Balancing Act

+ support from: Maiden Races

Balancing Act were formed by Kai Roberts (vocals) and Jackson Couzens (guitar) during the pandemic after becoming creatively disillusioned with their local music scene in Manchester. This frustration not only birthed Balancing Act, but pushed the pair south, quickly moving to London and making the first few songs that would eventually build the band’s sound.

A weekend visit from bassist David Carpenter quickly turned into something permanent. After a night at the pub and a handful of demos, he was on board. The final piece of the puzzle came in the form of drummer Pat Hanbury, the younger brother of a friend. Jackson recalls having witnessed his “Animal-from-the-Muppets-esque chops” and knowing immediately that he was the right fit.

The band quickly hit their stride, with sold out shows at venues like London’s Lower Third – quickly upgrading to a sold out show at The Garage – and Manchester’s YES Basement. This energy translated abroad, with sold out shows and a strong following in Paris and Amsterdam.Their intense and high-energy performances soon earned a reputation for turning venues into sweatboxes. The live success and a string of well-received singles propelled the band to the front of the ones to watch lists, with features on Radio 1’s Future Artists as the ‘Next Wave’, landing a spot in Dork Magazine’s Hype List, and even being named “the new generation’s favourite band” by Jack Saunders.