I cannot WAIT to hear Mark Peters and The Dark Band’s upcoming EP
Anyone that knows me probably knows my favorite indie singer songwriter on the planet is Austria’s Mark Peters. And I say ‘Austria’s‘ because Peters is not Austrian, but a British singer songwriter based in Vienna.
Whatever his nationality, though, this guy is brilliant. A superb voice, catchy beautifully written songs with gorgeous melodies that stay with you for days after you have heard them, and a cool stage presence.
Mark is also gorgeous himself, which every female friend I know points out to me every time I post a photo of Mark Peters on my Instagram. Or send them an email saying “Please listen to his music and watch his videos”.
“OMG. Look at his EYES!!!” is the response I usually get first, followed by “Jesus, this guy is talented”.
Anyway, last year, Mark released what turned out to be one of my top 3 EPs of the year — Spirits — a 6-track wonder I had on repeat for weeks after it first came out (Listen on Spotify here).
And an EP I gave as a gift to Austrian singer Conchita Wurst, I loved it so much.
Mark Peters is a Vienna-based singer songwriter you really need to learn more about
2019, however, sounds like it is going to be an even better year for me (and everyone else where Mark Peters is concerned), because he is releasing a second EP, but this time as Mark Peters and The Dark Band. (See video teaser below)
Mark Peters and The Dark Band
Now let me backtrack a little bit, just to explain why I am so excited about this new venture for Mark, and for the guys in The Dark Band. As this is the band I have wanted him to have since I first saw him live last summer.
Because in the summer of 2018, I saw Mark Peters live for the first time. At Tunnel, a cool Vienna bar/restaurant/club that has an awesome basement venue perfect for live music.
Now, I loved Mark live from the first second he started to sing. Because his songs are beautiful, and his voice is just as perfect live as it is recorded or on video. He also holds a captivated crowd solo just like Ed Sheeran, so since then I have had high hopes.
I also left that gig already thinking “That dude has so much talent, he should be far more successful than he is”.
Fast forward a few months, and I headed to another Vienna live music venue for the release party for Mark’s EP Spirits.
For this, Mark had decided to invite musicians he has played with in the past to accompany him on stage. This being a special night and all.
And what I saw that night surpassed anything I had seen or heard in Vienna before. From any live act.
Because Mark Peters on stage with his beautiful songs, his cool stage presence and a crowd of musicians that had so much wild energy when they played just bumped him up to the next level. A level you do not often see in artists that are not incredibly well known.
And the musicians he played with — these guys are MUSICIANS. People that play as if that musical instrument is an extension of their own body, and that produce music that just hits your very soul.
So, after a third gig I saw Mark play a few weeks later, I went to his drummer Fabian Natter (also from MOMO, until recently Charlywood, and about 1,900 other bands) and said “You guys should be playing with Mark permanently”.
Natter replied, “Tell him that!”
Now, honestly, I cannot remember if I ever said to Mark “You need to form a band, and you need those guys you just played with” because, after a few beers, my memory isn’t always what it should be. But I sure as hell thought it.
So…fast forward a few months, and Mark is suddenly announcing his next EP will be from Mark Peters and The Dark Band, and The Dark Band is… drummer Fabian Natter, Markus Manahl (bass player from Charlywood and a bloody brilliant musician in his own right), and guitarist Martin Burtscher.
I shouted “YES!” so loud, my neighbors across the street probably heard me.
Mark Peters and The Dark Band promos
In the last couple of weeks, Mark Peters and The Dark Band have started to give us just a little taste of what we might expect. At least visually.
Especially as they have already begun playing a number of live gigs around Austria.
The new band is also in the studio already working on their debut EP, and today we got a little taste of what we can expect from that with a teaser video of ‘Eveline‘, a Mark Peters and The Dark Band version of a song I have seen Mark perform solo a few times, and a song I just love.
Watch below, subscribe to Mark’s YouTube channel, and keep your eyes and ears open for when Mark Peters and The Dark Band are performing live in Vienna or in any other Austrian town you may live in.
Because they are bloody brilliant live, they will give a concert you will walk away from thinking “Well hell, that was AMAZING!”, and their upcoming EP is my most anticipated of 2019.
I cannot freaking WAIT!!