration of rock and pop music.
Playing covers by the likes of Kings of Leon, Franz Ferdinand and Oasis, Gauge the Room brought the house down – and theirs has been a story of success ever since.
Meet The Band
Gauge the Room are Hector S (vocals), Charlie D (guitar), Freddie L (bass) and James W (drums). They are aged between 15 and 18 and found common cause in the music studios of Sherborne Boys – where pupils have always been encouraged to pursue a diversity of musical interests.
“We’re lucky to have access to great facilities, including a high-quality recording studio,” says Charlie. “For us, that’s proved a great opportunity to discover our own sound and draw on a variety of influences.”
Before that, though, the band needed to establish its identity. Freddie and Hector had been playing and writing music together for a while when Charlie and James joined them for the “Unplugged” gig.
“We didn’t have much of a plan,” laughs Hector. “It was a case of deciding on a set list, doing some frantic rehearsals, and seeing what happened. On the night of the show, everything came together. People connected with our performance and we all realised we’d found something we wanted to keep doing.”
That made the decision to perform at Courtsfest a no-brainer. “We expanded our repertoire and adopted a fuller sound,” explains James. “We made sure to include some crowd-pleasers and they seemed to go down well. Immediately the show finished, Gauge the Room was officially born.”
New Material
Given their success in performing other people’s material, the band could easily have established themselves as a covers act and built a fanbase in and around Sherborne. But the boys wanted to stretch themselves: it wasn’t long before Charlie was in the studio, putting down the chords that, with Hector’s lyrics, would become their first single, “Rest Has Been Lost”.
The recording process was helped by the fact both James and Charlie study Music Technology at Sherborne, meaning they have the technical skill to create a professional-quality track. And, of course, all four boys are accomplished musicians, more than capable of producing a studio-ready performance. Backing singing was brilliantly provided by Lorin H from Sherborne Girls.
The evidence is seen not only in the single, which they released on streaming platforms and supported with social media posts, but also in the growing attention the track has garnered online.
“Our Spotify listens for ‘Rest Has Been Lost’ now exceed 9,000,” says Freddie. “It’s been a surreal feeling watching the streams grow. It definitely made us want to create more music.”
With that in mind, they set to work on their follow-up release, entitled “Rushing In”. Charlie says this channels a more personal sound, charting the ups and downs of a tricky relationship. “I think it shows a development in our song writing,” he explains. “The lyrics are deeper, and there is more texture to the music.”
Released at the end of September, “Rushing In” has already notched up thousands of streams (currently over 7,000) and helped grow Gauge the Room’s fanbase further still. It is a sophisticated piece of music, holding its own amid the bustle of Spotify and with an engaging video to help raise its profile. So, could it be the song that takes the band to the next level?
“We’re staying realistic,” says Hector. “We’ve all got exams this year so there’s lots to focus on. But we believe in our music and can see the potential to keep on reaching new listeners.”
A Bigger Room
To continue growing, the band has already booked gigs in local venues and at festivals, in the firm belief that nothing builds a fanbase like regular live performances. They will also keep on writing and recording, feeding their internet following as new songs emerge.
“It’s a long way from where we started, with three days’ practice and a rough set list for a small gig in school,” says James. “We’ve made a lot of progress since then, but still have the feeling Gauge the Room is just getting started. We’re all excited to see what happens next.”
