User:Andydutch/Portland (band)

Portland

Portland are a UK band hailing from Solihull in Birmingham.

Portland (formally known as Shoa) started in 2004 when the band began as a duo with Paul Meadows (Bass) & Rory Thompson (Guitar & Vocals). A year or so later Sarah Thompson (Vocals) joined the band and the trio were complete. After a year or two of gigging in and around the Midlands, they decided to make a short recording of their best tracks at the Raindance Music Studios. Various session musicians were drafted in for the recording. After a few months of studio work Shoa (as they were then known) released a 7 track EP called Pretend to be Stronger. This recording bought the band some important attention & paved the way for a future record deal.

2008 bought the first glimpses of success for Portland, when in February they signed a deal with [The Stereo Tree], an independent UK label. They quickly got to work on their début album, recording over the summer & autumn of 2008 on the south coast of England at various studios. The album was produced & mixed by Dan Wheeler and also Kipper (musician), who has produced other artists such as Sting, Gary Numan, Mary J Blige & American Idol winner Clay Aiken.

Portland had their first taste of national exposure on BBC Radio 2 in 2009 when DJ Bob Harris played an early un-finished mix of the song 'Tonight' on his Saturday night show.

With mixing and production fully finished, the band's debut single 'Tonight' releases on August 24th 2009 with the album following on September 14th. The single has received support so far from Radio 2 DJ Steve Wright, who played it on his afternoon show.