It doesn’t happen often that a musical group comes along that redefines an entire genre and sets a new standard to which others can aspire, but that’s precisely what Gogo Penguins has done. The Manchester trio manages to seamlessly blend jazz, electronic and classical music in a way that is both exhilarating and wildly entertaining and their most recent album release, Necessary Fiction, is their most adventurous record to date. They’ve managed to retain their understated, cinematic sound while injecting expansive piano riffs, spectacularly sharp percussion and fluid baselines that set them apart from their counterparts. And that unforgettable sound is coming to Victoria on Nov. 17 when Gogo Penguins take the stage at the Royal Theatre. For those of you who haven’t yet experienced the amazing sound of Gogo Penguin, here’s a little background. They are an English jazz fusion band from Manchester, consisting of pianist Chris Illingworth, double bassist Nick Blacka, and drummer Jon Scott. They formed in 2012 and, as of 2025, they have released seven studio albums, two EPs, and three live albums. That’s the basics, but the band itself is so much more, which explains its exploding popularity in the U.K., France and across Europe. Their music features backbeats, minimalist piano melodies, and powerful baselines that have led to comparisons with modern classical composers Shostakovich and Debussy or contemporary minimal music composers like Philip Glass. “There were actually a lot of influences that we wanted to draw from,” said Blacka in a recent interview with Monday Magazine. “We’re from different backgrounds and each brings our own musical influences into the mix. Chris (Illingworth), for example, started out as a classical musician. I studied jazz double bass at Leeds College of Music and Jon (Scott) is a genius on the drums who has played for years and has this creative and flexible style that is just amazing.” “Really, though, we create music to feel the emotion of the sound, but it’s not an explicit meaning. People listen to us, and they bring their own meaning. They listen to it, and I’ve had people come and tell me how a track meant so much to them because it was the soundtrack of a particular event or crisis in their life. The same song can bring a sense of joy or hope or any of a dozen emotions out in different people.” The group has, to date, been able to create those feelings in their audience without any lyrical or vocal accompaniment, but on their most recent album, Necessary Fictions, they featured their first song with a vocalist, featuring British-Ugandan singer-songwriter Daudi Matsiko, whose smoky voice blends perfectly with the trio’s signature styles. “Daudi’s voice has been a friend for years. His voice is quite dark and gentle, and it really resonates with our music,” said Blacka. Victoria is the first stop for Gogo Penguin’s upcoming tour that will see them perform in a series of cities across Canada and the U.S. before returning to Europe for a tour that will take them across the continent for what’s sure to be sold-out crowds. “Success for me is to be able to do what we’re doing. Sure, money is always a part of success, but real success is that you get to bring something to the world that you want to say. We’re very grateful that we have that opportunity,” said Blacka. Tickets for Gogo Penguin’s Victoria appearance are available at www.rmts.bc.ca/production-detail-pages/2025-royal-theatre/gogo-penguin/.
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