Gilmore Trail

Gilmore Trail are an instrumental rock group from the United Kingdom, based in Sheffield and active since 2011. The band begins as a project formed by Danny Mills and original drummer Sam Ainger. Its line-up includes Bob Brown on drums, David Ivall and Danny Mills on guitar, and Joe Richards on bass.

The group takes its name from a trail in Alaska, a route associated with viewing the Northern Lights. Their music sits between post-rock and progressive rock, drawing on influences including Oceansize, King Crimson, This Will Destroy You, Pink Floyd, Intronaut and Buckethead.

Recordings and releases

The band’s first release is the Circle of Least Confusion EP in 2011. It is recorded by Dave Sanderson at 2Fly Studios in Sheffield in October 2011. The EP receives a nomination alongside Best EP from Sheffield Scenester, as well as repeated play on BBC Radio Sheffield and an In Session feature for Exposed Magazine, which includes a double-page spread and a live session for the magazine’s website.

The first album, Sailing Stones, follows in 2013 and is also recorded at 2Fly Studios. It develops the themes established on the EP and leads to extensive live activity around the UK. This includes a UK tour with Tim Holehouse, two headline appearances at Tramlines festival in 2014 and a third in 2015. The album is nominated for Best Album by Sheffield Scenester.

The Floating World is released in 2015 at a sold-out show in Sheffield. The album gains early support from Prog Magazine, BBC Radio Sheffield, Clash Magazine and BBC 6 Music, with appearances from Steve Lamacq and Tom Robinson. A video is made for the lead single, Memories of Redfern. Coverage also appears in Rocksound, Exposed, The Big Issue and Toast.

The single Twin Peaks appears in 2016, accompanied by a music video. It is inspired by Angelo Badalamenti and David Lynch and is offered as a free download.

Live activity

Gilmore Trail tour the UK in 2016 as co-headliners with Fly on, Fly on. The tour ends with a homecoming show in Sheffield, which is the last performance with Sam Ainger on drums. Bob Brown joins the band in March 2016 and takes over on drums.

In 2017, the band plays the Yohkai stage at ArcTanGent Festival, alongside acts including Explosions in the Sky, God Is An Astronaut, SikTh, Converge, Boris, Vennart and Russian Circles. The performance is filmed and posted online.

Later activity

The band then focuses on a third album, pausing to play with The Mirimar Disaster at a one-off reunion show. The album is recorded in 2019, but production stops during the COVID-19 pandemic. The release is then planned for January 2022.