King River Rising

Formed in early 2017 and emerging from the ashes of “Ward Hancock and the Bastard Sons”, King River Rising are an eight-piece groove powerhouse who push the boundaries of Reggae, Rock and Funk while paying homage to the genre’s predecessors. Skillfully blending deep grooves and intertwining harmonies and melodies, KRR contains skilled players in their own right – but together they project a tight-knit, passionate band. Hot out of the studio, they’re set to be as tight and as pumping as ever, releasing their first EP as an eight piece. Meeting in Melbourne from all over Australia, this crossover of musical experiences has resulted in an exciting convergence of flavor – sometimes crooning – sometimes intense – but always leaving the crowd wanting more. Often compared to artists such as Sublime, John Mayor and Groundation, King River Rising draw from many of the player’s deep roots in Rock; while putting their own spin on front man Ward Hancock’s love of Reggae music. Through constant gigging the boys have earned a reputation of dedicated working musos, tirelessly performing on many nights throughout the week, regularly playing in Melbourne’s Northern and Eastern suburbs, CBD and making sleepless weekend trips to Sydney and the Blue Mountains. With fantastic live shows that have resulted in great crowd reactions and countless encores, the constant work has resulted in a tight, polished set - one that’s set to take the Australian Reggae scene by storm. With a fresh take on Ward Hancock’s original writing, the band hit Hothouse Studios to record their 2017 release titled: “Lucid”. Two re-worked previously recorded songs were laid down along with four newly written tracks that stay true to the edgy and raw live essence the band emits at their gigs. With catchy guitar and saxophone licks, long sweeping jams and beautifully constructed ballads all things possible have been crammed into the 29-minute-long EP. King River Rising leave no stone unturned by continuing to gig hard and improve, extend their reach outside of Melbourne and to convert Australia’s public to their eccentric, eclectic and captivating sound. King River Rising are an 5 - 8 piece groove group that push the boundaries of Reggae Rock while paying homage to the genre’s predecessors.