‘We didn’t even know they were there’: the little-known bands finding fans years later

Visual Purple in 1996. ‘We just did it because it was fun,’ says Kevin McGorey, now 37, the lead singer and guitarist for Visual Purple. Photograph: Courtesy of Kevin McGorey

In December 2021, a band called Panchiko played a gig. Hundreds of fans were there, at Metronome in Nottingham, England, singing along to their songs. All of this might seem like a standard routine for bands, but for the three members of Panchiko, it was a marvel. “Having a show where people have paid their money and they really want to see us is really nice,” says Owain Davies, 40, who plays guitar in the band.

“People knew the words to the songs, which is crazy,” says Andrew Wright, 40, who also plays guitar.