Words: Karl Johnson
Multi-venue city festivals are the beating heart of new music, sandwiched between a whole host of talent from the UK and beyond, is your next favourite artist. Returning to its city centre roots, Liverpool’s Sound City arrives this weekend with a line up rich in new talent. If it’s heavyweight entertainment you’re after, we recommend sets by Dublin’s The Murder Capital, Liverpool’s own Red Rum Club and Mercury Prize nominees Lanterns On The Lake, but dig deeper and you’ll find future diamonds scintillating in the rough. Below we offer our picks for an unstoppable weekend of entertainment.
Both ungoogleable and sporting the hardest and fastest riffs of the festival, London duo JOHN are gearing up for their third full-length record on October 6th in Nocturnal Manoeuvres – expect fireworks live. Norwegian outfit – and Bella Union signees – Pom Poko offer something left-field and experimental in the ‘pop’ realm and are unmissable. West Midlands quartet Chartreuse might just be the best kept secret in UK indie music, their songs are jam-packed with relatable lyricism and a sense of songwriting lost since The Maccabees signed off for good. Both The Mysterines and Courting are on home soil and you can expect a riot from two of the hottest tips in guitar music in 2021. Avant-punk artist Nuha Ruby Ra is bound to thrill live, the music is as haunting as the stage performance is transfixing.
London band Qlowski fly the flag for true post-punk fans, their propulsive and rhythmic approach to instrumentation, combined with heavy alternative influences sets them apart. Locals Eyesore & The Jinx are a rowdy bunch, they make an unbeatable brand of witty and groove-laden alternative rock. Look no further than Social Contract to satisfy your heavy, alternative urges, the London quintet’s titanic EP Buzzards Wake was one of the best of 2021. In R&B and Wallace, English Teacher released two of the finest stand alone singles this year as part of the Nice Swan Recordings family. Leeds noiseniks Fuzz Lightyear are repping the noise and grunge side of things, fans of Show Me The Body and LICE should watch closely. If Enjoyable Listens‘ live set isn’t on your list this weekend then you’re missing a trick, a truly heartfelt songwriter and a true performer from the Oxford heartlands.
Choose your line up on the gigseekr app and purchase tickets for the weekend here.
hardofhearingmagazine.com 