Kodiak Jack to bow out in a blaze of glory at The Wedgewood Rooms

Hard-rockers Kodiak Jack are bowing out with a final show at the Wedgewood Rooms later this month.
Kodiak JackKodiak Jack
Kodiak Jack

The former Guide Awards best band winners are planning an epic last performance when they take to the stage after deciding to call it a day late last year.

With two well-received albums and an EP to their names, the Southsea-based act have won plenty of fans with their modern rock sound.

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And the five-piece are planning to dig back into their past for their farewell show.

Frontman Bryn Roberts says: ‘We want to do an hour-and-a-half set, and we’ve been going back to some of the old, old stuff, which will be great to play again.’

But explaining the decision to split, he says: ‘I think it was starting to come for a natural conclusion for us. We’d all put a lot of our lives and time and energy into it.

‘We had a wicked time last year – we played at The Isle of Wight Festival, we headlined Victorious, we won the award, and we put out music which I would say is as good as we’ve ever done, and I think it gets to the point where you have to say, how long do you want to keep going?

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‘We don’t want to be a band that just disappears and fades away.

‘None of us have fallen out, I think we all just kind of thought this is a good time to call it a day.

‘We’re at the top of our game but it takes a lot out of people’s lives when you’re trying to juggles jobs and family and kids.

‘We want to go out while we’re at the peak of our game.’

‘We’ve had a great run and we’ve achieved so much, much more than we ever thought, so let’s do one big last gig, a big thank you to everyone who’s supported us and go out in a blaze of glory.’

Is that a hint of a Jon Bon Jovi cover for the last gig?

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‘If (guitarist) Jon had his choice he would do,’ Bryn laughs. ‘He’s a massive Bon Jovi fan.’

Even though the band is ending, the members won’t be giving up on music.

‘We’ll all be doing different musical projects I would have thought, but we’re going to take some time out to be with our families. And have our weekends back.

‘I don’t think any of us will stop playing music at all.’

In 2013 the band went to California to record their second album Alhambra with Brian Wheat of multi-platinum US rock band Tesla producing it. And the band later invited Kodiak Jack to open for them when they played in London.

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Asked for his highlight of his time in Kodiak Jack, Bryn doesn’t hesitate: ‘The O2 at Islington with Tesla, without a doubt.

‘Not only were we at the peak of our game, we were playing at an established venue with such a phenomenal band. Apart form being in America, that was a standout moment – it was a great day.’

And would they ever get back together?

‘I don’t think any of us would be averse to it, I think it’s just right now it’s a good time to stop. Sometimes life gets complicated, and you need to take a little bit back for yourself, but what an awesome run we’ve had.’

The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea

Saturday, February 27