The Playground Chairs are a 5-piece indie-rock band hailing from Yorkshire. Originally formed in 1988, they were regulars on the indie circuit and Madchester scene of the early ‘90’s, playing many live gigs in their native Doncaster, plus tours up and down the country which took in Sheffield, Leeds, Huddersfield, Derby, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, and London, among others. The band had just signed a 10-year management deal with Manchester-based company, Paris Press, and were on the verge of their first recording deal when they split in 1992 due to artistic differences. Their final gig was at The Boardwalk in Manchester, where they played to a packed house that night with a band called The Rain, who would later go on to become Oasis.
The Playground Chairs have recently reformed and are now busy in the studio rehearsing some of their old favourites, whilst working on an ever-expanding catalogue of new songs to take out on the road. Their sound is full of driving powerful bass lines, pounding mesmeric drumming, twin jangling guitars and catchy riffs, with melancholic soulful vocals draped over the top. They are somewhat reminiscent of the bands that inspired them, Joy Division, New Order, Happy Mondays, The Cure, but they cannot be labelled as being like any one of those bands. Whilst their songs have little echoes of those bands that shine through, The Playground Chairs have their own unique sound and style that is a perfect melting pot of all those bands that influenced them, but with their own unique sound sprinkled over the top.
The band have recently been busy in the studio recording new songs which will be released as a series of singles very shortly, and as an album later in the year. The band are also working on plans for extensive gigging throughout the UK for early next year, where they will be playing some old favourites, plus showcasing their new songs. If guitar-driven indie rock is your thing, then The Playground Chairs are definitely a band to watch out for,…… coming to a town near you soon.