Welcome to school of hard Knox

In Milton Keynes, Marshall Amplification is backing the campaign with a tasty show by Mallory Knox, who return to The Craufurd Arms on Saturday evening.

In 2015 they tucked away a Top 15 album and showed their mettle with a main stage appearance at the Download Festival, before engaging on their biggest headline tour to date, which wrapped up at London’s Roundhouse.

Saturday’s show is a long time sold-out, but bassist Sam Douglas took time out to speak with us.

Marshall Amplification’s motto is ‘live for music,’ but what does that name mean to you?

“They mean that I can play through really good gear without paying so much money that I become homeless because I can’t afford it!” he said.

“No seriously they have been such a help to us and I know Joe and James our two guitarists spend hours going through their amps getting the sound they want and I know that Marshall are an absolute cut above the rest.

“They are very supportive of our band and they really don’t have to be and the fact that we can be a part of this event alongside them is an absolute privilege.

“It’s been great working so closely with them the last couple of years and long may it continue.”

Now it’s not your first time in MK of course, but seeing as it is a special show for a special event, will you have any surprises up your sleeves?

“It’s going to be such a fun show,” Sam promised.

“It’s a weird one for us because we’ve played the Craufurd Arms twice a while back and neither of the shows sold out.

“Since then we’ve been lucky enough to have toured the world and had a bit of a success and I believe this time around the show sold out within 24 hours which for us is really cool.

“It’s very much going to be a back to basics show.

“We are all really excited to get back into a smaller venue. Whilst we have absolutely loved being able to headline bigger venues and venues we could have only dreamed about, there is something special about playing small shows in places you grew up playing.

“We are forever thankful to venues like the Craufurd Arms and the promoters at independent venues that give you a chance to play when no one really knows who you are.

“I think it’s really cool that we can come back and play a sold out show for them and get back to basics and just play a sweaty rock show where it really is all going to be about the music.”

Wake the City and A World Away came out victorious at a battle of the bands contest earlier this month and will support Mallory at the gig, so congratulations to them.

> Also screaming under the Independent Venue Week banner:

> Capdown play The Craufurd Arms this evening (Thurs) with support from Faintest Idea and Petrol Girls

> Silver Tongue Bandoliers, Swoons and Moonrider take hold of the venue on Sunday evening.

Tickets are three quid if you want in for that.

>Aside from the IVW shows themselves, the Craufurd Arms has something else for you to get to grips with this weekend – Good Wrestling!

Yup, in the first of what could prove to be the start of a new season for the haunt, it is opening its doors to professional wrestling, with Doug ‘The Anarchist’ Williams topping a bill also featuring UK talents Stixx, Wild Boar, Pastor William Eaver, The London Riots, Joseph Conners, Chris Tyler and Terry Isit.

Tickets are on sale at £10 for general admission, rising to £14 for a front row seat.

You can snap up your ticket by tapping to www.goodwrestling.com