Callum Codd Embraces the Raw Energy of The Jacaranda Ahead of First Solo Headline Show

Callum Codd states The Jacaranda provides everything he wants from a music venue as he prepares for his first headline show at the iconic Liverpool establishment. 

The Widnes singer-songwriter, who formerly fronted four-piece The Racket, went his own way just over 12 months ago – with two singles released so far, and a third on the way. 

This Friday, Codd will take his catalogue of songs to the Jacaranda stage as he tops the bill for the first time as a solo artist. 

Discussing the venue, he said: “I really like it, in recent years it seems like a lot of people don’t want to play there, but I don’t know why. 

“It’s cool, it sounds good, and it’s punk. I love the sound of not having monitors on stage and the audience being right there. There’s nothing more real than a gig at the Jacaranda or places like that. 

“It’s right in front of you, people are right in front of you. There’s no amazing sound system filling in the cracks; it’s real. I’ve played it loads before, and I love the venue. 

“I played there just before Christmas. We had the set list of what we thought were the best tunes in a certain order, but a gig like that flips everything around because you get the immediate reaction. 

“We have a song called Real Life. I always thought it was good; maybe not a single, but it’s the one the crowd loved the most, so I know it needs to go at the start.

“That’s what you get from small venues and intimate gigs.”

The Jacaranda show will coincide with the release of Codd’s third single A Change Gonna Come, which comes out at midnight the night before. 

“I think it’s the best sounding one, we spent a lot of time in the studio on it – and it just sounds bigger and it’s gone up a notch again,” he stated. 

“It’s ambitious. There was a lot of messing around, playing about with it. We want to do things that are different. 

“I’ve always been used to getting a band in a room and recording, but this was very much a studio piece of work. 

“It’s got a bounce to it, and other stuff we were adding was just getting in the way of that. We’ve done a good job with the final piece that’s coming out.”

Catch Callum Codd at the Jacaranda this Friday 30 May. Tickets are available now via Skiddle.

Amos Wynn