Who are they?
The Kris Barras Band are a British blues-rock/hard rock outfit fronted by former MMA fighter-turned-guitar hero Kris Barras. Hailing from Devon, Kris swapped the cage for the stage, quickly becoming one of the UK’s fastest-rising rock musicians. His band delivers a powerful blend of soulful blues, arena rock hooks, and hard-hitting riffs.
⚡ The Sound
The band’s music is a mash-up of:
- 🎤 Bluesy, gritty vocals – Kris’s voice has that lived-in rasp perfect for storytelling.
- 🎸 Monster riffs & slick solos – modern blues meets heavy rock energy.
- 🥁 Hard-grooving rhythm section – built for festival fields and sweaty clubs alike.
- 🎶 Big choruses – anthemic, emotional, and begging for crowd singalongs.
Think Black Stone Cherry, Rival Sons, Alter Bridge – but with Kris’s own unique British spin.
🪓 The Band – Line-Up
- Kris Barras – Vocals/Guitar 🎸
- Josiah J. Manning – Guitar/Keys/Backing Vocals 🎹
- Billy Hammett – Drums 🥁
- Kelpie Mackenzie – Bass 🎸
(They’ve also had touring/session players step in, but this is the core machine.)
💿 Discography – From the Cage to the Charts
- Lucky 13 (2016) – Independent debut, full of raw blues power.
- The Divine and Dirty (2018) – First major breakthrough; hit the UK charts and got heavy airplay on Planet Rock.
- Light It Up (2019) – Bigger, heavier, and full of riffs that pushed them closer to hard rock territory.
- Death Valley Paradise (2022) – A gritty, modern hard rock record that went Top 30 in the UK Albums Chart. Includes bangers like “Dead Horses” and “These Voices.”
- Halo Effect (2024) – Their latest, blending emotion and heaviness with tracks like “Hourglass” and “Secrets.”
🎪 Live Reputation – From Bars to Arenas
The Kris Barras Band have built their rep the old-fashioned way: touring relentlessly. Highlights include:
- Playing Download Festival, Steelhouse Festival, and Ramblin’ Man Fair 🎪
- Supporting big names like Black Stone Cherry, Thunder, and Beth Hart
- Selling out headline UK tours, proving their fanbase is growing fast
On stage, Kris is as comfortable ripping solos as he is connecting with the crowd, often sharing his MMA past and personal stories between songs.
🏴 The Vibe
- Working-class heart – Kris is real, humble, and relatable.
- Musical versatility – sits comfortably between blues, hard rock, and southern rock.
- British grit with American-style swagger – a crossover appeal that’s landed them fans worldwide.
🚀 The Future
With charting albums, constant touring, and a reputation as one of the UK’s most exciting modern rock acts, Kris Barras Band are on the cusp of breaking into the global scene. Expect bigger festival slots, more crossover collabs, and plenty of fretboard fireworks.
🎧 Final Verdict:
Kris Barras Band are proof that rock’s future is alive and riffing – heavy enough for the metal crowd, soulful enough for the blues purists, and catchy enough for the casuals. From the cage to the stage, Kris has built something truly special. 🏴🔥
