The main feature of the May concert was a Mozart quintet for piano and wind instruments. It started with a Haydn piano sonata (Hob XVI), played by Antony Brannick, that put the audience in a good mood. Then he introduced the wind soloists – Verity Quarmby (oboe), Jane Killian (clarinet), Bob Shaw (French horn) and Shelley Wilson (bassoon). Each played a piece that showcased the character of their instrument. In the final one, Gilbert Vinter’s ‘The Playful Pachyderm’, the bassoon reached for its lowest notes to express the creature’s eventual disappointment.
The second half opened with a rondo by Hummel – a composer overshadowed by Mozart. Finally we had the quintet itself (K452). I noticed how Mozart also contrasted the wind instruments by giving them solo phrases as well as having them all playing together. The audience went home happy.
As a singer and lead guitarist in rock band Gomez, Ben Ottewell is well known for his unmistakable voice and talent for blistering and inspired guitar solos. Rolling Stone declared, ‘Gomez’s not-so-secret weapon is Ben Ottewell.’ And as GQ Magazine once wrote and anyone listening can attest, ‘[his] voice is not of this world.’
Ottewell released his first solo album Shapes & Shadows (ATO) in 2011, featuring such beautiful acoustic tunes as ‘Blackbird’, ‘Shapes and Shadows’ and ‘Take This Beach’ which appeared on FX’s Sons of Anarchy. Since then, Ottewell has been pleasing audiences with a series of successful solo tours across the UK, US and Australia.
On his newest record, Rattlebag, Ottewell once again collaborated with childhood friend and his Shapes & Shadows writing partner Sam Genders, previously of Tunng. ‘Sam and I grew up together in a little village called Bonsall in Derbyshire and have been friends since childhood. I love his songwriting — the stuff he did with his bands Tunng and The Accidental, particularly lyrically.’
In Fall 2013, Ottewell connected with his fan base to crowd-fund ‘Rattlebag’, and launched a pledge campaign on Indiegogo. ‘It seems to be a really honest way to do it,’ Ottewell said at the time. ‘Indiegogo lends a kind of transparency into making the record…I feel long-term Gomez followers will really enjoy engaging in this way.’ The experiment worked well and exceeded his fundraising goal, with enthusiastic supporters from around the world contributing to the recording of the album.
Simultaneously stripped-down and lush, Rattlebag is a collection of beautifully poetic tales of salvation and redemption, of sanctuary and braving rocky seas in search of distant shores. Ottewell’s infectious melodies and bluesy riffs will stick with you, and beg you to sing along.
The word ‘supergroup’ is tossed around a lot in instrumental music circles, the result of a seemingly endless supply of efforts to package together individual virtuoso players and make a band out of them. But every once in a while, the group part of that shopworn term becomes authentic and real. Such is the case with The Aristocrats – guitarist Guthrie Govan, bassist Bryan Beller, and drummer Marco Minnemann – who defiantly and joyously blow the supergroup stereotype to bits, thrilling audiences and fans around the world in the process with a preternatural band chemistry that equals exponentially more than the sum of its parts.
After two fairly raw trio albums, guitarist Guthrie Govan (Steven Wilson, Asia/GPS), bassist Bryan Beller (Joe Satriani, Dethklok) and drummer Marco Minnemann (Steven Wilson, Joe Satriani) set up camp at legendary Sunset Sound studios in Hollywood, CA, where Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and Van Halen all recorded landmark albums.
The result is ‘Tres Caballeros’, featuring nine new compositions of greater sonic depth and breadth than ever before, with unique textures and lush layering augmenting the band’s preternatural ability to improvise both individually and as a group at the highest levels possible. But not to worry – it’s all still tempered with a steadfast refusal to take themselves too seriously, and The Aristocrats are still having more fun than a fusion band has any right to have.
The key thing to remember is that The Aristocrats are a true band. Whether it’s about the music, the touring plans, the record artwork and sequence, the business decisions, or what have you, everyone has an equal say. Perhaps Guthrie said it best when he used the phrase “a rowdy democracy of musicianship.”
It’s not just fusion. It’s not just shredding. It’s not even meant to be taken seriously at times. It’s just the sound of three guys who did a single pickup gig and suddenly discovered they had something musically deep going on together…along with a propensity for employing R-rated song titles.
Thursday 3rd – Sunday 6th September: Festival No.6 at Portmeirion, Gwynedd. performing Belle and Sebastian, Grace Jones, Metronomy, Catfish and The Bottlemen and 46 more
Idlewild, who formed in Edinburgh in 1995, released their eighth studio album ‘Everything Ever Written’ in February. It has been described as the band’s ‘most eclectic output to date’ with strands of Scottish folk, Americana and ‘Hebridean psychedelia’.
They remerged in October 2014 after a five year haitus with a new line up and an acoustic tour of the Scottish Highlands and islands.
Also joining the Bradford Council-run festival, set to run on 4-6 September, in Bingley’s Myrtle Park are Radio 1 stars Huw Stephens, Scott Mills and Chris Stark and Propaganda DJs. They will be providing change-over DJ sets between acts over the weekend.
Huw Stephens is one of Radio 1s key champions of new music. On air from 10pm, Mondays to Wednesdays, he also hosts a weekly BBC Introducing podcast for Radio 1 as well as hosts his own live music nights in London. His shows have been broadcast as far afield as Texas and Barcelona, while Huw has travelled to Reykjavik, New Zealand, Nashville, Los Angeles and Manchester to seek out new music. Huw will DJ the main stage band changeovers on the Sunday of Bingley Music Live.
Scott Mills is the afternoon force of Radio 1 having joined the station in 1998 as an early breakfast show presenter. He now presents an afternoon show from 1-4pm. His radio career began at 16, on Power FM, when he was the youngest radio presenter in the UK. He has had stints at GWR FM in Bristol, Piccadilly Key 103 in Manchester and Heart FM.
Chris Stark, who is a regular co-presenter on Scott Mills’ show, will join Scott Mills in DJing the artist changeover slots on Saturday 5th September at Bingley Music Live. Chris began presenting on hospital radio at 16 though has since worked for Galaxy, Real Radio, Virgin Radio and 6 Music before finding a home on Radio 1. He is also a club DJ, something he started at 15, and has DJ’d at student nights across the UK.
Propaganda is the UK’s Biggest Rock n’Roll Party with over 20 weekly club nights across the UK as well as regular events in Australia, Brazil and Ibiza. Over 25,000 people attend the club night around the world each week and even more listen to their weekly radio show on Xfm. They’re bringing their legendary audio-visuals extravaganza to Bingley Music Live on the Friday and Saturday of this year’s festival.
Coun Imran Khan, Executive Member for Sport and Environment, said: “This year’s line up is packed with big names, which makes it even better value for money.”
The other headliners include Super Furry Animals, Labrinth and James with support from Embrace, Ella Eyre, Ash, Cast, Scott Matthews, Peter Hook and the Light, Carl Barat of The Libertines, The Beat, Rae Morris and many more – a total of over 50 acts.
Tickets are just £49 for adult weekend tickets and £34 for child weekend tickets plus booking fee with an opportunity to still pay in installments.
From rock to punk to ska, and all variations in-between, there is something for everyone. As long as that something features loud guitars and shouting. This year marks the tenth year of the festival’s existence and head promoter Ben Ray wanted to mark the occasion by returning to the original home of Slam Dunk – Millennium Square.
On arriving at the site it’s clear that the weather in Leeds is just as up for this as the queues of excited punters lining up to get in. The sun beams down on the city and thankfully stays there throughout the day. As well as the main stage in the square, the site features further stages outside the O2 Academy and opposite the Beckett University student union, as well as indoor stages within both buildings. While initially a little confusing (at least to this reviewer), once the layout has been fully investigated it’s remarkably easy to get between stages and catch all the acts you want to see.
Trash Boat
I arrive at the Beckett student union with my trusted companion Rach, just in time to catch the end of Trash Boat’s opening set on the Fresh Blood stage. This pop-punk group from St. Albans get a great reception from the small but pumped up crowd. The audience in general at the festival are mainly young and very enthusiastic, which makes for a great turnout for every set.
Patent Pending
From there we wander to the Desperado stage to see Patent Pending. These energetic New York pop-punks obviously have a loyal following which is demonstrated by the immediate response to singer Joe Ragosta’s call of ‘Pirate hooks up!’ Cue loads of hooked fingers raised in the air throughout the crowd as the band stomped through their hit, ‘Psycho In Love’.
It’s a short walk then to the main stage in the square to see the eagerly anticipated PVRIS (pronounced as ‘Paris’) play. The trio from Massachusetts draw a huge crowd, despite only being second on the bill. There is clearly a big buzz about the band and songs like ‘St. Patrick’ and ‘White Noise’ go down a storm. Their blend of pop-laced electronica and rock is a welcome change of pace from the punkier acts featured on the other stages. Singer, Lynn Gunn, possesses a strong and commanding voice and obviously knows how to work the crowd and her introduction to last song ‘My House’ gets a rousing cheer. Judging by the reaction to this short set, PVRIS will be headlining a stage on their next visit.
Beartooth
We go from there to the O2 Academy which this year houses the Monster stage, featuring some of the heavier-sounding bands on the bill. The queue for metal-core band Beartooth stretches around the side of the building and we’re lucky to make it into the venue. The sense of excitement about this band is huge and the crowd goes wild as charismatic frontman, Caleb Shomo, prowls the stage. Hailing from Ohio, the band were formed as a side project for Shomo (after he left the more electronica influenced Attack Attack! in 2012) but Beartooth quickly became his main focus. The band perform songs from their debut album ‘Disgusting’ with ferocious intensity, and tracks like ‘Beaten In Lips’ and ‘In Between’ are perfect examples of their mix of thrashing metal-core riffs and huge hook-laden choruses.
Big D & The Kids Table
We duck out of the O2 and catch the end of ska-punk veterans Big D & The Kids Table on the Desperados stage. This hard-working Boston band adhere to a strong DIY work ethic, doing everything from producing their records to promoting their shows themselves, and have been going since 1995. They have an infectious energy to their live performance and upbeat sing-along songs like ‘Shining On’ and ‘Noise Complaint’ compliment the sunny weather. The audience dances and skanks away to the busy rhythms and parping horn section.
Cartel
We head then to the small but very popular Macbeth stage to see a bit of Cartel. These pop-punks from Georgia formed in 2003 and released their wildly popular debut ‘Chroma’ in 2005. To mark the tenth anniversary of the album the band have been touring it again, so the majority of their set at Slam Dunk is made up of songs from that breakthrough release – such as ‘Honestly’ and ‘Luckie Street’ – much to the delight of the crowd.
Due to a desperate need to recharge both my phone and indeed myself, I end up witnessing Neck Deep’s highly celebrated performance on the main stage from the press room window, whilst inhaling a chicken sandwich. Despite being in a room overlooking the square and not in amongst the heaving throng, it’s very clear that this set from the Welsh melodic-hardcore quintet has made a lot of people’s day. The crowd throw their hands in the air and the security staff have their own hands busy carrying beaming crowd surfers down from behind the barrier. Singer Ben Barlow is a whirl of activity onstage whilst his bandmates play their hearts out on songs such as new single ‘Can’t Kick Up the Roots’ and crowd favourite and set-closer, ‘Losing Teeth’. Kerrang magazine’s 2014 Best British Newcomers have certainly earned their place on the main stage.
Mariachi El Bronx
Mariachi El Bronx are up next on the Desperado stage. The Mexican folk-music playing alter ego of hardcore punk act The Bronx (who would then go on to headline the Impericon stage later in the evening) bring an entirely different sound to the night. Despite one of their members having had his snazzy mariachi uniform jacket stolen earlier, the band take the high road and play on. By turns joyful and mournful, the music inspires much swaying and dancing amongst the now slightly sunburnt and beer-filled crowd.
Lower Than Atlantis
The recipients of the Kerrang 2013 Best Newcomer award Lower Than Atlantis take to the main stage next as the sun starts to fade and the evening approaches. This alt-rock quartet from Watford are obviously very popular and have people swarming to Millennium Square, but I’m afraid songs like ‘Emily’ and ‘English Kids In America’ do nothing for me. However, set closer ‘Here We Go’is a great tune and sounds brilliant live.
Finch
Over on the Monster stage in the O2 Academy, Californian post-hardcore stalwarts, Finch, play what seems like a nostalgic set as the crowd sing along to every word. For me though, as someone who didn’t listen to them in their heyday, they are merely an appetiser for the band who are to provide the main course tonight.
While She Sleeps
Sheffield metal-core merchants While She Sleeps are the real deal. As people shuffle into the Academy to the sound of ‘The Best Of Prince’ playing over the PA, there is a great sense of expectation. And when the band explode onstage with ‘Brainwashed’, taken from the recent album of the same name, they rise to meet that expectation. Singer Lawrence Taylor is all flailing hair and roaring vocals. Guitarists Sean Long and Mat Welsh provide razor sharp riffs as the rhythm section of Aaran Mackenzie on bass and drummer Adam Savage drive everything onwards with a furious energy. Tracks like ‘Crows’, ‘Seven Hills’ and ‘We Are alive At Night’ demonstrate the band’s ability to balance strong melodies with brutal metal delivery. The set finishes with a triumphant ‘Four Walls’ and we stumble out, ears ringing, job done. Definitely the standout performance of the day.
Before we leave the Academy, my companion Rachel speaks to two fellow Slam Dunkers, Miranda Mohart (left) and Beth O’Connor (right), who have spent the day at the Impericon stage in the Beckett SU. They declare that Canadian hardcore punks, Come Back Kid, were their highlight of the day, with the crowd apparently going mental for their set.
You Me At Six
Main stage headliners, You Me At Six, close out the festival in style. The night is setting in and it’s coming to the end of a long day, but this hugely successful band are still pulling in the masses. People wander towards the square, already singing along before they even see the band onstage. Although not personally a fan of their music, I’d find it hard to argue with the crowd’s response. We can still hear the crowd singing along as we make our way to our coach home, tired but thoroughly satisfied with our day.
For the uninitiated, klezmer is Eastern European dance and celebration music that in it’s most known form also includes elements of early 20th Century jazz. (See this Wikipedia Page if you’d like to learn more) KLONK however bring this right up to date by adding their own ingredients into the mix.
These are instrumental tracks but don’t let that put you off. Given the right party they’ll definitely get the place moving. My listening environment was an office and I’m guessing this isn’t the kind of venue KLONK had in mind for their music.
The EP kicks off with ‘Misirlou’ – for me the least successful track of the four. Yep, this is the Dick Dale & The Del Tones track used in Pulp Fiction. The intro works but after that it settles into a groove that doesn’t seem to go anywhere, and the track seems significantly restrained by the production.
‘Bante Vantul Frunzele’ (a track written by Dragi Sestic) is up next, and this is more like it. The production on this is slightly looser and it’s all the better for it. Lovely fiddle, and the trombone and sax breaks taking the track in a jazz direction. KLONK I’d like to hear more like this please!
There’s a ska shuffle feel to ‘Ot Azoi’ that I really enjoyed. With this track KLONK have really added something of their own to a klezmer standard. If you need a musical reference think ‘Night Boat to Cairo’. The chanted vocals that punctuate the track made it for me.
The final track ‘Goldene Khazene’ – another klezmer standard – again has that looser feel, and it really had my toes tapping. This really swings.
So would I recommend this? Well yes I would. It may take you a few listens to ‘get it’ if you’ve not heard this sort of music before (and the tracks being available on Bandcamp mean you can do that). Maybe it’s a degree cooler than ‘smoking hot’ but it’s still bubbling away nicely.
Tramlines is one of the UK’s biggest inner-city festivals where, for one weekend, 100,000 people descend upon Sheffield to turn the city centre into one huge festival site. Now in its seventh year, Tramlines continues to bring genre-spanning legendary acts alongside breaking new talent to its stages.
Mr Scruff
The festival will open on the Thursday night at the iconic Leadmill with a pre-party from Ninja Tune founder Mr Scruff, who’ll bring his eclectic bigbeat sounds to the dancefloor.
The Full Line-up
Main Stage Headliners and Support
The Charlatans / Basement Jaxx / Wu Tang Clan
Billy Bragg / Buzzcocks / Martha Reeves / Neneh Cherry / Sugarhill Gang
Other Acts
Anathema / A Guy Called Gerald / Basement Jaxx (DJ Set) / Best Friends / Camo & Krooked / Charlotte OC / The Crookes / Dutch Uncles / Erol Alkan / Evian Christ / Ghostpoet / Gilles Peterson / GoGo Penguin / Honeyblood / Horse Meat Disco / James Holden / Jimmy Edgar / Joe Carnall Jr / Joker & New York Transit Authority / Kate Tempest / Lapalux / Loadstar / Marika Hackman / Melle Mel + Scorpio / Mike Skinner (DJ Set) / Mr Scruff / Rolo Tomassi / Roman Flugel / Romare (DJ) / Roni Size / Slaves / Slow Club / Submotion Orchestra / Surgeon / We Are The Ocean / West Street Mob
And So I Watch You From Afar / Aquilo / Awooga / Balkan Bandits / Bartholins Glands / Braiden / Billie Black / Blanck Mass / Blessa / Blood Sport / Blossomer / Bodyjack / Bruising / Cervo & JVC / Cleft / Cypria (DJ) / Daniel Whitehouse / Diagrams / DJ Q / Eastern Seaboard Radio Station / Ekkah / Errors / Ezra Furman / Fred V & Grafix / Fokn Bois / Formation / Gnod / Gulf / The Half Earth / Hannah Lou Clark / Henry Wu Duo (live) / Hey Sholay / Hidden Orchestra / Jagaara / Jim Ghedi / Jus Now / Kamera / Knifeworld / Kris Wadsworth / Lapalux / LewRey / Lone Wolf / Lo Shea / Luca Lozano / Magpies / Mak & Pasteman / Martelo / MC ID / Meadowlark / Mella Dee / Monki / The Big Moon / Nai Harvest / Nat Johnson / Nozinja / The Payroll Union / Pev n Kowton / Polar Bear / Polo / Portico / RedFaces / Renegade Brass Band / Robyn Sherwell / Saif Mode / Scott Matthews / Serocee / The Sherlocks / Shopping / The Slow Revolt / Soul Jam / Sunship / Sumochief / This Is The Kit / Tom Demac / Trash / Tropic of Youth / Tropics / U / Ultimate Painting / Walls / Werkha / Youngman / Zozo
Line-up Highlights
We profile the headliners and bands from around our area.
Friday
The Charlatans
The Charlatans
Over the near-25 years since they formed, The Charlatans have never split up to lucratively reform like so many of their peers. They’ve overcome death, arrest, Britpop and bankruptcy to release eleven albums, including seven UK top tens, retaining a fanatical fanbase who still clamour for album tracks rather than any of the band’s eleven top 20 singles – ‘Sproston Green’ the song with which The Charlatans finish every single gig, still sends crowds wild.
Anathema
Anathema
Quietly progressive and perpetually focused on new horizons, the band have been steadily and constantly evolving: they embraced languorous Floydian hues as far back as the mid 90s, when such things were wildly unfashionable, and have since become one of the UK’s most cherished and critically acclaimed rock bands; their mastery of melancholy, melody and spine-tingling atmosphere setting them proudly apart from their erstwhile peers and, as progressive music entered a new phase of credibility and renown in the 21st century, propelling them to the forefront of a nebulous but increasingly adored musical movement.
A-Kid / 20 Hz Soundsystem
Owner & Operator of the <20Hz Sound System and the brains behind Roots, A-Kid naturally knows the Sheffield music scene inside out. His energetic sets, which delve from Reggae through to Jungle, Dubstep through to Grime, will be sure to have you on your feet. As a staple of the Sheffield scene for the last 6 years, A-Kid and his soundsystem have brought some of the biggest names and best events in bass music to this city. DJ, MC, Soundsystem operator, Promoter & Sheffield Veteran.
Ant TC1
Ant TC1 along with Hidden Agenda founded Dispatch Recordings back in 2001. Ant originally helped out with the management side of the label before finding his feet within the realms of production; which was a natural progression for him having DJ’d on pirate radio and in clubs from the age of 15 (since 1993). Fast forward to 2015 and Ant is now solely responsible for the running of Dispatch Recordings, as well as managing Metalheadz.
Beth Frisby
Beth Frisby
Beautifully haunting & incredibly unique; Beth Frisby’s acclaimed debut E.P ‘Wandering Eyes’ hit the top 20 on the iTunes singer/songwriter charts and continues to steal the breath of her listeners, one of which being Mr Huw Stephens of BBC Radio One. Hailing from Nottingham, Beth is a truly special talent who is fast becoming an unstoppable force.
Blanck Mass
Blanck-Mass PHOTO CREDIT Alex De Mora
Blanck Mass is Fuck Buttons’ Benjamin John Power. His initial ambient creations were to be studio only, and were a collection of beat-less shimmering soundscapes, released on Mogwai’s Rock Action label. Interest steadily grew and soon his crafted worlds were to reach the ears of billions as his track, Sundowner, was used extensively in the 2012 London Olympics Opening Ceremony. Ben then followed up his self titled debut with a successful EP release on Software into a more beat driven territory, and has since taken Blanck Mass out of the studio and into the live sphere, touring as main support to the likes of Sigur Ros and Jon Hopkins. Ben is currently finalising his next LP as the protean Blanck Mass and is eager to unveil the his dark new behemoth offerings.
Camo & Krooked
Camo and Crooked
Austrian duo Reinhard Rietsch and Markus Wagner, otherwise known as Camo & Krooked have quickly become one of the hottest production outfits in Europe. Working together since 2007 and signing exclusively to Hospital Records in 2010, the Viennese pair have created a whirl of dancefloor anthems and a fearsome reputation for their untouchable production skills.
Cervo & JVC
Cervo & JVC
Following over 3 years of avant-garde club nights in Sheffield, Manchester, Amsterdam and Kampala, Banana Hill have been joined by artists such as Gilles Peterson, Quantic, Lone, Spoek Mathambo, Andrés, Move D, FunkinEven, Romare, Awesome Tapes From Africa, Lone and many more. They bring a heady mix of global dance music, taking in afrobeat, kwaito, house, disco, soul, techno and beyond, playing at festivals such as Dimensions, Africa Oyé and more.
Charlotte OC
Charlotte OC
Charlotte’s songwriting is sophisticated and immediate, familiar and strange. She says she likes wordplay and imagery but has also learnt to trust a gut instinct. Charlotte is currently at the closing stages of what will be her EP with debut album to follow, a sultry composite of structured song-writing, a freewheeling vocal range and subtle electronic edge. ‘I couldn’t be prouder of it’, she says. At the finishing-touch stages of her hallucinatory 21st century soul epic, she has every right to be.
Dedication Audio / Displace
The Dedication Audio Sound System is a byproduct of a particular group of individual’s unhealthy obsession for Drum & Bass – The DIsplace Crew. In their 3 years of running, they have been bringing some of the largest names within the D&B circuit to the city through their club night, Displace, for regular demonstrations of what the sound system was built to do. What with the demand for hefty sound systems in Sheffield, however, you can often find the system providing the rumble at a multitude of events all deriving from different musical backgrounds. Dedication Audio is a huge part of the Sheffield scene, and with Displace at the helm is sure to continue making massive waves in the future.
Ghostpoet
Ghostpoet
If you think you know multifaceted musician Ghostpoet, think again. In some respects, new album ‘Shedding Skin’ harks back to Ghostpoet’s Mercury Prize-nominated debut of 2011, ‘Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam’, in its assembly at least: then, he was free of baggage, loose-limbed and able to capture a moment and spin it into a song; now, he’s in a comparable place, but has skilfully circumvented potential complacency by opening the door to creative collaboration while also placing strict conditions on the recording process.
Kamera
Kamera
Kamera is a new signing to Phantasy, set to embark on another, altogether different outsider’s journey, creating unique and uncompromising music that aims to exist in its own world, in its own form, and its own context. Influenced by bands such as Sunn o))), Fugazi, Autechre, Sabres of Paradise, and indeed any music that ‘generally doesn’t necessarily make a lot of sense’, Kamera’s rich sonic space was part born in rural Yorkshire, eventually coming to fruition in the wintery Majorca sunshine. Despite the audible drone of a post-punk and hardcore heritage, Kamera’s layers of noise have already proven irresistible on the most locked in and open minded dancefloors, building around unusual grooves that recall techno at it’s most industrial and thematically ambitious. Debuting on Phantasy with a remix of Erol Alkan’s shimmering recent single ‘Sub Conscious’, Kamera takes the track’s acidic origins and threatens to overpower with layers of stunning feedback that drag the listener in further still.
Lo Shea
Lo Shea
Resident and curator at Hope Works Sheffield, Lo Shea has forged a serious path for himself in the last few years. 2014 saw him playing Panorama Bar Berlin and Air Tokyo, as well as launching the new Hope Works label to critical acclaim, achieving 4/5 in RA reviews and widespread DJ backing. His own labels Seaghdha and 100 Years have received huge support throughout the industry, with Dusky and Levon Vincent to Blawan and Boddika all playing his music on a regular basis. His latest release on Secretsundaze sister label SZE has gained him even more momentum, with Ryan Elliot, Will Saul and Axel Boman all fully behind him.Tramlines 2015 will see Lo Shea deliver a techno set on Friday 24th and a live raw house set on 25th. Lo Shea plays as part of Hope Works’ massive weekender, powered by Neuron Pro Audio’s custom built, one-of-a-kind touring version of Void Acoustics’ flagship Incubus dance stack system. Looking like an alien visitor and sounding equally out of this world, the system is capable of covering 3,000 people with just two monstrous, towering 50,000 watt, 3.4 metre tall stacks. Put this in Hope Works for 500 people and it’s a full body experience!
Pedram
Pedram
Pedram’s various production work under different alias’s in the recent past has seen him make fans of Anja Schneider, Paul Woolford, Nic Fanciulli. But it has been the joining of forces with James Zabiela’s Born Electric imprint that has seen a long term vision and distinction of his sound forged. Based in Sheffield but originally hailing from Iran, Pedram made the move to what is arguably the orginal electronic music capital of the UK, Sheffield, with labels like Warp and acts like LFO and Forgemasters seeming like neighbours to not just Pedram, but most youngsters in the city.
Rawschac
Rawschac
Cut from hazy late-night jam sessions, Rawschac emit an electric atmosphere fuelled by the coming together of idiosyncratic genre splitting and a dark lyrical outlook. Rawschac’s sound weaves a fabric rich with lo-fi threads and electro-modern techniques to create deep yet vibalisciously accessible songs about losing yourself and grooving hard. Taking inspiration from beyond music via art, highs and culture, their show draws comparisons with The XX and The Weeknd; bejeweled with a vocal focus akin to the likes of Frank Ocean and locked in by Jhand’s unique style of flow. Warm yet cutting guitar melodies and smooth, Jungle-shaded basslines drive the rest.
Roni Size
Roni Size
Roni Size’s whole life has been about building something new from whatever was around him. From Bristol youthclub parties, through the white heat of rave and the foundational moments of jungle and drum’n’bass, to transforming underground electronic music into something that could be played by a live band on the biggest arena and festival stages, he has at each stage created completely afresh not just a sound or style but an entire methodology of how music can be made. And each time, that new creation has reflected his heritage, his surroundings and the precise moment in which he’s operating. It’s maybe easy to forget given his relative absence from the limelight in the past decade or so, but Roni is one of the people who distilled the very essence of British music, and is responsible for the way our nation sounds to this day.
WALLS
WALLS
WALLS’ critically lauded self titled debut picked up Mojo’s coveted Electronic Album Of The Year, featured in NME’s end-of-year lists, not to mention winning fans such as of Jamie XX, Caribou, James Holden and impressing US trio Battles so much that they invited the pair on tour around the US. What makes WALLS so alluring is the fully immersive experience of their mellifluous music, reaching out far and wide to pull influences together into patterns of blissful electronica. Their second album ‘Coracle’ took a more dance-orientated stance, the soft-edged rhythms of ambient combining with older influences from the protean Detroit techno and Chicago house music of Juan Atkins, Mr Fingers et al, while guitars and pedals – twisted to push the instruments beyond their comfort zone – have further cemented links to krautrock (Cluster / Popul Vuh) and shoegaze (MBV / Ulrich Schnauss.). Now, they return with their third and final studio album ‘Urals’, inverting their signature sound into a new, more intense dimension, once again exploring futuristic vistas with woven synth lines, spiralling guitars and howling distortion/noise.
Saturday
Basement Jaxx
Basement Jaxx
Ever since minting – at the turn of the millennium – the currently voguish, airwave-dominating pop-house sound, inveterate musical explorers Basement Jaxx have been on top of the world. As the Glastonbury-headlining, three-million-album-selling, Brit- and Grammy-winning maestros of global dancetronica prepare to release their earth-shaking, hip-shaking new album, that view is taking on added meaning. Junto is the duo’s seventh studio album. Two years in the making, it’s the first since they set out on their own after the completion of their decade-plus contract with XL. Now they’re working with Coop/PIAS to release via their own long-running imprint Atlantic Jaxx. The record is the sound of Simon and Felix diving back into sunshine and the spotlight, complete with tunes that hark back to the jump-around, era-defining likes of ‘Where’s Your Head At’, ‘Red Alert’ and ‘Romeo’.
Martha Reeves
Martha Reeves
The eldest of eleven children, Reeves began singing with the Del-Phis in 1960. She was discovered in 1961 at Detroit’s fabled Twenty Grand Club, where Motown A&R man Mickey Stevenson heard her perform – Reeves’ prize for having won a talent contest. Together with her backup singers, the Vandellas, Reeves recorded a classic run of singles in the mid-Sixties, most of them composed by the songwriting team of Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland. The Vandellas’ hit streak included what may be the definitive Motown anthem, ‘Dancing in the Street’, as well as such danceable blockbusters as ‘(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave’, ‘Nowhere to Run’ and ‘Jimmy Mack’.
The Sugar Hill Gang
The Sugar Hill Gang, from left, Guy ‘Master Gee’ O’Brian, Henry ‘Big Bank’ Jackson, and Michael ‘Wonder Mike’ Wright, New York, 1980. (Photo by Anthony Barboza/Getty Images)
Though the Sugarhill Gang inaugurated the history of recorded hip-hop with their single ‘Rapper’s Delight’, a multi-platinum-seller and radio hit in 1979, the group was cooked up to cash in on a supposed novelty item. Music industry producer and label owner Sylvia Robinson had become aware of the massive hip-hop block parties occurring around the New York area during the late ’70s, so she gathered three local rappers (Master Gee, Wonder Mike, and Big Bank Hank) to record a single. Infectious and catchy, ‘Rapper’s Delight’ borrowed the break from Chic’s ‘Good Times’ and became a worldwide hit, eventually selling more than eight million copies. Most industry people figured rap for a short-lived trend, and though they were dead wrong, the Sugarhill Gang certainly didn’t carry the torch; despite several modest hits (‘8th Wonder’ ‘Apache’), the trio faded quickly and was gone by the mid-’80s, only returning in 1999 with Jump on It, a rap album for children.
Alcest
Alcest PHOTO CREDIT William Lacalmontie
French Dream-pop exemplars Alcest were founded in the year 2000, and via with releases such as ‘Le Secret’ (2005) and ‘Souvenirs d’un autre monde’ (2007) virtually created the post Black Metal Shoegaze/Black Metal Blackgaze genre. Over the years, Alcest helped make this style surprisingly popular around the world and continue to be its foremost proponents. Since 2010, Alcest have toured Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. In 2012, they released ‘Les Voyages De L’Ame’ which saw remarkable worldwide sales, landed them on magazine covers and BBC sessions.
Andy H
Andy H
After headlining the Thursday BBC Introducing Stage at Glastonbury Festival, 2011 was a very big year for Andy H, 2012 has continued in the same vein with a solid schedule of DJ bookings and a string of higher and higher profile releases. As a UK DMC finalist and Redbull Thr3style UK finalist Andy H combines turntablism with good old skool party rocking. Resident at the biggest mid-week hip-hop, dubstep and drum n’ bass night in the UK, The Tuesday Club in Sheffield which recently celebrated its 13th birthday.
Bang Bang Romeo
Bang Bang Romeo
It has been a whirlwind few weeks for Bang Bang Romeo, with new single ‘Johannesburg’ being playlisted by XFM after various national radio airings doubling up with the news that the band will be playing the Jack Daniels Rocks stage at this years Isle Of Wight Festival, joining the likes of Fleetwood Mac & Blur. Bang Bang Romeo had initially exploded onto the radar in 2014, with debut EP ‘We Were Born’ produced by the legendary Chris Kimsey (Rolling Stones, INXS) receiving widespread critical acclaim, seeing the band labelled as ‘epic’ (John Kennedy, XFM) and ‘Like a Tarantino soundtrack’ (Christian Carlisle, BBC Introducing).
Best Friends
Best Friends
Best Friends emerged blinking into the light after outgrowing their basement practice room that had birthed and protected them for so long. Early recordings produced tangible swathes of fuzz pierced with melody as the band sought to aurally emulate the workings of the Navajo rug makers, known for purposely weaving mistakes into their unique and complex patterns to remind us all that only the divine can achieve perfection. Armed with a encyclopedic knowledge of WWF, a full set of achievements on Mario Kart and several crates of beer, the band have been delving deep ever since to reach your most primal instincts.
Blessa
Blessa
A year on from their debut EP ‘Love is an Evol Word’, which garnered attention from the likes of the NME and the Guardian, Blessa have undergone a regeneration. Swapping fuzzy guitars for melancholic disco, they are preparing to free their reimagined set out of their kelham island practice space.
Cleft
Cleft
Cleft are two guys who really should know better by now. Describing themselves as playing turbo-prog for a laugh when they first formed in late 2011, the odd genre title now seems to have stuck. After releasing their debut album ‘BOSH!’ in 2014, they played a lot of shows with riffs in, got horrendously drunk and high on sugar, and are now trying to get in shape by writing another album.
Daniel Whitehouse
Weaving his way through folk and americana, musically, Daniel has hints of Springsteen about him. His debut album was well received, with Toast Magazine praising its ‘feel-good qualities’, while a sizable crowd packed out Sheffield’s Cathedral to see him perform. His is a name familiar to anyone familiar with the Sheffield music scene. The dexterous musician spent his formative years playing with the likes of Fights, Rossman Frister and Mabel Love. Mabel Love’s dark and moody indie rock took them far beyond the Sheffield scene, with their single ‘Hardened Face’ having been played by Zane Lowe. Since those somewhat turbulent years, Daniel has taken time to have an introspective look at himself and the music that’s fighting to get out of him. Deciding the best way to capture the music in his soul, Daniel decided to go it alone. With just his guitar and piano to give backbone to his words, Daniel set about recording his first album, ‘Stories For You.’
DJ Q
DJ Q
DJ Q’s musical journey started from a young age in Huddersfield, listening to music played by his parents. It was at the age of 12 when Q first got involved with the UK Garage scene, buying vinyls and tape packs. When his vinyl collection grew larger Q finally got a pair of record decks in his bedroom. The self taught DJ started to get bookings at local parties at the age of 15. Q’s break on radio came in 2004, He submitted a mix CD, and before long Q became the youngest DJ at 1Xtra, hosting the UKG Mix Show. Q is known for his track ‘You Wot!’, which was signed and released via Ministry of Sound. The track made the UK Top 50 upon its release in summer 2008, which led to remix work for the likes of Amy Winehouse, Dizzee Rascal, Keri Hilson and Katy B to name a few.
FOKN Bois
FOKN Bois
Having shared stages with Snoop Dogg, Femi Kuti and The Gorillaz, amongst others, and performed on BBC (Radio 1, 1XTRA & World Service), CNN and NPR, award-winning duo FOKN Bois can lay claim to being one of the most celebrated Ghanaian music duos in the world. This raw, witty and eccentric super-duo have garnered comparisons to the likes of Outkast and Flight of the Conchords, but their unconventional approach to entertaining is all their own. Expect revolutionary performance art and indulgent progressive afro sounds, all topped off with ingeniously tasteful shock lyrics.
The Half Earth
The solo project of Sheffield-based musician Conor Stephenson, The Half Earth’s music finds a middle ground between pastoral beauty and swelling electronics. Working together with producer Rich Cooper (BANKS, Josef Salvat, Mystery Jets) Stephenson realised his early bedroom demos into powerful, fully formed songs.
Hey Sholay
Hey Sholay are the children that lived to see grey. But they would not have it any other way. Severed between Leeds and Sheffield in equal proportion, and a home was found in music. Part trip and part pop, it is equally a sight for slower eyes, and a tug on the ear for those whose eardrums have grown cynical.
Hot Diamond Aces
Hot Diamond Aces’ explosive and complex arrangements not only illustrate just how far instrumental music can be pushed, but will also get any audience moving. The band is made up of 7 Sheffield based musicians who all collaborate frequently with other bands and line-ups ranging from Renegade Brass Band, Harleighblu, Rodney P, MYJO, Fletcher Dervish, Sarah Jay Hawley, and many more.
Jim Ghedi
Solo Finger-style guitarist Jim Ghedi has after years of experimentation and travelling around Europe returned with a focused and signature sound. Exploring finger-style experimental Guitar composition, with a wide repertoire of influences ranging from African music, jazz and Eastern European folklore he has crafted his style of playing working heavily in rhythmic phrasing as well as melodic & harmonic experimentation.
Knifeworld
Knifeworld
Knifeworld are a complex, psychedelic and exhilarating 8 piece avant-rock band from London. Formed by Kavus Torabi, (guitarist in Cardiacs and Guapo) the debut album, ‘Buried Alone’ (2009) augmented traditional rock instruments with male/ female, horns and keyboards, about which The Quietus said ‘Knifeworld flaunts complex, winding structures, daunting musicianship and vast ambition, but with a primary focus on strong melodies, fizzing energy and, well, pop’.
LewRey
LewRey are a BBC Introducing backed two piece band from Huddersfield. Described as ‘pop/soul with a dark edge’ and add to this new balance with their unique live performances.
Magpies
Magpies specialise in pouring sad space-folk songs into the upturned faces of the confused and broken-hearted. Their first EP ‘I Am A Cat’ is set for release in April. Comprising members of The Purgatory Players, Toucans and The Big Eyes Family Players they will be appearing in the Folk Forest on the Saturday of the festival.
Mak & Pasteman
Breaking out across the Leeds music scene, Mak & Pasteman shared a penchant for UK underground music which brought them into the studio back in 2011. Through past influences the duo have crafted a sound that sits between House, Techno & Jungle. These musical foundations are heard on the duo’s breakthrough release on Redlight’s Lobster Boy label, which received support from the likes of Loefah, Jackmaster & Oneman.
Melle Mel & Scorpio
Having been performing together since forming in 1978, Melle Mel and Scorpio made up two-fifths of one of the most influencial hip-hop acts of all time, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.
Mike Skinner
Mike Skinner
Mike Skinner is the man behind the musical phenomenon that was The Streets for ten years. In that time he won an Ivor Novello, a Brit, and changed the sound of UK music forever. Now that he has retired the moniker of The Streets, Mike continues to push things forward with his genre bending DJ sets. Reflecting his love of cutting edge sounds, Mike’s musical selections are as eclectic as his production capabilities. From screwed down house to old skool hip hop via drum and bass bangers and peppered with his own, up the minute refixes, and classic tracks, Skinner never fails to ignite the party spirit.
RedFaces
Fantastic hooks and melodies, a staggering live show and a healthy dose of organised chaos gives you just a glimpse into the world of RedFaces. A gang of four lifelong friends from Sheffield who have immersed themselves in the classics, drawing influence from the 60s, the 90s and occasionally the noughties, they are quickly winning fans, friends and plaudits across the UK and are rightly becoming one of the most talked-about unsigned bands in the country.
Renegade Brass Band
Combining 8 horns with 2 percussionists, scratch DJ and MC, Renegade Brass Band mix jazz, funk and hip-hop with a rawbrass sound and high-energy live show. RBB have already established a big live reputation as a headline act, and have played packed-out shows at venues around the UK and Europe. In the last year, they have supported acts including Grandmaster Flash, Public Enemy, Xavier Rudd, The Apples, Quantic, Craig Charles, Rodney P & Skitz, Ms. Dynamite and more. A hit with crowds across Europe, the band have played at festivals including Secret Garden Party, Sea Sessions Ireland, Kendal Calling, and several times at Soundwave Croatia, warming up for artists such as DJ Shadow and DJ Yoda.
Rolo Tomassi
Rolo Tomassi
Tramlines regulars, Rolo Tomassi are a British mathcore band from Sheffield. Their name is taken from dialogue in the film L.A. Confidential. The band is known for their strong DIY ethic, and chaotic style and performances.
Seven Tors
Sheffield based rock/pop/folk/synth extraordinaires Seven Tors weave harmonies and danceable rhythms into tunes described as ‘absolutely brilliant… just stunning’ by BBC Introducing, and having starting 2015 with a sold-out show at the famed Leadmill are looking forward to some big summer shows to showcase their debut E.P. Expect epic choruses, the odd sing-along cover with a twist and more fun than you can shake a bunch of hand-held percussion at.
Slow Club
Slow Club
Slow Club is Sheffield boy-girl duo Charles Watson (guitar, vocals, piano) and Rebecca Taylor (drums, vocals, guitar). The band formed in 2005 when they were both still teenagers and spent the next two years touring relentlessly around the North of England. A support slot with US band Tilly And The Wall brought them to the attention of Moshi Moshi Records who released their debut album ‘Yeah So’ in 2009.
Initially categorized as anti-folk, the album proved there was so much more to the band and their sound – sweet harmonious hooks, rockabilly beats and exuberant yelps and yips, all held together by some breath-taking harmonizing. Slow Club are defined by their own distinct and powerful partnership – Charles with bruised vocal, rasping guitar and disarming lightness of touch; Rebecca with her dash of Northern Soul and sharp wit, playing stand up drums.
Soul Jam
One of the city’s most rapidly rising clubnights, Soul Jam bring the best in soul, funk and disco to the Steel City. They take over the Harley for the Saturday night of Tramlines with a special boogie set from Alexander Nut and more.
Submotion Orchestra
Since forming Leeds in 2009 Submotion Orchestra have carved out their own special place in the UK’s ever-changing musical landscape. The 7 piece band’s fusion of bass heavy electronica, jazz, soul and much more besides has made them a favourite of the likes of Gilles Peterson, Trevor Nelson and Jo Whiley, whilst their live show has seen them play festivals around the world and sell out venues such as London’s famous KOKO.
The Payroll Union
Paris of America, the new album by The Payroll Union, continues the band’s fascination with America’s dark past. These eight songs explore the violence of the ‘riot era’ in Philadelphia during the 1830s and 1840s. Inhabiting the stories of radical writers, anti-Catholic brawlers, firebrand preachers, and violent ward bosses, the album imagines a city in great tumult, tearing itself apart. Released on 29th June, an early review has called it a ‘future classic of the Americana genre.’ (Dancing With Architecture). The record is a result of a collaborative project with Arts Enterprise at the University of Sheffield. Songwriter, Pete David, worked with historian, Dr Andrew Heath, to look at how stories of the past can be told in different ways. Along the way, they worked with a film-maker to chart the process of their work together, Sheffield illustrators and artists, and a number of other musicians, to bring to life these complex, interweaving narratives of a 19th Century American city.
Sunday
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
Formed in 1993, the New York-based group set out to turn the standard concept of a hip-hop crew inside out. Taking their group name from a mythical kung fu sword wielded by an invincible congregation of warriors, the group produced genre-defining hits like C.R.E.A.M and Protect Ya Neck, while its nine members all went on to achieve huge independent success in their own right: RZA, GZA, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon the Chef, Ghostface Killah, U-God, Inspectah Deck, and Masta Killa. Assembled as a loose congregation of nine MCs, the idea was to establish the Wu-Tang as a force with their debut album and then spin off into as many side projects as possible. The nine rappers made a pact to a form an artistic and financial community. The Wu-Tang Clan wouldn’t merely be a group, it would be its own industry.
Billy Bragg
Billy Bragg
It was thirty years ago today when the Saturday boy from Essex who would become Britain’s foremost political singer-songwriter released his first record, the mini-album ‘Life’s a Riot With Spy Vs Spy’. It contained seven songs, honed live and bashed out over three days on a punk rock electric guitar, and its utilitarian, single-colour sleeve bore the following legend: ‘Pay no more than £2.99.’ In the same week, you could buy the new album by Big Country or Paul Young for £3.99, and many punters did. But, after famously bribing John Peel to play a track on Radio 1 by hand-delivering a mushroom biryani to reception (Peel vouched that he was going to play it anyway), ‘Life’s A Riot’ charted at number 30 in the national charts. Billy Bragg had arrived. He was in reception. His record company biog stated that he had ‘risen from obscurity to semi-obscurity.’ And he was already a thorn in the industry’s side.
Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks
There are hardly any bands performing today that genuinely deserve the adjective ‘legendary’. Buzzcocks are one of those very few. Their achievements are staggering: one of the original holy trinity of British punk (with the Sex Pistols and the Clash), innovators of the independent record scene and genuine punk rock superstars who have been cited as inspirational by bands as diverse as REM, Nirvana and Green Day. Eight studio albums, over twenty singles and EPs, a constellation of compilations, covers by other bands and songs on film soundtracks and advertisements have put Buzzcocks among the top echelons of British recording artists. A Mojo Inspiration award in 2006 is just one of the many accolades they have received for their work.
Neneh Cherry
Neneh Cherry
From her early days in influential punk bands through her eclectic solo career, Neneh Cherry has been upending genre (and gender) conventions for more than 30 years.
Blood Sport
Blood Sport
Blood Sport formed in Sheffield in 2010, and ever since the trio have forged out arresting sound practices from within the cityʼs hard working art/music community. Their development is now at the stage of surge and attack, with the band’s blistering guitar dynamics & pointed lyrics shuddering and shimmering against the roughhoused techno-gilded polyrhythms.
Blossomer
An electronic pop collective based in Sheffield. After spending a long time hidden away in the studio they sneaked out ‘To The Sea’ & ‘To Adore’ in 2014. This year they are ready to come out of the shadows, recently releasing their debut single ‘Foreign Nature’.
Bruising
Bruising
Bruising formed late last year after singer and guitarist Naomi Baguley spotted Ben Lewis wearing a Perfect Pussy t-shirt in a Leeds nightclub. Bonding over a mutual love of all things fuzzy, they began messaging voice memos from their phones back and forth until, finally, they got together in the same room and started writing some songs. Since then their infectious, ear worm, fuzz pop has gained them acclaim from the NME, DIY and even Radio 1’s Huw Stephens, as well as being described by GoldFlakePaint as ‘The best new guitar band in the country’. With releases on hot tape label Beach Coma and the acclaimed Art Is Hard Records coming in the next few months, 2015 is set to be very exciting for Bruising.
The Crookes
The Crookes by Russell Bates
Since their inception during their Sheffield college years The Crookes have dedicated themselves to working hard, writing hard and touring even harder. Addicted to the old school way of doing things, the band have recorded three full length albums, an eight-track EP and countless standalone 7” singles in their six year lifespan. They have travelled the globe from the North of England via Europe, Tokyo, the USA and beyond, finding their true soul reflected in the fellow outsiders and travellers they meet on their way.
Dead Slow Hoot
With their caramel vocals, foot-stomping beats, ground-shaking bass and gut-busting guitar thing down to a tee, Dead Slow Hoot formed in Sheffield last year out of a mutual love of reverb, fuzz, rhythm and buzz and haven’t looked back since.
Diagrams
When songwriter and producer Sam Genders last donned his Diagrams hat, captive listeners found themselves truly stunned by the Streatham Hill artist’s imaginative and inventive arrangements. Having now moved from his London lodgings and settled in Sheffield with a new lease of life and wife, fresh pastures and friendships are what form the heart of his songwriting.
Dutch Uncles
Dutch Uncles
Manchester five piece Dutch Uncles return with new album ‘O Shudder’, released on Memphis Industries on 23rd February. ‘O Shudder’ is easily Dutch Uncles most accessible album yet, with the band finally having alchemised their idiosyncrasies into art-pop perfection. Lead singer Duncan Wallis describes the themes of the record as being ‘more personal and direct than before with reflections on pregnancy, terrorism, school discos, divorce, health scares, sexual dysfunction and job-seeking’.
ESRS
Eastern Seaboard Radio Station, are an alternative folk rock band from Sheffield, whose core member is singer songwriter Paul Littlewood. The instrumentation and production on ESRS’s debut album, released May 2015, by Three Sixty Records was provided by Littlewood, who notes Neil Youngs ‘doom trilogy’ albums and Jason Molina as influences.
Gnod
Gnod
Salford’s Gnod are an ever changing collective of ‘heads’ centred around a core of three members. The Gnod sound has changed as the members have come and gone. From trance-inducing commune drone, to full-on, fuzz-driven post-punk to danceable kraut-noise repetition, the band quickly became renowned for their stellar live shows. The current incarnation of Gnod has dumped all the instruments and replaced them with analogue electronics, to create a dark and twisted psychedelic mind-melt.
GoGo Penguin
With their album V2.0 (Gondwana Records) a Mercury Prize album of the year 2014, GoGo Penguin’s skittering break-beats, telepathic interplay and penchant for anthemic melody all contribute to a sound that’s wholly their own. While the melodic, harmonic and structural ideas are influenced by both classical and jazz, the rhythms are drawn from leftfield electronica. It’s this meeting of opposites that makes their unique acoustic-electronica sound so exciting. Drawing on a heady brew of influences from Brian Eno and John Cage to Squarepusher, GoGo Penguin create an interesting and emotionally rich palate for the listener.
High Hazels
Growing up in Handsworth, in the close streets backing onto Orgreave, High Hazels have been together since school, brothers Paul and Anthony on bass and drums, James singing and Scott on guitar.
Joe Carnall Jnr
Been there, done that, got the plain black t-shirt. Still in his twenties, Joe Carnall has been making music for over a decade. And not just bedroom ballads to be sung in the backroom of the local pub either. Having fronted local cult heroes Milburn as well as currently performing and writing for Reverend and the Makers, this modest melody maker has pedigree.
Liberty Ship
Liberty Ship are a four piece rock & roll band from the suburbs of Sheffield formed in January 2012. Having spent the last two years working hard to hone both their songwriting skills as well as their live shows (which included touring the UK with King Charles in April 2013 and again with Reverend & The Makers in March 2014), over the last couple of months they showcased their new music by releasing a fortnightly series of free singles.
Lonelady
Inspired by post-punk legacy of her hometown, Manchester, England, as well as classic college rock of the ’80s and early ’90s, LoneLady began her forays into lo-fi art punk by making four-track recordings with her guitar and drum machine in 2004. In 2007, LoneLady connected with two musicians, drummer Oid and keyboardist China Tom, and the project became a trio.
Nai Harvest
Nai Harvest are a two-piece indie rock/emo band from Sheffield, UK. Upon hearing the pensive vocals and tangled, jangling guitars it’s surprising to find out they are actually a duo. The prominent examples of guitar/drums combos in indie rock have generated an expectation that most are trying to play at the volume of a band with twice as many people; Nai Harvest are doing nothing of the sort, they simulate a much larger number of people playing quietly, building a bigger sound, like an orchestra.
Nat Johnson
With her personal folk-pop and confessional country, Sheffield-based singer-songwriter Nat Johnson has been playing sell-out shows and gathering fans including Lauren Laverne, Gideon Coe and Janice Long. Nat will be joined at Tramlines by her band of multi-instrumentalists and an ensemble from Cornerstone Brass Band.
The Ratells
The Ratells are a Sheffield alternative 4-piece who have spent the last few years relentlessly touring and writing; developing a slightly heavier sound akin to the likes of Biffy Clyro or Twin Atlantic. Currently, they are hidden away writing new material due to arrive towards the end of 2015.
Saif Mode
Saif Mode is a spiritual techno project born out of Sheffield’s own Audacious Art Experiment collective, whose members have recently been deviating away from their hardcore punk origins to explore the different outer realms of electronic music. Saif Mode’s debut tape is an unabashed and playful exploration of religious themes set to a soundtrack of ’70s synthesizers, while their live performances are an unlikely marriage of meditative drones and unwieldy techno improvisations. A healthy skepticism for laptops and samples (they only use live percussion and analogue electronics) make the typical Saif Mode set an unpredictable and very fun experience to behold.
The Sherlocks
The Sherlocks are a four piece indie/alternative band from Sheffield consisting of two sets of brothers. Since forming in 2010, the band have been relentlessly gigging across the UK acquiring a loyal fan base and supporting the likes of The Enemy, Scouting For Girls, Simple Minds, Reverend & The Makers, The Buzzcocks. They released their debut single ‘Live For The Moment’ in October 2014 and reached number 92 in the Official UK Singles Chart. Their follow up single ‘Escapade’ was released in February 2015 and reached number 45 in the Official UK Singles Chart.
MAIN STAGE
You Me At Six 9:20 – 10:45
Taking Back Sunday 7:50 – 8:50
Don Broco 6:40 – 7:25
Lower Than Atlantis 5:30 – 6:15
Neck Deep 4:25 – 5:05
We Are The Ocean 3:25 – 4:00
PVRIS 2:30 – 3:00
Set It Off 1:40 – 2:10
MONSTER ENERGY STAGE
Architects 9:35 – 10:40
While She Sleeps 8:20 – 9:10
Finch 7:10 – 7:55
Crossfaith 6:05 – 6:45
Bury Tomorrow 5:00 – 5:40
Thy Art Is Murder 4:00 – 4:35
Beartooth 3:00 – 3:35
The Color Morale 2:10 – 2:40
Shvpes 1:20 – 1:50
SKA & PUNK STAGE
Reel Big Fish 9:25 – 10:30
Millencolin 8:15 – 9:00
Goldfinger 7:05 – 7:50
Zebrahead 6:00 – 6:40
Mariachi El Bronx 5:00 – 5:35
Lightyear 4:05 – 4:40
Big D & The Kids Table 3:10 – 3:45
Patent Pending 2:15 – 2:50
Survay Says 1:25 – 1:55
MACBETH STAGE
The Wonder Years 9:50 – 10:50
Fireworks 8:50 – 9:25
Transit 7:55 – 8:30
Such Gold 7:00 – 7:35
Bayside 5:55 – 6:40
A Loss For Words 5:05 – 5:35
Cartel 4:00 – 4:45
ROAM 3:10
Knuckle Puck 2:20 – 2:50
As It Is 1:30 – 2:00
IMPERICON STAGE
The Bronx 9:45 – 10:45
Gallows 8:35 – 9:20
H2O 7:35 – 8:15
Comeback Kid 6:35 – 7:15
Bane 5:40 – 6:15
Stick To Your Guns 4:45 – 5:20
Deez Nuts 3:50 – 4:25
Trash Talk 3:00 – 3:30
Being As An Ocean 2:10 – 2:40
Dead Harts 1:20 – 1:50
FRESH BLOOD STAGE
Moose Blood 8:45 – 9:15
Baby Godzilla 7:55 – 8:25
Seaway 7:05 – 7:35
This Wild Life 6:15 – 6:45
Rob Lynch 5:25 – 5:55
Fort Hope 4:35 – 5:05
Only Rivals 3:45 – 4:15
Aaron West & The Roaring Twenties 2:55 – 3:25
Wind In Sails 2:05 – 2:35
Trash Boat 1:15 – 1:45
UPRAWR DJ STAGE
Mel Clarke 9:30 – 11:00
Tek One 8:00 – 9:30
Dani & Davyd Winter-Bates 6:30 – 8:00
The Algorithm 5:00 – 6:30
Terufumi Tomano 4:00 – 5:00
Kyle Clingo 3:00 – 4:00
