Van She

by MacKenzie WilsonThe Aussie dance-rock act Van She features Michael Di Francesco (synths), Tomek Archer (drums), Nick Routledge (vocals/guitar), and Matt Van Schie (bass). With their foxy synth pop swagger, Van She formed in 2005 in the Sydney suburb of Bankstown. Each member of the band had responded to an ad in Sydney's Drum Media magazine and arrived at an audition for a vocalist for a doom metal band with influences such as Sepultura, Entombed, Black Skull -- and Phil Collins. The whole thing was a total hoax; however, they all became fast friends and scrambled up Van Schie's last name for the creation of Van She. A deal with Modular Recordings, which is home to Wolfmother and the Avalanches, was inked after just one gig and shows with the Presets, Wolf & Cub, Annie, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs soon followed in 2006. With the success of their eponymous debut EP, Van She were named Live Act of the Year by In the Mix magazine, and also earned a nomination in the Best Debut Artist category for the Dance Music Awards in their native Australia.