In Conversation: Playwriter on Everyday, grassroots music and their hometown Leadworks show

Ahead of Playwriter’s hometown headline show at Leadworks on Saturday 25 April, we caught up with lead singer Leo Cunningham to talk about the debut EP Everyday, the band’s live, lightly psychedelic sound and the importance of celebrating homegrown music in Plymouth. Alongside his work with the band, Leo is also helping shape the city’s wider grassroots scene through Sweet Jeans, a DIY night designed to bring Plymouth’s creative pockets closer together. With recent events connecting local artists and touring up and comers in intimate rooms across the city, Playwriter feel part of something bigger than a single release or gig, and part of a wider new energy in Plymouth music.

Image: Cal Baker

For people discovering Playwriter for the first time, how would you describe the band and the sound you have created together?

I would describe us as thoughtful, understated indie-rock with nods towards easy listening and soft psychedelic. We’re influenced by bands and artists like Acetone, Rozi Plain and Chris Cohen. A lot of people draw similarities to Mac Demarco and Palace too.

Your debut EP Everyday has already had a strong response. What did you want that record to capture about where you were creatively at the time?

Going into the studio, the most important thing for us was to have a really honest and clear documentation of how we sounded at that moment as a band. It was all recorded live, together in a room at Blue Satsuma Studios in Constantine. We wanted the sound to feel clean and open, and not overly-produced or heavily compressed. When Tom and I came to mix, we kept things really simple and subtle. It’s been so nice to see people enjoying the songs, and we are so grateful to everybody who has bought a CD and streamed the songs, and of course to the BBC for all their support.

You have spoken about moving away from more solitary, laptop-based music-making into something more human and live. What changed for you in that process - what exactly does this mean for those not as familiar with the grassroots music scene?

Tom and I just really missed playing as part of a group, which is what encouraged us to start the band. We still both make ambient music, and I think it’s a genre of music that can feel beautifully human, but to be in a room with other people making music together is a really unique feeling. I do also think mine and Tom’s experience in ambient music has carried over into the band in quite a nice and interesting way that perhaps differentiates us from other bands. The thing that changed my perspective from a songwriting point of view was picking my guitar up after years of being obsessed with synthesisers. It was like seeing an old friend, everything just clicked and writing songs felt simple again.

This Leadworks show is your first proper hometown celebration of the EP. Why did it feel important to mark it in Plymouth in this way? Why is it important to celebrate the rise of homegrown music?

It’s where we live, work, hang out and play music together, so we really wanted to celebrate the EP in Plymouth with friends and the community. Supporting and celebrating homegrown music and art is an absolute must for us - all music starts as homegrown.

There is a real sense of community around this lineup, and around Sweet Jeans too. How do you see Plymouth’s grassroots music scene at the moment, and what excites you about it?

We’re so excited about the line-up! We played with Moya Silk at the first Sweet Jeans night. We feel like we’re doing similar things but totally in our own ways, which is really cool. We’re looking forward to playing with Last Kind Hour too, I’m a big fan of Lois’ other band Goldenmother - who played at the last Sweet Jeans in January. I think between the three bands there’s a lovely mix of what the Devon scene as a whole has to offer.

I think the Plymouth scene is becoming more exciting every week. One of my main goals for Sweet Jeans is to bring creative communities and friendship groups of Plymouth together. Incredible things can happen for the good of the community when new people meet, and that’s what really excites me: that there’s still so much more to come.

You will be playing Everyday in full alongside newer material. What can audiences expect from the show, and where do you feel the band is heading next?

We’ve got a few new songs that we haven’t played live before, so we’re really keen to try them out and show people how our sound is developing. You can expect to hear songs about friendship, bird watching, failed job interviews, and that at least we aren’t all melting (yet..)

For anyone who has not seen Playwriter live before, what do you hope they leave thinking or feeling after the set?

I want them to feel good! I want them to have met somebody new, and I hope they leave thinking “that was great… I want more!”

Grab your tickets early to show your support for live music in Plymouth > ticket link here.