Queer alt-pop/rock duo ARXX are coming to Dublin as part of their biggest-ever headline tour, playing a highly-anticipated show in the Button Factory on Sunday, November 10. The Brighton-based duo has been captivating audiences across the UK and beyond with their exhilarating performances and unique blend of powerful lyrics with anthemic soundscapes – or as they would describe their sound: “Taylor Swift if she only ever listened to Nirvana”.

With ARXX’s second album Good Boy having released on October 4, GCN sat down with band member Clara Townsend for a chat. The band has had a packed calendar for 2024 with Good Boy’s production and release, as well as their own headline tour just around the corner.

Overall, Clara feels like ARXX has had a “very queer year in a great way”. Explaining this further, the drummer said: “We’ve both kind of fully embraced it, and it’s been really fun.”

Clara grew up in Dubai, where homosexuality is still illegal, so when coming back to the UK, it took her a while to fully accept her own identity. The queer confidence both members of ARXX have gained is reflected in Good Boy.

Clara called the roughly 37 minutes of powerful music “definitely the queerest thing we’ve ever made.” She shared that the title of the album and many meanings behind its songs are queer. “It’s been nice to not just have a few songs that nod to it, but to fully go in,” she said.

Giving an insight into what influenced Good Boy’s sound, Clara talked about vocalist Hanni Pidduck’s vocal cords surgery. Hanni, who unfortunately couldn’t join the chat, had to get a polyp removed during a very tight production schedule.

Clara shared how this impacted the making of the album: “We had to do a lot of the instrumental stuff first, which is very different to what we’ve done before. Normally it’s quite lyric-based or melody-based, but we had to build all the framework around it.”

Hanni added the vocals and lyrics after they got back from tour, where they sang for the first time again after the surgery. This pushed the band to try different things.

“The song ‘All Night’ is super electronic, almost like a dance track,” Clara gave as an example. She said because they could not put any vocals on the song in the beginning, they “really went into every other element.”

 

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Clara also explained that while “lots of the songs on the new record are a lot more pop than anything we’ve ever done before,” the rock elements have not been left behind. “I think it will be a lot heavier live than it is on record,” she added.

The 11 tracks have often an emotional, personal touch to them. Hanni came out as non-binary last year, which impacted some of the album’s songs, and the track ‘Swim’ centres their gender journey.

“It was a really important song for them to make, and the lyrics are really, really personal. Being able to be in the public eye and be really proud of who they are has been a big thing for Hanni,” Clara shared on the vocalist’s behalf.

‘Swim’s’ lyrics radiate trans joy:
Baby you made it, you’re going to swim with your T-shirt off
My life, I’ve waited so long to figure it out
But I see myself so clearly in all the love I feel right now
So tonight we live forever, come on
show me what you got
We’re going to hold you up to heaven
You’re going to swim with your T-shirt off

Hanni themselves previously spoke about playing the tender track to their crowd: “There are a lot of queer stories out there that are really negative and sad, and they’re important but sometimes you just want a queer story to be positive and happy and that’s what we’ve tried to express.

“I feel so safe when I’m performing to our audience, and that feeling of being held has helped me to embrace myself more. I want to put a mirror up to the audience and do the same thing for them.”

Just as euphoric is ‘Crying In The Carwash’, which encapsulates all the joyous emotions the band felt when they found out they were going to support MUNA. Clara explained it had always been on their bucket list, however more as a bit of a far-fetched joke.

“When our manager phoned us, I was just sat in my room, but Hanni was at the car wash and went to go pick up their car and as the man was handing Hanni the keys they just started crying,” the drummer said, retelling the song’s origin story.

MUNA aren’t the only queer icons that the band has supported, they also toured with FLETCHER as well as Irish queer favourites Pillow Queens. “We love them”, Clara declared as she reminisced memories of that time. “Pillow Queens were the first ones to take us on a tour. And we’ll always be so grateful to them for doing that. They took us all around Ireland, which is still our favourite three weeks we’ve ever had in our lives.”

Having not performed for Irish crowds before, ARXX enjoyed discovering Pillow Queen’s “amazing queer audience”. Clara mentioned that “watching the headline band every night and seeing how they engage with their fans” helped them learn a lot as they supported bigger acts.

ARXX has performed a few times in Ireland since and Clara said the country has become their favourite place to play. The band’s social media posts of each visit clearly show their fondness for Ireland and the good craic they have when here. Be it getting their faces printed on a Guinness or just general sightseeing, ARXX connects special memories with performing in Dublin, which Clara shared while beaming continuously.

“We played the two Vicar Street shows with Pillow Queens, and that first show is still in my top five gigs ever done. We’ve played a lot as an opening band, but we’ve never played a show where you walk out and the crowd just wants you to do well, they were so welcoming, and it felt so lovely”, she told GCN.

“I think that’s a special thing about Ireland, we had it every night on that tour”, the drummer continued. “The crowds are wild, always up for a good time and just really lovely people.” One thing is clear, the band is excited and can’t wait to come back.

Though their song ‘Dublin’ might be the saddest song on the record, this does not reflect how ARXX feels about the city. Clara clarified, “Hanni lost a really important person in their life when we were in Dublin. The song is set in Dublin and is all about that time and what was going through their head.”

Sharing ARXX’s plans for their upcoming visit to Dublin, Clara said that they hope to catch up with their friends over here, whom they don’t get to see much otherwise. “There’s also really good food in Dublin, which I’m sure you’re aware of”, she laughed.

Speaking of, Clara admitted being a “pretty big fan” of a pint of Guinness, rating it a 10 out of 10. “I hadn’t really drank it until we came on that Irish tour, and then I couldn’t get away. Now I would say it’s probably my go-to drink.”

Apart from powerful lyrics, newly discovered sounds and a captivating, highly energetic performance, people coming to the Dublin show can expect ARXX to be fully dressed in sports gear for their “tennis-themed” gig. The audience is invited to join in on the sporty outfits themselves. “It’ll get hot and sweaty. It’s our last show of the tour, so come ready for a party”, Clara advised fans.

“We just want people to sing along and have fun, to escape for an hour and a half and have a lovely time.” With Phoebe Green opening for them, ARXX’s plan to give the crowd an evening full of queer joy will surely work out.

ARXX is performing in the Button Factory in Dublin on Sunday, November 10. Get your tickets here.

 

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