Swiss rockers to travel 600-mile trip to Derby with a message about grass roots music

The 05:40s, an Indie rock music band, will travel from Montreux in their Swiss homeland to The Victoria in Derby next month as part of their second British tour.

The band say the move has been done to raise the profile of Swiss rock music but to also honour the special feeling grassroots music has on people.

The band’s keyboard player, vocalist and songwriter, Julian Anthoney, who lived in Derbyshire before moving to Switzerland in 2014, said the tour would show off all that is great about Swiss rock music.

“Swiss music doesn’t have a big profile in the UK, but the 05:40s is aiming to change all that,” he said.

“We’re serious enough about our second trip outside Switzerland to be travelling 600 miles to the UK with a self-funded tour, so British audiences can see us in person. Connecting with music audiences at grassroots venues in towns like Derby is really important to us.”

Julian said the tour would allow the 05:40s to show off hits including ‘Run’, a song about breaking free from a doomed relationship before moving on with life.

With a whole heap of music in their repertoire, the 05:40s UK grassroots tour will also see them in locations around Stoke, Kidderminster, and Coventry.

Derby has a special musical bond for those in the band though.

“We have huge respect for the amazing music so many British towns have created over the years,” said 05:40s drummer, Luca La Ragione.

“Let’s not forget that Derby has a strong music heritage itself as the birthplace of artists like White Town & Anti-Pasti”. See you down the front at The Victoria!”

The 05:40s will perform their set at The Victoria on Sunday 5th May 2024.