15 December 2025
Every Monday I will be bringing you an interview with an independent band, duo or music artist. This week, I caught up with Kildare/Dublin band Kampala to find out more…
Who is in the band, how did you meet and where are you from?
I’m Rob. I started the band when my previous project Able Archer ended in 2019 . I had been part of a songwriting duo in many bands for many years and wanted to start a power trio where I was the main songwriter. I demoed up 6 songs and found a drummer and bassist. Neither of which are in the band. Baz Daly (bass) joined within weeks. We grew up in the same town but had never played together. We then spent three years honing our sound and eventually recording our two singles just around the time our original drummer left to be become a pilot!!!
Justin Capocci joined and we were on our way. The perfect trio. We had a definitive dark alternative sound. The one I had envisioned originally. Two singles recorded. Launch gig in Whelan’s… Two weeks after Justin joined!
This stayed as the line up till late ‘24 when Dan Kane (lead guitar) joined. Dan’s arrival heralded a new sound that is the sound of our debut album.
Who were your musical influences when you were growing up and who are your influences now?
Growing up:
Depeche Mode
The Cure
Nirvana
Pixies
Suede
Foo Fighters
Now:
Fontaines DC
The Murder Capital
NewDad
The Twilight Sad
Osees
Lo Moon
The War On Drugs
Deep Sea Diver
How would you describe your sound?
Melodic and aggressive beat-heavy indie rock. It feels new but with mileage, hooky but with complexity.
What is your latest release called and what was the influence behind it?
Our Lives in the In Between.
I wrote the song as a reflection on the importance of two things: 1. Choosing the right partner in life for the right reasons. 2. Being self aware enough to realise that the “happiness” exists in stolen moments in between the hum drum of modern life. Sometimes you need to rest, lay together and appreciate those moments. If you can do that it’ll all work out… Or at least it has so far.
What’s your local music scene like?
Dublin has always been a city full of unbelievable artistic talent. It’s a very hard place to cut through because of that. Second only to London in that respect. I would even say there are more “breakable” artists in Dublin than London by area.
It’s very very vibrant.
What do you have planned for the next 12 months?
We put out our as yet unpicked 4th single from our as yet unnamed debut album in mid February of next year. Followed by a tour of Ireland and a few shows in Europe in March/April.
Is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with?
There’s a female fronted grunge band in Dublin called Sygh. She’s a phenomenal songwriter. I think they are mad promising. A collab with them could be interesting.
Any funny stories surrounding your live performances?
Well I guess the most interesting gig story is where we got the name. Before I formed the band I played a few Rock Covers shows in Kampala. The capital of Uganda. For paddy’s day in 06 and 07. It was totally wild. As far as I know we were the only rock band to ever play Uganda. Driving around different compounds collecting gear for the show was memorable to say the least. I decided then I would one day call a band Kampala.
Do you have any upcoming live dates and performances?
Not at the minute.
What is the one thing that you want readers to know about you?
We are a band. In the truest sense of the word. While I still write a lot of the material, the sound is the band. The intention is the band. We’re about being a band. We feel like we’ve found our voice and are looking forward to sharing it with our record next year.
You can find out more about Kampala on their website or via Facebook, Instagram, SoundCloud or Spotify.
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