Viola Beach
| Company type | Independent |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2013 in Warrington, England |
| Defunct | 2016 |
| Fate | Disbanded after fatal accident |
| Headquarters | Warrington , England |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Viola Beach was an English indie rock band that originated in Warrington in 2013. The group’s last lineup featured Kris Leonard (vocals, guitar), River Reeves (guitar), Tomas Lowe (bass), and Jack Dakin (drums). Tragically, all four members, along with their manager Craig Tarry, lost their lives during their inaugural international tour when their vehicle plunged off a bridge in Södertälje, Sweden, on 13 February 2016. As of 2025, the founding members Frankie Coulson (guitar) and Jonny Gibson (bass) are the only surviving original members.
In the aftermath of the accident, their single "Boys That Sing" debuted at number 80 on the UK Singles Chart, while "Swings & Waterslides" surged to number 11 following a public-driven sales campaign. Additionally, "Swings & Waterslides" reached number 3 on the sales-only chart, with "Boys That Sing" attaining number 27 on the same list. Their self-titled album was posthumously issued on 29 July 2016 and climbed to number 1 on the UK Albums Chart by 5 August 2016.
Career
Viola Beach was established in Warrington in May 2013, initially comprising Kris Leonard (vocals and guitar), Frankie Coulson (guitar), Jonny Gibson (bass), and Jack Dakin (drums). In 2015, Coulson and Gibson departed to pursue higher education, making way for River Reeves (guitar) and Tomas Lowe (bass) as their replacements.
By September 2013, their song "Daisies" had been included on Bandcamp's The Indie Cassette Player’s second compilation album, followed by "Love My Love" appearing on the third compilation released in October. The band publicly acknowledged "Daisies" being featured in this collection via social media.
Viola Beach independently funded their debut single "Swings & Waterslides", releasing it through their own Fuller Beans label. The track was produced by Ady Hall and Lee McCarthy at Catalyst Studios in St Helens and was added to the BBC Radio 1 playlist in September 2015.
Backed by BBC Introducing, which praised their music as “catchy anthems” with “elements of slacker pop,” they performed at the BBC Introducing Stage during the 2015 Reading and Leeds Festivals. In November of that year, they recorded a live session for BBC Radio 1. Their follow-up single, "Boys That Sing"/"Like a Fool," was released under the Communion label on 22 January 2016.
On 17 June 2016, Viola Beach announced that their self-titled debut album would be released on 29 July via Fuller Beans Records. This nine-track collection included "Boys That Sing" along with a recording from their BBC session. The release was accompanied by a message from the families of the band members. The album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart by 5 August.
Influences
Kris Leonard, the band’s lead vocalist and guitarist, mentioned that he was “not deliberately influenced by any particular artists,” but listed Liverpool bands such as the Coral, the Zutons, the Beatles, and Hooton Tennis Club among his favorites. He also credited Inside In/Inside Out, the debut album by the Kooks, as a significant influence that motivated him to pursue music professionally. BBC Introducing recommended Viola Beach to listeners who enjoy bands like Coasts and the Kooks, while critics have drawn parallels between Viola Beach’s sound and that of 1990s Britpop. In an interview with Wonderland magazine, Leonard revealed that much of their lyrical content was shaped by their “very grey and industrial” hometown environment, where limited prospects influenced their outlook.
Deaths
In the early morning of 13 February 2016, a fatal car crash near Södertälje, Sweden, claimed the lives of all four members of the band and their manager, Craig Tarry. Their Nissan Qashqai collided with a stationary vehicle before breaching the closed barriers of a lift bridge on the E4 motorway and plunging into the Södertälje Canal. The group had just performed at the Where's the Music? Festival in Norrköping and were en route to their hotel close to Arlanda Airport.
Swedish authorities found no traces of alcohol or drugs in Tarry’s system, and evidence of braking prior to the bridge ruled out driver exhaustion. Nonetheless, investigators described the incident’s cause as "entirely inexplicable." UK inquests commenced in March 2016, concluding in December that the deaths resulted from a "road traffic collision." It is understood that bassist Tomas Lowe initially survived the crash impact but later drowned; the other victims succumbed to head trauma.
Analysis of traffic footage revealed the vehicle approached lowered barriers at approximately , applied brakes, then veered left, narrowly avoiding a parked car before proceeding through two barrier sets without further braking. The car struck the elevated bridge section—raised by —and fell into the canal. Police concluded that Tarry’s actions were deliberate; impact speed was recorded at .
Reactions
On 14 February, news of the band's demise was met with applause during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur. Craig Tarry, the band’s manager, was a well-known supporter of Manchester City. Following this, tributes were paid at The Lounge—the venue where Viola Beach began their career—and Warrington Town Hall flew its flag at half-mast for the week after their passing.
Viola Beach had been slated to support Blossoms on their UK and Ireland tour throughout February and March 2016, as well as perform at the South by Southwest festival in Texas. Additional engagements included appearances at The Great Escape Festival, T in the Park, and hometown venues such as Pyramid and Parr Hall.
Supporters initiated a social media campaign to elevate the band’s single "Swings & Waterslides" on the UK Singles Chart, garnering endorsements from artists like Liam Gallagher, Ian Brown, and members of Kasabian. Within a week, the track surged from No. 39 to No. 11 in the Official Chart Update and briefly secured No. 1 on the iTunes chart.
In response to the tragedy, all revenue from their latest single was donated to the families of both band members and their manager. On 18 February, Blossoms announced they would include a recording featuring Viola Beach from their recent concert during their Bournemouth show and incorporate Viola Beach’s songs throughout their tour.
A memorial concert was held on 2 April 2016 at Warrington's Parr Hall, showcasing performances by friends and musical influences such as The Coral, the Courteeners, The Kooks, and Blossoms. The Zutons made a rare live appearance at this event.
The band had completed recordings for an EP comprising five or six tracks planned for release in 2016. Their agent noted that although there was significant unreleased material, decisions regarding future publications were pending due to ongoing mourning.
On 26 June 2016, at Glastonbury Festival 2016, Chris Martin led Coldplay in a tribute performance of Viola Beach’s "Boys That Sing", encouraging festival-goers to support the single. A similar homage was presented on day one of Leeds Festival 2016.
On 13 February 2017, Arriva Buses introduced five buses in Warrington adorned with images of the band members and Craig Tarry, in partnership with the River Reeves Foundation. One bus was converted into a mobile recording studio. Later that year in September, Reeves’ father organized RivFest 17 at Warrington's Priestley College, headlined by Maxïmo Park and Billy Bragg, aimed at fostering creative talent.
To commemorate five years since the tragedy in February 2021, musicians based in Warrington collaborated on a cover of "Swings & Waterslides," with proceeds directed to charities selected by the families. Produced by Cal Bate and WAM Warrington Music, contributors included members from A.V Club, Sienne, Uno Mas, Crawlers, The K's, Aligners, Filthy Tricks, and The Zangwills. This tribute premiered on BBC Radio 6 Music and received television coverage from BBC North West Tonight.
On 25 September 2021, a bronze frieze honoring Viola Beach was unveiled near Parr Hall in Warrington. Additionally, Victoria Park’s Neighbourhood Weekender festival named one stage after them; Retro Video Club and The Royston Club headlined this tribute stage in 2022.
Members
Final roster
- Kris Leonard – lead vocals, guitar (2013–2016)
- Jack Dakin – drums, occasional backing vocals (2013–2016)
- River Reeves – guitar, backing vocals (2015–2016)
- Tomas Lowe – bass guitar (2015–2016)
Past members
- Frankie Coulson – guitar, backing vocals (2013–2015)
- Jonny Gibson – bass guitar (2013–2015)
Albums
| Album | Details | Highest chart rankings | Certifications | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | IRE | SCO | |||
| Viola Beach |
|
1 | 29 | 1 |
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | UK Indie | SCO | ||||
| 2015 | "Swings & Waterslides" | 11 | 1 | 6 |
|
Viola Beach |
| 2016 | "Boys That Sing" | 50 | — | 22 |
| |
| "—" indicates a release that did not chart or was unavailable in that region. | ||||||
External links
- Articles with short description
- English indie rock groups
- English indie pop groups
- Rock music groups from Cheshire
- Musical groups established in 2013
- Musical groups disbanded in 2016
- Road incident deaths in Sweden
- 2016 in Sweden
- Södertälje
- English musical quartets
- Musicians from Warrington
- 2016 deaths
- 2013 establishments in England
- Musical groups disestablished in 2016