Wednesday 31 August 2016

Leeds Festival - This Feeling Stage - Sunday 28/08/16

So I had no desire to go to Leeds Fest at all. The massive festivals don't appeal to me and the Leeds line up didn't have me rushing for my debit card. Then This Feeling announced their line up. It truly was the cream of the up coming crop. Check out their Leeds listings and make it your mission to go see ALL those bands as soon as you possibly can.

I was still umming and ahhing though. A weekend ticket was a financial and logistic impossibility. Running my own shop does mean I can just bugger off should I fancy. Buggering off doesn't put money in the till though. To be fair being open 6 days a week doesn't put much money in the till either but, well, you get what I mean.

I was toying with the idea of buying a Sunday ticket. Bang Bang Romeo were playing the Sunday and I really wanted to see them round off a phenomenal festival season. Getting there was doable. Getting home was gonna involve begging for a bed somewhere or sleeping on a station. 

Now in my youth I spent a lot of time sleeping on stations. One night at Kings Cross after a Pogues gig in 1987 was particularly memorable. ('Do you want a cabbage mate. Free. Here, have a cabbage'. Maybe you had to be there). Manchester Piccadilly was an OK place to sleep too. Birmingham New Street less so. Didn't help that they made train announcements as I was trying to phone in sick for work. Bristol Temple Meads was lovely. Edinburgh Waverley was my favourite though.

 I digress. As a 48 year old who's had heart surgery (yes I'm still clinging to that as my go to excuse) none of that really appealed.

I put a shout out on facebook and my Welsh Sine FM colleague JJ answered the call. He was at Leeds all weekend but going home after it had all finished Sunday night. Logistics sorted I bit the bullet and bought a Sunday ticket. 

The next day Bang Bang Romeo messaged me to say I was down as crew for the Sunday. Another facebook shout out to sell my ticket. Thankfully Sheffield's finest, the erstwhile Mat Hume was buying. 

As I plied my vinyl wares reports were coming in of the somewhat moist conditions in Leeds. I say Leeds, we all know it's Wetherby Festival really. By the time I got there on the Sunday it looked like this:

Sam Craggs. Hat and glasses model's own. Mud courtesy of the British weather

I have no wellies. The boots were gonna have to take the hit. Shorts too as I'd rather have wet, muddy legs than wet, muddy jeans. The festival hat was dug out for one last foray and 9am Sunday morning found me at Bentley train station with a bunch of festival goers all in the wrong attire.

I had an email saying follow the arrows at Leeds station for the festival shuttle buses. There was one arrow. Pointing the wrong way. (There was going to be a lot of boring travel waffle now. Some walking too. And a bit about nettles but let's skip to some festival stuff)

You find me back stage at the This Feeling Jack Rocks stage with one half of Bang Bang Romeo (Ross and Joel), some Heavy Suns and free Jack Daniels. As we hung around Judas arrived with Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy in tow. (Judas' singer John is Abbey's brother). I complimented Crouchy on Saturday's goal line clearance then asked for the obligatory photo. I did claim I just wanted my photo took with someone taller than me but we all know I'm just a horrendous name dropper.


One of us has 22 goals in 42 England appearances

Having told the big man that he had to check out Bang Bang Romeo later in the day I headed out to catch Heavy Suns.

Heavy Suns were the opening band. A big ask at any time. A huge ask on the third day of a festival. A massive ask given the line up that was to follow. They were quality. Anthemic, guitar laden pure indie rock 'n' roll with (favourite DJ) Ross Micklethwaite throwing some psychedelic guitar and keys over the whole mix. A cracking start to the day and a bar already set high. 


Heavy Suns
Heavy Suns





















Mat Hume had hoped to be there for 12. At some point I'd have to brave the main festival site and the knee deep apocalyptic mud to deliver his ticket. 12.30 and his lift still hadn't arrived. When I did Leeds Fest for the full weekend in 2012 I took an old Nokia. By the Monday morning it had lost one bar of charge. Today, within 4 hours my iPhone was already thinking about calling it a day. Worrying when you're trying to make vague arrangements to meet someone. 

Another quarter of Bang Bang Romeo (Richard) had arrived with stage tech extraordinaire Sam Craggs so after Heavy Suns had finished I did my carrying heavy things bit. My basic contribution to TeamBBR is to play their songs on the radio and carry an amp occasionally. I am fully aware of how lucky and spoiled I am to be part of the set up. I am angling to be official biographer one day though. 

More free JD (told you I was lucky and spoiled) then back to the stage for Leeds band The Strawberries. They are alarmingly young. Christ, when singer Sam Neil was born I already had one divorce under my belt. They have a sound that belies their age though. Songs that should be sung in smoke filled seedy back rooms. I absolutely love 'em.  Plug time - Social bar, Doncaster, October 14th. 

The Strawberries

It was at this point that I made my first venture to the main site. Sam needed cash and tobacco. I wanted to get my bearings for the two meet ups I had planned. (Mat's ticket and JJ's lift home). It was carnage. If you stood still for any length of time you'd still be there now. And people. So. Many. People. This body just isn't designed to yomp through mud. 

It was just too much. We headed back for the relative calm of This Feeling pronto. Plus Dantevilles were on and we both wanted to catch them. 

Mat update: 13:30 - Set off but nowhere near yet. 

Those that know me will know my weakness for jangly indie guitar bands. Dantevilles can't fail for me. Fresh from supporting Blossoms at their (No.1) album launch Dantevilles are on fire. Their brand of catchy, indie pop has the tent bouncing.

Dantevilles


The Leeds main stage has nothing on what Mikey Jonns and This Feeling has put together here. I can see why it's been nicknamed 'The Zone'. It's one big, gloriously talented family. The support all the bands show each other is admirable and something a lot of musicians, no matter what level they're at, could learn from. 

14:00 - Mat's in Leeds but the traffic is at a stand still.

Judas next up. Remember when U2 were good? I mean really good. Before they took over the world and way before Bono got a God complex. We're talking Boy, October, War era U2. Judas are reminiscent of that but better. Still raw but coherent with it. A polished rawness if you will. They rock. They really rock. They had a main stage slot today too and it was clear why.


John Clancy - Judas


The last of the BBR quartet (Starsie) had turned up now with her entourage. They were there for the whole weekend. I just wouldn't have coped. Good work ladies. 

Mat now in the car park queue but not moving. 

Given that my phone was never gonna cope with the tedious job of phone calls and a host of messages to Mat I decided to get some food and head up to the main entrance. Bumped into JJ at the steak sandwich (that was never medium rare) stall and made very vague arrangements for my lift home. When it comes to organisational skills I have none. I started my trek through Armageddon to find the main entrance.

I missed it. Walked from one end of the site to the other. The main entrance is the yellow gate. I'd seen a yellow flag in the distance and went for it. I ended up further away from the main entrance than ever stood under an inflatable banana. My eyes aren't what they were. At least from my vantage point I could see where I'd gone wrong. Back into the melee. It was around this time that I made the decision that no matter who was playing elsewhere I wasn't leaving the Jacks Rock stage again. (It meant missing Blossoms and Avalanche Party but both are on the radar in the next couple of months. And there was no-one else I was desperate to see away from This Feeling).

Arrived at the main gate and collapsed. Someone in the box office kindly charged my phone a bit so I could let Mat know where I was. No bottles are allowed on the festival site so as I sat waiting for Mat I was given so much reviving bottled beer. I love JD but it's not a session drink. This was such a relief. 

Mat duly arrived with crushing man hugs and I headed back to the mud free relative calm of the This Feeling stage just in time to catch the end of Medicine Men. Gutted that I'd missed Liberty Ship but back in time for Paves.

I love Paves. Face melting blues/rock delivered with so much energy it leaves you exhausted just watching.  Luke Shield has one of those voices. You look at his slender frame and wonder just where it's coming from. Tom Triggs beating his kit into submission so much that after the set he could barely walk. Tikz shredding with consummate ease and Perry (I got their names right for once) delivering the stage dive of the day. I think he was trying to climb on his monitor. It slipped and he went head first in the photo pit. I honestly thought he'd killed himself, crumpled like a Dutch cyclist before he leapt back up to help Tom batter the drum kit. 

Another plug - Social Bar, Doncaster, Sept 30th. 


Paves

I decided on a bit of a chill backstage while watching Tom struggle to lift a sandwich before it was back into the throng for Asylums. Such an aptly named band. They're brilliant if not a little crazy. You'd love to go for a beer with them but you'd have the emergency get out phone call planned just in case. Imagine The Vaccines doing the soundtrack for Naked Lunch. Another band destined for main stage slots - they have the tunes, the presence, the energy and the hair. JJ had told me they were ones to catch and he was so right. Thankfully JJ was there photographing (with his already full memory card) and I could let him know my change of plans. Sam had kindly agreed to put me up in Sheffield that night so I didn't have to worry about trying to find a small Welshman in the dark at the end of a very long day. 


Asylums

By now Bang Bang Romeo had a dressing room with all the luxuries that that entails (beer, sandwiches, plug sockets) and I decided to rest my weary boots.




All the This Feeling bands had played to decent sized crowds but there was definitely a buzz going round about Bang Bang Romeo and from my vantage point backstage I could see the crowds flooding down the hill to the Jack Rocks stage. I'd been given the important job of removing Starsie's wellies before they went on stage. I do have my uses. Wardrobe now. I'm not sure I can do justice to what happened next but I shall try.


Bang Bang Romeo

Revolver is now firmly down as set opener. It had barely kicked in when Abbey Clancy leaned over to me and said 'These are fucking amazing'. Not one song in and the masses are already bouncing. They were perfect. I pity those people for whom music stops at their ears. Music of this magnitude grabs your body and soul and takes over. The band, the crowd, the songs become one entity. It takes on a life of it's own. This is a band already fully aware (when on stage) of just what power they have. An obviously emotional Stars still has the crowd wrapped round her twirling fingers as the powerhouse of Ross, Joel and Rich hammer one crafted gem after another deep into the heart of the This Feeling crowd. Stars' voice is a brutal, beautiful weapon. I've said it before - there is no better singer coming out of the UK at this moment. A voice like that could easily distract from the band but it doesn't. The unit that is Bang Bang Romeo is phenomenal. 



Joel and Rich are as tight a rhythm section as you will find. It's impossible not to dance to the groove they deliver during The Bliss. Ross' guitar drags you through the most gorgeous nightmares. The riff for You And I is just dangerous, backed by Rich's machine gun drumming. The tears came as they slowed things down with Chemical, by far the oldest song in the set but still as fresh as when I first heard it 5 (?) years ago. Stars was fighting back the tears as she mesmerised the enraptured crowd. That set me off. Looking around I was far from the only one. 

Johannesburg and Reach Out gets the audience flying again. 'Whisper the words of.....drums' maybe my single favourite moment of any live BBR set. I looked over to the side of the stage and Crouchy is jumping higher than he did when he netted against Trinidad And Tobago in the 2006 World Cup. (Unassisted this time). Invitation kicks in. It's a monster of a finale. Bodies are flying everywhere even before Starsie's crowd invasion.






I'm still gamely jumping with a Paves guitarist on my shoulders but I was relieved when a steward told us to behave. As Revolver is a perfect opener, Invitation is a natural set closer. 'A little more now' demands Stars, the band reaching a glorious, cataclysmic crescendo. The crowd give a little more and then some every time.

If there is any justice in the world Bang Bang Romeo will be delivering sets of this immensity on the biggest of stages next festival season. 

Back stage the band are mobbed as I wander round with the stupidest of grins on my face carrying Starsie's wellies. Abbey Clancy is already on the phone to Jools Holland. I mentioned that on stage the band are fully aware of the power they deliver. Backstage 'what just happened?' seems to be the delighted mantra. I collar Peter Crouch for an 'I told you' moment. He just leaps on me with words like 'massive' and 'the find of the festival'. 

I'm done. Nothing can follow that. Not even Chili Peppers on the main stage. I carry an amp all of ten yards to a van then collapse on a sofa unsure if I'll move again. There's still 2 bands to play Jack Rocks but I'm gigged out. Sam, being the diamond that he is, has decided to give me and Rich a lift back to Doncaster. I'm so grateful I could have cried. 

This Feeling Jack Rocks Stage, Leeds Fest 2016 - you were magnificent. 

Thursday 4 August 2016

Tramlines 2016 - Part Two: What you wearing under that?

Saturday 23rd July (cont.)

As you will recall we are in the Crystal sweatbox awaiting October Drift. I was chatting with John and Scott from Gingerbeard Promotions and we all agreed that with the energy these boys put into their live sets combined with the heat they may well finish their set as a three piece or worse. Walls of noise were mentioned in part one of the blog. That's what October Drift are but with melodies and licks diving in and out. It's a beautiful cacophony delivered with relentless, breakneck ferocity. 



After some very sweaty hugs it was time to make a move, Bang Bang Romeo 'secret' set at Rocking Chair. I got there and immediately apologised to Paves for missing their set and then promptly got all their names wrong. Professional to the end. I don't usually plug via the blog but Paves are at Social in Donny on Sept. 30th. Be there. I'll be there calling Perry, Tom and vice versa. 

Caught up with Holly and Charlotte from TeamBBR. (Yes, that's what we're calling ourselves now). 



Chatting with guitar hero Ross outside and two young ladies coveted our hats. It was a worrying moment. I feared spending the rest of Tramlines with hat hair as oppose to having a ludicrous orange beacon on my head. Wandered inside and found one of Section 60. I apologised for missing their set too but the set never happened so I didn't have to feel guilty for too long. Crystal was an icebox compared to Rocking Chair. The place was filling up, the ceiling dripping, BBR setting up and drummer Rich already having to towel himself off. 

Went to the bar to find Section 60 cohort and good mate Mark Howe in charge. Now there's a guy who can run a piss up in a brewery. The place is rammed as Bang Bang Romeo take to the stage. Rocking Chair were hosting the This Feeling stage. I've waxed lyrical about This Feeling before. Not only are This Feeling pushing some serious quality it's also like one big talented family. The bands all support each other. It's a beautiful thing. It's also why I ended up with various members of Paves and Jackals Rose on my shoulders at various points. 



This was an iconic gig. The whole place bouncing and word perfect. Bang Bang Romeo will have a career playing massive stages but I hope every now and then they still do intimate gigs like this. Shameless name dropping moment: Strangers wasn't initially in the set for tonight but they played it 'cos I love it so much. It is my favourite song. Ever. The slow build of Ross' achingly gorgeous guitar and Starsie's imploring vocals make me weep every time. As the song takes off the place erupts. First time I've seen crowd surfing at a BBR gig. We're straight into set closer Invitation. It's a blistering assault. It's magnificent. As it pumps to a climax Stars wanders into the crowd. 'A little more now' she demands. I'm nudging Tiks from Paves into a stage invasion and suddenly the stage is full, the room like a writhing mass of snakes as sweaty bodies fly everywhere. 


Photo credit: Jenny Betts

When the book is written of the history of Bang Bang Romeo this will be seen as something not only special but vital in their onward trajectory. 

Outside to cool down and reflect on what had just happened. I realised I had to find Sam. Thankfully Sam found me, a sweaty, emotional mess outside Rocking Chair. Milburn were doing a secret set at Leadmill but I was done. I remember little about getting home apart from Sam saying mind the steps. I failed in this one simple task, fell through his door and mangled my knee. I really shouldn't be allowed out. 

Sunday 24th July

Today's priority was BBR on Tramlines Main Stage. It was when I laughingly did some what I call work again. First stop was Foundry Studio. It's where Sam works and where BBR rehearse and record. It's where their gear was. Cars loaded up and off to Ponderosa. I lifted a few cases, eyed the beer in the dressing room warily and opted for more coffee. Whilst all this was happening Catfish And The Bottlemen were sound checking. More shameless name dropping: They came off stage and Van recognised me from a Leopard gig at least 3 years ago. We had a good chat about music in general then I got all fanboy.



BBR sound check complete. We had a bit of a flap about a missing bottle of tequila and red wine from Hinds rider. It never did get resolved. Wasn't me. I fell out with tequila 8 years ago in York. Stage front with Holly and TV's Chris Walker.


Just before we started crying

Met up with fellow Sine FM presenter Stevie P and watched Bang Bang Romeo be magnificent once again. Strangers, as per, made us all cry. (Ross' Mum in particular). As Holly and myself sobbed Rich kindly laughed at us from behind his kit. New song You And I was a drum fuelled joy, Chemical, easily the oldest tune in the set sounded as fresh as the first time I heard it, Invitation got the singalong it merits. They can do no wrong.




Stars


Ross


Joel


Rich

Show over, I helped carry stuff again, I've definitely found my role in the BBR set up, and then chilling back stage. I somewhat rudely left Stevie to his own devices. I did apologise later but I'll do it again now. Sorry Steve. But I was back stage with a bar. Hinds were on the main stage but we didn't hear anything that tempted us away. Plus the band were being interviewed in a toilet by Christian Carlisle.



Having known Christian a few years now I'd say this was standard.

Jurassic 5 next. Had a skank with Sine FM boss Steve Mundin as the band showed why they've pretty much owned hip hop for getting on 25 years now. It will never be a genre I truly love but when it's done this well it's infectious.

Public Service Broadcasting were on stage next. If you read back through old blogs you will know how much I love this band. If you've ever listened to my radio show you will know how much I love this band. I love this band. They struggled a bit today. Ponderosa was packed with Catfish fans and I'm guessing the Venn Diagram for PSB/Catfish is a tad sparse in the middle. They're also a band who are at their best indoors or after dark. The visuals are an integral part of a PSB gig. I still loved them though. No one does what PSB do and that alone should be celebrated. 


J. Willgoose Esq.


Wrigglesworth

I met up with the band afterwards and J.Willgoose Esq. talked about looking out on a sea of Catfish fans. He called the gig a shocker. They do set their standards very high. I love them. Have I mentioned that? I did the fanboy photo thing as Wrigglesworth bravely nicked my hat. I didn't mind. He's a legend.



Dilemma time. I really wanted to see Catfish And The Bottlemen on the Main Stage. I really wanted to see Hello Operator at Rocking Chair. I do love Catfish. (In the PSB/Catfish Venn Diagram I'm firmly planted in the middle). The timings made both possible but it's quite a yomp from Ponderosa to Furnival Gate. We decided on a taxi into the City. I've seen Catfish many a time and will do again. Bumped into Christian Carlisle again who fancied the Hello Operator plan so as Sam, Holly and Rich dived into one taxi I ended up in the back of a black cab with a man in a kilt thrusting a microphone in my face. We managed to make it very seedy indeed with talk of traditional kilt wearing and fake taxi porn. It's credit to Christian that he managed to edit it into something that he could broadcast on his BBC Introducing Tramlines special. We got to Rocking Chair to find things running a tad behind schedule. 




I have no idea who she is but she really wanted in on the pic. Bumped into Stevie P inside and again apologised for abandoning him. Found my favourite DJ Ross Micklethwaite and before Hello Operator came on stage the rest of TeamBBR turned up who had stayed to watch Catfish. D'oh! 

Hello Operator are another of the This Feeling bands destined for great things. It's a beautiful noise. There is a wealth of bands out there that you have to check out. Hello Operator are high up that list. Another sweat box of a gig that again ended up with a mass stage invasion. 

And that was it. Another taxi journey home that I don't recall. My initial plan had been to get up early enough on the Monday to get back to Doncaster in time to open the shop. Those that know me will not be surprised to hear I got back to Donny at about 4.30pm.

Tramlines. It breaks you but it's truly wonderful. Let's do it all again next year. 

Tuesday 2 August 2016

Tramlines 2016 - Part One. Flat Caps And Festival Hats Reunited.

Well this is a brave move. Starting a Tramlines blog over a week after the festival finished. I was too busy/fragile to do one last week so let's just see how the memory holds up.

Friday 22nd July

I love Tramlines. So vibrant, so much going on. so many bands, so many that I always end up missing someone I really wanted to see. To really do it justice you have to stay over. I've tried doing the commuting thing and usually end up missing something. Usually the last train home.

I landed about 3pm and met up with Sam who had very kindly offered to put me up for the weekend. First port of call was Sheffield Uni to pick up my press pass. We got a taxi to the wrong place, realised we weren't too far from where we were meant to be, started walking in the wrong direction, stopped, re-evaluated, walked in the right direction, nearly graduated, found my press pass. Sam had to drive down to Coventry that night so we had time for a quick jar before he had to dash. 



As you can see the meeting point hat had made the journey. Very popular it turned out to be too. Ah, flat caps and festival hats reunited.

I was so organised this year with a print out of my proposed schedule and a map. In a staggering turn of events it took till Saturday afternoon for the schedule to go out the window. I blame the beer and the sun. 

First port of call was Crystal to catch up with the legendary Neil Hargreaves and his much better half Rebecca Fearnley and to deliver some headphones, as you do. Next up over to West Street Ale House to see my good friends Murder At The Seaside. Was a bit surprised to see Sam Chadwick (Velcro Teddy Bears) outside but this is his new venture. Teddy Bears were on my list. That didn't happen.



There's a trend already starting. I managed to drown my camera in beer at the IOW festival and now the zoom doesn't work. It's either full on or nothing at all so most pics are just me and mates or me being proper fanboyish. Sorry.



See what I mean. I love Murder At The Seaside. Supremely talented musicians (apart from Lil Dave the drum machine - temperamental bugger) and Phil, Sally and Heather are just some of my favourite people ever. The sound wasn't great which seemed to a common occurrence Friday night but they battled through and delivered as always. A very pleasant start to the weekend's music.

Back over to Crystal to see my mates The 48ks. The sound was poor here too. Ryan had his first ever diva strop on stage but given he couldn't hear a thing up there it's forgivable. I'm sure it's no comfort to the band that the sound Saturday and Sunday was spot on.  I did manage an actual live shot though.



Christian Carlisle briefly thrust a microphone in my face but I can't remember a thing we said and thankfully Christian lost all his Friday night interviews. 

No time to chat to the lads sadly as I had to hot foot it to the Leadmill for The Enemy. As is well documented this is The Enemy's final hurrah and I wanted to catch them one last time having seen them twice before and been disappointed. They didn't let me down and disappointed again. The sound was atrocious but I'm certain it's down to the band this time. It sounded just like my previous Enemy gigs. Admittedly I was in a strop as the Leadmill was a heaving sweatbox, I was a tad drunk and a lass stood at my side moaned I was in her way. Now I appreciate at 6'5" I'm a nightmare at gigs but I can't help it and have as much right to stand where I want as anyone. I always try to be considerate and try not to stand in front of people who's view I will obviously spoil. But she was stood at my side. The only view I was obscuring for her was of the cloakroom. I pointed this out and she insulted my hat. Out of order. Anyway, I moved. It was the easiest way. 

Someone told me on Saturday that I'd missed the point of The Enemy and they make a wall of noise. A wall of noise can be tuneful though. Still, I did seem to be the only person in there not enjoying it. I nipped outside for some fresh air (cigarette) but went out the exit as oppose to into the smoking area. I couldn't face wading through the throng as my ears bled so I called it a night just as Sam got back from Coventry. That worked out nicely. 

I still love albums 1 & 3 though.

Saturday 23rd July

I awoke feeling a little fragile but Sam's coffee, an insanely good shower and view's like this



were bringing me round. Sam had a day in Birmingham (I think) today. I'd been invited for breakfast by my good friend Zoe so got dropped off in Hillsborough and went for more coffee with Zoe and her lovely daughter Holly. (Holly think's I'm cool. She's wrong but I'm not gonna tell her that). They took me out for breakfast (thank you) and then dropped me off at Ponderosa, Main Stage. I'm so spoilt. Still on schedule, Ginger Tom and Little Comets to start the day. 

Found my Tramlines 2014 cohort Mark Loraine and wife Gail who is so losing at the forehead slapping competition. (I spent Tramlines 2015 with a brilliant Italian surgeon saving my life. Bloody immigrants). 


Mark Loraine, not an Italian surgeon

Ginger Tom have something and I'm not quite sure what it is. Certainly Dan and Tom's harmonising is a thing of beauty and they write the most alarmingly gorgeous indie-pop but there's something else there that I'm buggered I can put my finger on. The addition of Luke on bass and A.B.C. on drums has given the band some meat. I should point out that A.B.C. is Alex Byard-Cooke. They don't have an 80s new wave band in gold lame suits playing drums. (No accent for the e there but lame works just as well). 

They are the perfect opening act for Little Comets.  Little Comets have cornered the market in upbeat summery indie anthems and were playing to an already sizeable crowd at Ponderosa. Much has been made of moving the Main Stage further out the city centre. I get it. Ponderosa is bigger than Devonshire Green and it feels like the organisers are in effect trying to make two Tramlines festivals. I personally preferred having the majority of stages more localised. Mostly 'cos my legs aren't what they used to be. This was the cause of the schedule now going to pot. 

The plan was Uni Arms for Steel Trees then on to Crystal but it was very hot and involved more walking than I dared. Taxi to Crystal it was. Crystal was rammed. Absolutely sweltering. I had to listen to Jackals Rose and Sabella from the beer garden. Bumped into the gorgeous Jenny Betts from Sine FM's Unsigned and Rewind and we decided we had to brave the sweat box for the next three acts, Puppet Rebellion, The Slow Readers Club and October Drift. I had wanted to nip out to catch Paves at The Rocking Chair but again heat, alcohol and crap legs put paid to that. 




I first saw Puppet Rebellion at Tramlines 2014. They were my find of that weekend. Since then they have a new singer in Oliver Davies and are stronger than ever. Gloriously tight and stomping with riffs to die for, they are the perfect foil for fellow Manc lads The Slow Readers Club. 


Puppet Rebellion

Billed as dark and brooding indie electro they are destined for huge things, Cavalcade is a flawless album and they have the live chops to back it up. This is their third consecutive year on Tramlines Crystal stage. It's not big enough for them now. You just can't move. Despite the heat no-one is going anywhere. Chants of 'Readers' follow every track. All this on the back of supporting James on tour. Join the club as soon as you can.


The Slow Readers Club


I didn't realise how packed the weekend was. We shall do a two part blog. Tune in tomorrow for more sweat, stage invasions, a flying Saynor and loads more live music!!