Sheffield’s biggest party, Tramlines Festival, has announced 12 new additions to its 2019 lineup comprising of some of the hottest breaking talent around. From thousands of entries via the festival’s Apply To Play scheme, six acts were selected by a panel that included Jon McClure (Reverend and The Makers), BBC Radio Sheffield, Clash Magazine, the Leadmill and Tramlines’ organisers. A further six were chosen by BBC Introducing.
Since its inception 11 years ago, Tramlines Festival has continued to offer a platform to new talent from across the UK and on its doorstep in South Yorkshire. Sharing the same ethos, BBC Introducing on BBC Radio Sheffield focuses on showcasing local talent with many aspiring bands and acts receiving their first radio support from this show. In this spirit, presenter Christian Carlisle has selected six local acts to perform at Tramlines in 2019. These include the powerful vocals of Before Breakfast, who will be joined by alt-grunge rockers Hands Off Gretel, while indie vibes come from Oh Papa and Exiled. Sheffield based rapper and Tramlines veteran Matic Mouth will perform solo following a guest slot with Steve Edwards’ Universal Tree group last year. The final addition to this group is Guest Singer who explore the dark side of pop music. These acts will be performing at The Library Stage over the weekend.
In keeping with previous years, the Tramlines team was overwhelmed by a huge number of entries to ‘Apply To Play’. Notable bands discovered via Apply To Play in past years include Blossoms who later were nominated for a Mercury Music Prize in 2017, showing what an important, career-launching platform this can be. For 2019, Tramlines enlisted the help of industry experts at BBC Radio Sheffield, Clash Magazine and the Leadmill, plus Jon ‘The Reverend’ McClure to handpick just six lucky acts.
The Apply To Play winners are a diverse bunch including ‘art pop’ from Fauves who take their inspiration from ‘Fauvism’, an early 20th Century French art movement, and Perfectparachutepicture who have a unique noise rock sound. Speed For Lovers are heavily influenced by the sound of Sheffield’s clubs with their ‘disco-not-disco’ sound, they have already received airplay from Steve Lamacq on BBC 6Music. Ambient alt-pop act LIO played the Tramlines fringe last year but make their Hillsborough debut in 2019. They are joined by indie rock band Graces who have collaborated with Phil Gornell of Bring me the Horizon and Matthew J Hall, a dark pop act to complete the new acts for 2019.
Whilst the Tramlines line up gets bigger each year, it remains seriously good value for money. A very limited number of day tickets can now be purchased from £40 +bf. Tickets have sold quicker than ever in 2019 but an extremely limited quantity of final tier weekend tickets priced at £85 +bf are still available for purchase. The option remains to split this cost over 2 months using the payment plan. VIP upgrade tickets are available for an additional £50 granting access to the private VIP area situated right next to the main stage with private bars, food stalls and toilets. Under 12s go for free. For full ticketing info including monthly payment plans, visit www.tramlines.org.uk.
TRAMLINES FESTIVAL 2019 LINE UP
Two Door Cinema Club / Courteeners / Nile Rodgers & Chic
Manic Street Preachers / Johnny Marr / Rag N Bone Man / Annie Mac / Doves
Happy Mondays / Reverend and The Makers / Miles Kane / Tom Grennan / Circa Waves / Lewis Capaldi / Drenge / Shame / Peter Hook & The Light / The Rifles / The Futureheads / Sleeper
Jade Bird / Becky Hill / The Japanese House / Good Cop Bad Cop / Sea Girls / Yonaka / Clean Cut Kid / Georgia / She Drew The Gun / Jaws / Sports Team / Easy Life / Skinny Living / Otherkin / Whenyoung / Cassia / Another Sky / Anteros / Casey Lowry / Marsicans / Blackwaters / October Drift / Bloxx / Hey Charlie / Balcony / Man & The Echo / Everly Pregnant Brothers
Red Rum Club / Himalayas / Planet / The Estevans / The Rosadocs / Oddity Road / The Reytons / The Wired / The Seamonsters / Cora Pearl / Bedroom High Club / Children of the State
Before Breakfast, Exiled, Fauves, Graces, Guest Singer, Hands Off Gretel, LIO, Matic Mouth, Matthew J Hall, Oh Papa, Perfectparachutepicture, Speed For Lovers
COMEDY:
Phil Jupitus / Reginald D Hunter / Shappi Khorsandi / Andre Vincent / Alistair Barrie / Daniel Muggleton / Thomas Green
