The Black Hotels | en

The Black Hotels are an indie rock band from Johannesburg, South Africa. Formed in 2006, their first release, a five-track EP called Beautiful Mornings, made them one of the most critically acclaimed South African indie bands of 2007.

The band spent the most part of 2007/08 on the road completing six national tours in 18 months with notable performances at Oppikoppi, The XBox Summer Festival, Powerzone Unplugged Festival, Durban Botanical Gardens and The Annexation Tour.

In 2009 the band released their first full-length album, Films for the Next Century. The record was nominated for a South African Music Award for Best Alternative Album and The Star Tonight named it album of the year. The Sunday Times selected it as one of the 10 Best Albums of the year.

2009 highlights included performances at Rocking the Daisies, Rocking the Gardens, Old Mutual Summer Concerts and Oppikoppi, as well as tours with UK band Starsailor and Josie Field.

In 2010 the band regrouped to record their follow up album, Honey Badger, with notable performances at Kirstenbosch Gardens and Synergy Live, as well as tours with UK band Ash and The Parlotones.

Honey Badger will be released in April 2011.

The Black Hotels are Warrick Poultney (drums), Lisa Campbell (vocals/bass guitar), Neil White (lead guitar), John Boyd (vocals/guitar) and Matthew Fink (synthesizer).

“Joburg indie-rockers The Black Hotels give fans of the melodic alt. country craft of early REM, the hook-imploded alt. rock hypnosis of Interpol and the enigmatic romance of Neil Diamond’s Girl You’ll Be A Woman Soon a heart-core reason to rock.” GQ

“A hook-laden collection of songs that sound at times like Interpol, The Go-Betweens and early REM.” Mail & Guardian

“The Divine Comedy, The Strokes, something a bit country and a touch of Interpol-like brooding.” Blunt Magazine

“Intelligent, understated, indie rock with a calculated lofi feel.” 24.com

“The most original, authentic and exiting band in South Africa.” Star Tonight .