Viola Beach: Ten Years On: A Tribute to the 'Boys That Sing'
On February 13th, 2016, the music world was shaken by the news that Kris Leonard, River Reeves, and Jack Dakin, all aged 19, alongside Tomas Lowe, 27, and their manager Craig Tarry, 33, had died in a tragic car accident outside Stockholm, Sweden. The band was travelling back to the UK to support their close friends, Blossoms, at a gig in Guildford that very night.
The history of rock ’n’ roll is littered with untimely deaths, but few have seemed so monstrously unfair as those of Viola Beach and their manager, Craig Tarry. The young band’s nascent career was cruelly cut short when their car crashed into a canal on the journey back from a Swedish music festival in the early hours of Saturday, February 13th.
At the time, the band were the definition of rising stars. They weren't just waiting for success to find them; they were chasing it across borders, with a recent record deal, sold-out shows, and backing from 'BBC Introducing'. Their label, Communion, captured their spirit perfectly in a statement shortly after:
"Viola Beach had everything going for them, great songs, passion, talent, drive… everything that a band should have. To sit down with them was to be in the presence of a band who knew just what it would take to make it."
A Community United in Grief
The shock of their passing triggered an immediate outpouring of love from the British music scene. A massive tribute show in their hometown of Warrington brought together the industry's biggest names to honour them. The Coral performed a headline set, while Liam Fray, originally billed for a solo slot, surprised the crowd by bringing his Courteeners bandmates for a full-throttle performance. The night also featured acoustic sets from The Kooks and Blossoms, the very band Viola Beach had been supporting on tour.
The packed bill included Eliza and the Bear, The Vryll Society, The Strawberries, and Psyblings, alongside a rare appearance from The Zutons and Hidden Charms. Between the live acts, recordings of Viola Beach’s own live shows filled the room, ensuring their music remained the heartbeat of the evening.
Speaking to BBC Newsbeat before the gig, Blossoms expressed the profound weight of the loss. Bassist Charlie Salt noted, "They were on the same pattern of success as us. It was looking up for them." Singer Tom Ogden added, "There are just no words for what happened. It’s something we’ll never forget; it could have been us."
A Legacy Left in Song
The band never lived to see the full magnitude of their impact, but the world made sure their voices were heard. Following a massive fan campaign supported by icons like Liam Gallagher, Kasabian, Paloma Faith and The Stone Roses, the single 'Swings & Waterslides' soared to the top of the iTunes chart. The song eventually reached Number 11 on the official charts, with all proceeds going to the families of the band and their manager.
Determined to keep their memory alive on the road, Blossoms vowed to play a recorded version of Viola Beach’s live set at every venue where the boys were originally due to support them.
When their self-titled debut album, ‘Viola Beach’, was posthumously released in July 2016, it reached Number 1. As the NME noted at the time, the album became a vital document of who the band were. While the old maxim says you have a lifetime to write a debut, these four young men were denied that time. The album, a "posthumous patchwork" of recordings, is tempered by the knowledge that they were only just getting started.
It is a collection that balances high-energy indie anthems with tracks like 'Call You Up', a winsome, late-night lament that hints at hidden depths and a burgeoning songwriting maturity that was cut tragically short.
Glastonbury
One of the most defining moments of 2016 came during Coldplay’s headline set at Glastonbury. Chris Martin addressed the massive Pyramid Stage crowd, explaining that the band usually covered David Bowie’s 'Heroes' at that point in the show. Instead, he made the decision to "create an alternate future" for Viola Beach.
"We’re going to let them headline Glastonbury for a song," Martin told the crowd. "So Kris and Jack and River and Tomas and their manager Craig, this is what would have maybe been you in 20 years or so, and I hope we do this song justice."
What followed was a deeply moving performance of 'Boys That Sing'. As Coldplay played live, the original recording of Kris Leonard’s vocals filled the air and footage of the band was projected onto the towering screens.
The families of all five men were in the audience as guests of Coldplay, watching as their sons and brothers posthumously reached the legendary stage they were surely destined for. It was a gesture that not only honored their memory but also acted as a call to action; Martin urged the fans to "send it up the charts," further fueling the campaign that would eventually take their music to Number 1
Ten Years On: The Rainbow in Warrington
A decade later, the town of Warrington continues to hold the boys close. A permanent tribute has been installed in the Golden Square shopping centre, a striking "V" made from rainbow umbrellas. The design reflects one of the band’s most iconic photographs, turning a moment of silence into a vibrant display of colour.
“Viola Beach will always be part of Warrington’s story,” says Ian Cox, Director at Golden Square. “Ten years on, their music and their spirit still mean so much. We wanted something in the Old Market Square, where they once played, that feels hopeful. The rainbow umbrellas are bright, uplifting, and impossible to miss.”
Viola Beach’s name may be synonymous with a tragedy that happened ten years ago today, but through their music, they remain frozen in a state of eternal, youthful exuberance. They are, and will always be, the boys that sing.
Thank you for reading
Jack