Harijan

Delivering their skank-inducing tunes with an energetic 9-piece outfit makes Harijan a formidable and intense live force.

Biography

Harijan are a ska punk band from Manchester who gigged between 2003-2010. They were heavily involved in the Manchester punk and ska scenes during this time. In 2019 they returned for a few gigs and recorded their debut album, soon to be released on TNS. They are planning on sticking around for a little longer!

Harijan play heavy, edgy ska-punk infused with reggae, dub, ragga and metal riffs. Their tunes are melodic and catchy whilst being raw and heavy. Reggae drums underpin their booming, tuneful basslines whilst a formidable brass section harmonise heavy soulful melodies. Harijan’s charismatic and characteristic vocals power through the tunes to provide big catchy hooks with social and cultural commentaries on inequality, poverty, addictions, mental health, class struggles and socialism. Delivering their skank-inducing tunes with an energetic 9-piece outfit makes Harijan a formidable and intense live force.

Reviews

“They play a nice mix of ska and ocsasional dub, and the place was banging – it was a non-stop skank fest, and a heartwarming return. The disco ball was used in the lighting set up and it all just felt right. THERE AINT NO PARTY LIKE A MANCHESTER SKA PUNK PARTY!” On The Road Fanzine

“To describe them as a ska punk band would perhaps do them a disservice. They had a more reggae edge to their sound, but they also had much heavier bits and the vocals were so distinctive. They have massively influenced lots and lots of local bands and I can only imagine how much it would go off if they ever did decide to grace the stage again. I wish they had got further afield and that more people had seen them… I think most would agree that Harijan were real pioneers of the Manchester ska scene.” Seeing Your Scene