Hailing from around the Guildford area, RiotWeekend are a prime example of what happens when you throw pop-punk, indie, rock, and a bit of the heavy stuff into a blender. Originally formed in 2019 but operating under their current settled lineup since late 2024, the quartet have built a reputation for high-energy live shows where audience participation isn’t just encouraged – it’s required.
Fresh off the release of their sophomore EP, Table4Four, the band are gearing up for a busy summer hitting the festival circuit and heading back into the studio. We caught up with Holly, Rab, Tomma, and Salvatore to talk real-life lyrics, gear obsessions, and trick horses.
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
We say we’re from Guildford although none of us actually live there. We’re all from around the area and we rehearse there as well.
How did you meet?
Holly started the band and put out Facebook ads looking for members and ended up with us lot!
How long have you been playing as a band?
Officially since 2019 but this current lineup has been going since October 2024.
Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
Holly came up with the name with a friend but he said it has to be all one word as it’s edgy and punk!
What are your influences?
We have so many. Holly is straight up pop punk, Rab’s a bit more rock, Tomma is more indie and Salv is into a bit heavier stuff but we all kind of cross into each other’s territory.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
Our music is just the sum of us and all our influences. We don’t really stick to any particular genre, we just write music that we think sounds good and would enjoy listening to.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
Our lyrics come from real life experiences. For us it has to be relatable and authentic as it’s how people will connect with us as a band.
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
Our live shows are always fun and energetic. We like to have a good time and a bit of a laugh on stage and audience participation is always a requirement! Not sure how many shows we’ve played but we’re always happy to play anywhere whether it’s a big festival or tiny dive bar!
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
We played the New Forest County show last year and there was a guy making horses do tricks and stuff, I guess that was pretty wild!
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What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?
Holly: I play a Gretsch… however it’s spelled junior because I’m just a baby .
Tomma: I use a few different guitars live just depending on my mood, a dirty blond Shergold Provocateur is my go-to guitar, it’s kinda like a hybrid Telecaster / les Paul that’s slim and light with beefy Seymour Duncan Humbuckers, it looks amazing and sounds even better! I also switch between a couple Ibanez guitars when I feel like being a little different. All running through a plethora of pedals into a Blackstar HT amp and cab!
Rab: I’ve got a Gibson Les Paul with a bigsby. I’ve always wanted one and when it came up for sale I had to have it! My amp is an Egnater Tweaker which I’ve had for years, it’s a great versatile amp that sounds good both clean and distorted.
Salvatore: I’m a Gretsch guy for drum shells, cymbals are Zildjian and Pearl hardware all topped off with DW pedals and hi-hat stand and beat with Promark sticks!
What, if anything, are you plugging/promoting at the moment?
We’ve just released our sophomore EP ‘Table4Four’ which is available on all streaming platforms and physical copies from our Bandcamp. We also have a tonne of gigs coming up which can be found on our social media pages.
What are your plans for the next 6 months or so?
As we said we have a load of gigs coming up including some great festivals like Guilfest and Shynefest which we’re super excited for. We’re also heading into the studio again soon to start working on some new material.
If you were second on a three-band bill, which band would you love to be supporting and which band would you choose to open for you? A chance to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mate’s band we’ve not heard of before!
We’d love to support Green Day and as for opening for us we’d probably have our friends Lucky Hit. They’re a lot of fun and a great bunch of guys. We actually have a show coming up with them later this year.
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