JARROW
Do you ever look at 20-year-olds who are already way better at one thing than you are at anything and think to yourself “fuck this”? - Noisey
SHORT BIO
Multi instrumentalist, bedroom producer, singer songwriter, “wunderkind” 24 year old Dan Oke usually keeps himself pretty busy. If you haven’t caught Dan playing a couple nights a week within Melbourne’s vast independent music community, he’s locked away writing and recording music under the solo moniker JARROW. In the beginning it was nothing more than just a beat-up old acoustic & a pirated copy of Ableton Live. Five years on and he’s done 3 full length LPs released via Spoilsport Records & Barely Dressed, multiple east-coast tours, huge international supports opening for Car Seat Headrest & The Wombats, a festival slot at Splendour In The Grass and critical acclaim via publications Rolling Stone, Noisey, Beat Magazine, Casual Band Blogger & more.
Every note you hear on a Jarrow song is written and performed by Dan himself (with the occasional guest feature on sax by his dad). The production is dense yet simple with elements of garage punk, indie pop, folk, disco & even some ambient noise. You never quite know what to expect with unusual song structures & experimental production choices making each tune an exciting listen. Lyrically, Dan stays tongue in cheek as his self-induced anxiety and daily observations get their own backing track. Whether it’s about lost love, broken-down cars, memes, dreams or regrets - it’s somehow equally celebratory & deprecating all in the same beat. You’ll hit the repeat button every single time ready for seconds.
To bring Jarrow to life, Dan enlists the help of his favourite Melbourne muso friends to join him in an all-star live band ft. Sam Lyons (House Deposit) on guitar, Bridget Chilver (Rhysics) on keys, Henry Osborne (Gee Seas) on bass and Jo Syme (Big Scary) on drums. Even if the current lineup is fairly recent, you’d be mistaken that the band hasn’t been around for decades. Their gigs always deliver tight, dynamic performances that give each song a high-energy injection with no anaesthetic. Do yourself a favour and see the J-band in person if you need more proof.
PRESS SHOTS
Spy snap by Ivy Rose
Driveway snap by Caitlin Reilly
Band snap by Elsie Lange