Gloucester based band Elessar are gearing up for what is set to be an exciting year, kicking off in January with a gig at the Frog and Fiddle.

The trio of Ricky Powell (lead singer and guitar), Alex Evans (vocals and guitar) and Dan James (drums), formed the band in 2014 after an impromptu meeting.

Ricky said: “We’ve known each other for a while but have only been together in the band for 4 years.

“We’re all local to Gloucestershire. I live in Gloucester and Alex and Dan live in the Forest of Dean. We’ve all been in different bands playing the local scene for years, and as individuals decided it was time to form something new.

“We sat down at Toby Carvery, of all places, and decided that we’d go for it, 100% all in and push ourselves as far as we can. Four years, two EP’s and multiple tours later, it’s all going well!”

Drummer Dan James describes the type of music that Elessar specialise in as “emo rock that makes you move”, but Ricky admits that change is in the air.

He continued: “We’re currently writing new songs which are taking us in a new direction musically.

“It’s exciting for us as a band to keep it fresh, but also to test ourselves. Hopefully people get involved with what we’re trying to achieve.”

2018 was a successful year for the band, who spent a lot of time on the road, headlining gigs in cities including London, Newcastle and Birmingham.

“Touring all over the country more than once has been a big highlight for us.” Ricky added. “We’ve met some really great people and had the chance to see some outstanding places.

“This year has also seen people get our lyrics and logos tattooed on themselves which is mental! It’s been great playing alongside bands that we are fans of too, like Mallory Knox and Boston Manor. All these things really motivate us to keep it up!”

Elessar begin 2019 with a gig at The Frog and Fiddle in Cheltenham, supporting American band Such Gold, and Ricky is looking forward to returning to the pub which has given them so much support over the years.

“It’s our first show of the year so we’re hoping we can have a great start! We’re all fans of Such Gold too so it’ll be good to see them live.

“The Frog is one of our regular venues to play. The venue is great and the staff are always amazing to us. It’s just one of those places that has a great vibe every time.”