We Keep The City Running were a post/indie band from London, UK. Their sound lay somewhere between the soaring, tremolo-driven textures of instrumental rock, the rich sonic wash of early 90s guitar bands and a densely layered wall of sound. Having adopted their name from the Hal Habberman and Jeremy Passmore film ‘Special’, in which a lonely traffic warden believes he has superpowers thanks to the effects of a drugs trial, the main subject of the band’s music was the importance of everyman in society, and the belief that everybody plays their part.

Founded in 2012 by guitarist JJ Saddington (Eastrstrikewest, Three Movements), the band played live as a five piece, although comprised of seven members across the four years with permanent members Buddy Bowen (bass), Christopher Wolf (vocals, guitar) being joined by Daniel Vickers (drums) later replaced in 2015 by Tim Storey, and Matt King (keys and glockenspiel) who was replaced in 2014 by violin player Alice Evans (keys, glockenspiel, violin).

They played a number of shows across London, including with Hunting Party and Lakes Delay at The Sebright, and Model Railway Railway Exhibition at The Amersham Arms. They were described by prominent music blog Echoes&Dust as “combining uplifting post rock with a catchy indie sensibility, think somewhere between Explosions in the Sky and Arcade Fire”. It was this mixture of accessible hooks and pop melodies within grand orchestral arrangements that characterised their songwriting craft and energetic live performances.

The band made two official releases, the 2014 single Ashes & Relics, and the debut album Good, Now Repeat… which was released posthumously in early 2016.

After parting ways in early 2016, all members of the band are now involved in new projects.

Buddy Bowen - Bass
Alice Evans - Keys, Glockenspiel, Violins
Matthew King - Keys, Glockenspiel
JJ Saddington - Guitar, Programming
Tim Storey - Drums
Daniel Vickers - Drums
Christopher Wolf - Vocals, Guitar

We Keep The City Running 2012 - 2016. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.