Lawson

Lawson is a pop rock band from England, United Kingdom, active since 2009. The group consists of Andy Brown on guitar and lead vocals, Ryan Fletcher on bass guitar and backing vocals, Joel Peat on lead guitar and backing vocals, and Adam Pitts on drums. The band is named after Liverpool-based surgeon Dr David Lawson, who performs life-saving surgery on Brown.

Formation and early development

The band forms in late 2009 and is initially known as The Groves before adopting the name Lawson. It begins recording material in early 2010. Early acoustic versions of original songs, together with covers of artists including Bruno Mars and Adele, help build an online following. The group also begins playing gigs around the United Kingdom, including appearances at Wireless Festival and the Ultrasound Festival.

Record deal and debut album

On 8 September 2011, Lawson signs to Polydor Records on a two-album deal. After signing to the label, the band supports acts including The Wanted, Will Young, Avril Lavigne and Jessie J. During early 2012, Lawson tours extensively, including headline tours of the UK in January and May, and a one-off intimate show at Monto Water Rats in London that is streamed worldwide in April. The debut album Chapman Square is made with writers and producers including Carl Falk and John Shanks.

The band’s first official single, “When She Was Mine”, reaches number four on the UK Singles Chart. “Taking Over Me” follows and peaks at number three, and “Standing in the Dark” reaches number six. Lawson’s debut album Chapman Square is released in October 2012 and reaches number three on the UK Albums Chart, later receiving a gold certification. The album is supported by a headline tour across the UK, with sold-out shows in cities including London, Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Sheffield and Birmingham.

Live work and festival appearances

Lawson appears at a number of major events in 2012, including T in the Park, V Festival and Hard Rock Calling, where the band performs alongside Bruce Springsteen. At the end of the year, the group performs at the Oxford Street Christmas lights switch-on with Robbie Williams and at the Capital FM Jingle Bell Ball, where Taylor Swift watches the performance. The band also undertakes headline shows in the United States and Canada at the start of 2013, including sold-out dates at Bowery Ballroom in New York, The Troubadour in Los Angeles and The Mod Club in Canada.

In 2013, Lawson continues touring with the Chapman Square tour and plays 18 sold-out shows in the UK and Ireland. The group also visits South East Asia and Australia while working on new material for the repackaged version of the album. Festival bookings continue to include T in the Park, V Festival, Hard Rock Calling and, for the first time, the Isle of Wight Festival. The band is also included in the line-up for the 2013 iTunes Festival, opening for Jessie J.

Repackaged debut album and later singles

“Brokenhearted”, featuring American rapper B.o.B, is released as the lead single from the repackaged version of Chapman Square and reaches number six in the UK. B.o.B performs the song with the band at Wembley Stadium for the Capital FM Summertime Ball. The next single, “Juliet”, is released later in 2013, with British model and actress Kelly Brook appearing as the title character in the video.

Lawson’s repackaged debut album is released as Chapman Square / Chapter II. It includes the twelve songs from the standard edition of Chapman Square, six new tracks, and, in the deluxe edition, a second disc of acoustic songs and a short tour film. In September 2013, the band begins its largest headline tour to date, the Everywhere We Go Tour.

Musical style and influences

Lawson is identified with pop rock, and its early work also circulates in acoustic form online. For the debut album, the band cites John Mayer and Taylor Swift among its influences.