Be a Shop Front Hero and Help us Get Back on the Road!

Be a Shop Front Hero and Help us Get Back on the Road!

To our incredible fans, friends of the band, and fellow rock enthusiasts,

Most of you know us – we're Shop Front Heroes , a hard-working rock band from Mid Wales who pour everything into our music. As you would expect, we all have other jobs to earn money to live on and we club together to pay for all things the band needs, like equipment, recording studio costs and travel. For a band, transport is critical. Our trusty band vehicle, affectionately known as "SuperVan," has been our invaluable sixth member for years, carrying us and our gear across the country, serving venues large and small in our local communities and across the UK.

SuperVan has been a reliable bandmate and workhorse, taking us to countless gigs, festivals, pubs, community centres and even the legendary Abbey Road and Rockfield Studios, where we crafted our debut album "SuperPowers ".

However – disaster has struck, and we now have no transport. Driving home to Wales in the early hours of the morning in August 2024, after a triumphant, sold-out show at The Fleece in Bristol, a sudden, catastrophic failure of SuperVan's prop shaft brought our journey to a terrifying halt. We shot from the high of a fantastic gig at The Fleece to airbags, panic, silence. The band was OK, but the van was not.

We hoped it would be a straightforward fix. But after months of effort from multiple mechanics, the news from this week's road test has confirmed our worst fears. The damage extends to the gearbox, clutch, and flywheel. The cost of these extensive repairs now far exceeds the van's value, especially considering the initial damage. Our kind mechanic has agreed to take the van in exchange for our mounting bill, but this means SuperVan's rock band journey has sadly ended. And Shop Front Heroes is grounded without our crucial transport.

Since that August night, we've managed to play some local shows through sheer grit and the kindness of friends. However, relying on cars and borrowed vans simply isn't a sustainable, affordable, or safe way to transport ourselves, our crew, and essential equipment. This has forced us to reluctantly turn down gigs – the lifeblood of what we do – leading to significant lost earnings. Meanwhile, we've been busy writing new material for our second album, always hoping SuperVan would be back on the road soon. This latest setback has left us in a desperate situation, seriously jeopardizing our ability to continue as a band.

Without reliable transport, we face a huge challenge in booking and playing gigs, especially those further afield. This directly impacts our ability to share our music, connect with you all, and secure our future as a band. We estimate that a suitable replacement will cost between £4000 and £5000.

This is where we humbly ask for your support. We will be pooling the funds we have to replace SuperVan because we urgently need a reliable vehicle to get back on tour, promote our music, and ultimately, earn the money we need to fund the recording of our new album. Can you help us get back on the road?

We wouldn’t be asking if this wasn’t our last resort, and we are deeply grateful for you even taking the time to read our story. If you can contribute, it would mean the world to us and enable us to keep bringing our music to you.

To our amazing fanbase, and to anyone who believes in live music and the arts, please consider contributing in any way you can. Every donation will make a real difference and help us get Shop Front Heroes back on the road. Your contribution will directly fund a new van, allowing us to tour, promote our new music, and keep playing for you.

Thank you, as ever , for your incredible support

Love from

Stevie, Alex, Jake, Matt, and Tom