Canterbury’s Syd Arthur’s latest album was hailed as a psych-rock masterpiece by music critics and famous fans alike, so it’s only appropriate their biggest Kent show to date will be at Dreamland. Here, we talk to bassist Joel Magill as the cosmic band prepare for lift-off.

Dreamland by the seaside is ideal for a home-grown Kent band which has scanned pop’s far-out reaches and seem destined for mainstream success.

Bass player Joel Magill, 31, one of three Magill brothers to feature in Canterbury’s Syd Arthur, said: “We’ve been keen to get something going at Dreamland since its rebranding. It’s not a purpose-built music venue – we’re sort of taking over the inside.

“We’re hoping to curate something really cool and bring some great bands to Kent, which for some reason is often overlooked as a place to gig.”

Syd Arthur features the brothers Magill: Liam (vocals/guitar), Joel (bass), Josh (drums) – and a keyboard/violinist with a name that sounds like a work of pop fiction, Raven Bush, who also happens to be nephew of reclusive songstress, Kate.

The band prefer not to dwell on their link to the pop goddess – she doesn’t involve herself with their music, not that they’d ask her to – preferring instead to focus on a very real collaboration with a familial-sounding idol – the Modfather.

Long-time Syd admirer Paul Weller has remixed a version of the band’s latest single, No Peace, which also features a guitar entry from Noel Gallagher, illustrating the high-rolling musical company these former St Edmund’s School Canterbury students are keeping these days.

“Weller was one of the first people we played the album to – he really loved it,” Joel said.

The band decamped to Weller’s Surrey studio last month for a “hanging” and jamming session and a future collaboration hasn’t been ruled-out.

Released last October, Apricity (dictionary definition: warmth of the sun) is the band’s fourth and most commercially-focused album.

Its warm, blissful tones mirror the location of its recording – Los Angeles. It was mixed at the band’s rehearsal space in downtown Boughton, near Faversham.

For the brothers Magill, their music-making trip was the realisation of a previously far-fetched ambition.

“Spending time in another country and making a record in a recording studio embodied everything we’d been working towards since school. It was a dream come true and just a crazy, surreal experience,” said Joel. “It was nice to complete the album in England, though. It helped bring us back to reality.”

If the band are to carry any label, “psychedelic”, is the one they’re most comfortable with, as according to Joel, “our music can go to these weird and wonderful places”.

And where does he see Syd Arthur in five years’ time?

“More established than we are now, playing bigger gigs to thousands of people – the same ambitions as any band, really.”

Bracketing Syd Arthur as “any band”? That’s just too surreal.

DETAILS

Syd Arthur and Friends play Dreamland’s Roller Room in Margate on Saturday, March 25.
Support will come from Flamingods, Gang and Richard Norris (Behind the Wizards Sleeve).
Tickets for ages 16 and over are £12. To book visit dreamland.co.uk