Common Courtesy, an indie rock band featuring three talented Popular Music students from Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College (QE), Darlington, have released their next, hotly-anticipated single. Dance tune, ‘Imitator’, has been available on all streaming platforms since Friday (17th March) and was named Track of the Week on BBC Radio Tees’s Music Introducing, proving to be an instant hit with listeners. Evan Coates, Tom Hunt and Toby Lill, who are all in their second year at QE, helped to form Common Courtesy in February 2022 and their new single follows a whirlwind year and a wave of incredible success for the band. The group have headlined two sold-out performances at the Forum Music Centre in Darlington and released their very own EP with Tom, who studies A Level Economics, Geography and Politics in addition to Popular Music at QE, describing both as ‘personal highlights’. They have also supported several other indie stars at gigs across the North East, including Courting and Coach Party.

Common Courtesy record all of their music in QE’s Studio with their songs being produced by the College’s Popular Music Technician, Sam Kennedy. Tom explains: ‘We are so grateful for all of the support given to us by QE’s Popular Music department and appreciate everything they have done for us.’

Before they take a brief hiatus to focus on their upcoming exams, the group are looking forward to attending annual music festival, Stockton Calling, on Saturday 8th April and playing another headline show at the Lending Rooms in Leeds on Thursday 13th April. After their A Levels, the band looks set to return with a bang with more festivals, gigs and headline shows than ever before, continuing to establish themselves as major stars in the local music scene and becoming a common name amongst North East residents.

You can listen to Common Courtesy’s music on Spotify

To book tickets for their upcoming gig at the Lending Rooms in Leeds, head to: https://www.seetickets.com/event/backspace-common-courtesy-with-support-/lending-room-the-library/2571775.

For more information about QE’s Popular Music course, please contact Laurence Job, Deputy Principal, at ljob@qeliz.ac.uk.