Borderlines

Welcome to Deacon’s House. Here we break bread and show love. My table grows in length as my walls disappear. Founding member of ViBE 99.7 FM  in Las Vegas.

Blending elements of alternative rock, and socially conscious hip hop, State of Play wear a healthy disrespect for genre boundaries on their collective sleeve.  Crossing seamlessly from the neo-soul swagger and urban vibes of The Roots, to the wearied tenderness of Lauryn Hill, to the thrashing drive of Rage Against the Machine and The Pixies – State of Play prove that you don’t have to play it safe to be accessible. 

Given the melting pot mentality at heart of the band’s sound, it’s perhaps surprising that in the context of their tight, powerful compositions it’s the similarity rather than the diversity of their influences that shine through. The fine-tuned formula of mixing insightful lyrics and anthemic chorus hooks with infectious grooves that you can't stop yourself nodding along to, has proven to be a success. 

This is especially evident in the live arena, where the front trio of Anthony (A-Mens) Mensah, Hydieku Warwick and Ahmar (S.V) Ferguson never fail to win the crowd over. Meanwhile, guitarist Alex (Fando) Fernandes applies his prodigious talent with unreserved glee and the rhythm section (Damien Ricaud on bass and Ben Spooner on drums) clearly enjoy surfing their shared wavelength. Taken together, it’s enough to convert even the most stoic, cross-armed cynics into bouncing believers well before the encore.

Delivering a message that genuinely seems to resonate with the masses, the group clearly belong to a tradition that sees music as a weapon, with their sonic cross-over credentials proving the perfect vehicle for the band’s social commentary. There’s an infectious sort of joy you usually only find in people who truly believe in their work. State of Play have it in droves. Combine that with an uncompromising fighting spirit and you have a recipe for something truly memorable.


Lead Guitar: Alex (Fando) Fernandes

Bass: Damien Ricaud

Drums: Ben Spooner

Vocalists: Ahmar (S.V) Ferguson & Hydieku Warwick

Rapper: Anthony (A-Mens) Mensah

Borderlines

State of Play Music