A DAY WITH KHARTOUM
Khartoum recently released their latest single, the electric ‘New Cold War’, which they debuted at the Extinction Rebellion Marble Arch Blockade back in 2019.
“New Cold War is a song about the state of the world. With rising oceans and destructive world leaders, this is our call to arms, confronting the issues we face.”
It’s wonderfully anthemic and has a hook that’s so catchy it won’t leave your head for days. There’s never been a better way to listen to such an important message over and over, packed with magnetic guitar riffs and powerful lyrics, it’ll leave you inspired to rise up and have a good boogie while you’re at it.
PHOTOS BY EVELINA GUMILEVA
L-R: Scarlett, Oscar, Jake, Cam
Cam & Oscar met at School and were introduced to Jake at university. Two years ago the boys found their missing piece and drummer, Scarlett, at a rave in a field and Khartoum was born. They’ve been having just as much fun ever since. Being branded as ‘the cool kids of West London’ by Clash Magazine, we thought it seemed only fitting to wander around the sweet streets of Notting Hill with the foursome and popped into their local jaunt, Laylow.
The night before our shoot, in the true spirit of COVID-19, we found ourselves without a photographer, a videographer and an unclear location. For a shoot that had been in the diary for a few weeks, this wasn’t ideal. I turned to Instagram and sent out a slightly manic cry for help… Thankfully, the embarrassment didn’t last too long with Alfie, Evelina and Luke saving my bacon.
So there I was, sat outside Goldborne Deli under the comforting shadow of Trellick Tower, watching the W11-folk rush past. Having never met any of them before, I was waiting to meet a whole swathe of new faces, intensely staring at everyone that sauntered past, wondering whether he could be an ‘Alfie’ or whether I could see her behind a camera lens…
Soon, all seven of us were there. Four coffees and two egg muffins later, we set off towards Laylow.
PHOTO BY ALFIE FISHER
Earlier that day one of our regulars at the cafe I work at squealed with excitement when I told her what I was getting up to after my shift. ‘Duh!” was her response when asked if she knew of them. ‘I’ve been meaning to see them live at Laylow for so long but just haven’t got round to it yet.’ If you live in West London or are at all plugged into that scene, chances are that you’ve heard of Khartoum. For a relatively new band with only three singles out, they seem to have made quite a name for themselves. We even discovered that our photo assistant, Alfie not only knew of the band but had actually seen them play live a couple of years ago and whipped out a photo he had taken. ‘What happened to that shirt Jake’s wearing?’ asked Scarlett, ‘I’m pretty sure Oscar cut the sleeves off it…’
You can’t talk about the band without bringing fashion into it, they look fucking great. Walking down the street with them feels like walking into a bar with your really fit mate, you feel the eyes from across the street following their every step - you can’t really blame them, I would be doing the same. In true rockstar style, it took us slightly longer than expected to get from one end of Goldborne to the other… Everyone that we walked past seemed to know the band in some way and wanted a quick corona elbow-tap. It would be hard to miss the loving hysteria that surrounds the band. I’d only been with them for a short while at this point but the Khartoum magic was already rubbing off on me. They’re also really nice. I know it's not particularly 'rock n roll' but it sure makes a big difference... not only do they look and sound like rockstars, they are also really lovely.
Once we met up with our photographer, the electric Evelina, it was like being plugged in at the mains. From lounging in the Laylow bar to running across the road and swinging from street lamps, it was non-stop. We covered the square footage surrounding Trellick and ended in the car park (Khar-park ha ha) singing and clapping away, making the most of the surprisingly beautiful acoustics the space had to offer.
PHOTOS BY EVELINA GUMILEVA
A week later, we met up with the band in Hampton Court to record an acoustic live session of ‘New Cold War’. It is absolutely glorious and will be premiered on our Instagram tomorrow (25/11) during the band’s takeover. See you there...
GET TO KNOW: KHARTOUM
LB: Why ‘Khartoum’?
K: The horse in the godfather is called Khartoum and we thought it sounded really evocative and mysterious so we thought why not?
What makes you happy?
Playing gigs!
What are you watching in lockdown?
Stop Making Sense - Talking Heads.
Sopranos.
The Conversation - Francis Ford Coppola.
Ru Paul’s Drag Race & Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares.
Favourite West London spot?
Portobello Market
PHOTOS BY EVELINA GUMILEVA
Dream venue to play?
Scarlett is from Brixton and has always dreamed of playing Brixton Academy
A song you wish you had written?
Darrude - Sandstorm
If you could go back in time, What time period would you want the band to be in & why?
Ancient Egypt so we can blow everyone’s minds with electric guitars…
Favourite gig?
Glastonbury last year, Sunday night 1am at The Rabbit Hole.
How do you mend a broken heart?
My mother always told me the best way to get over someone is by getting under somebody else.
Who are each of your individual style icons?
Oscar: Sharon Needles (2012)
Scarlett: Dennis Rodman
Cam: Anne Robinson (The Weakest Link)
Jake: Blythe Dwyer
Listen to ‘New Cold War’ here & make sure to follow the band on Instagram.
