Backgammon
Backgammon are a rock band emerging from the forests of Ermelo, the Netherlands. After years of extensive touring throughout the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the UK, 2018 will see the band releasing a new range of singles recorded by Guido Aalbers (Paceshifters) and mastered by Pete Maher (Rolling Stones, Jack White, The Killers).
With over 150 shows played in the last two years, Backgammon have gained experience quickly. The build-up towards their self-titled debut album, which was released on February 10th with a headline show in Paradiso Amsterdam, has not passed unnoticed. Dutch music blog 3voor12 already included the band in their Hollandse Nieuwe list for most promising Dutch talents upon the release of their debut EP Get Rich in 2012. In 2015, after the release of the second EP A Walk Back Home, Backgammon reached the finals of the country's biggest band competition the Grote Prijs van Nederland. Backgammon were also one of the most booked bands out of 138 acts that were selected for traveling showcase festival Popronde in the fall of 2016. This all led to live sessions at national radio channels Radio 1, Radio 2 and 3FM.
After releasing two EP's, Backgammon collaborated with producer Martijn Groeneveld (John Coffey, Dotan) from studio Mailmen to record the Backgammon debut album. Singles Oh Yeah! and Through The Back Of My Head were both included in Spotify's New Music Friday, resulting in great international attention…
"Unlike so much of what is out there today, Backgammon are creating some outstanding music. Impressive arrangements and such strong melody and lyrical quality, I think they can do very well around the world." — Tom Sarig
Stumbling upon single Through The Back Of My Head in his Discover Weekly on Spotify, New York based Tom Sarig reached out to the band. Sarig is the founder of the Esther Creative Group (ECG) and manages bands such as Jamie Lidell, The Gaslight Anthem,and Violent Femmes. He also was rock legend Lou Reed's manager for the last nine years of his career.
Sarig's interest quickly led to a meeting with the band in London, resulting in a record deal for eight countries including the USA and UK.
This fall Backgammon are traveling around the Netherlands and Germany on their first headline club tour. Following up on the debut album, they are stripping their songs back to the basis one more time with semi-acoustic live EP The Chapel Sessions, recorded in a 500-year old chapel, released on November 24th. Don't let the sweetness of this EP fool you, prepare yourself to be blown away when you get to see the band live this year.