PERSONAL MUSIC Festivals For The People

Alongside the major events (some which have to be paid by instalment) and the cost of getting (and eating/drinking!) there, are some phenomental newer wave festivals affordable for more people and just as much of an experience - but at close range.

#TheZineUK documentary: Andy Winters (There’s A Riot Going On), Robyn Skinner (Bugeye), John Kennedy (Radio X) and Kelly Munro (End Of The Trail) at The #BrightonRocknRollCircus

Brighton Rock n Roll Circus

May’s punky fun was a case in point.

40+ live sets over three days.

A chance to catch the word of mouth up n comers over the same weekend as The Great Escape.

This meant that the shows at The Black Lion were attended by music industry and press for nearly every set.

As per all of the events in this article, both Kick Out The Jams and End Of The Trail (rocknroll circus ringmasters) are respected scouts, promoters and industry contacts of the up comer scenes.

Between seaside shenanigans, there are superb events every month at https://www.facebook.com/KickOutTheJamz

Disclaimer: TheZineUK is a documentary about what is ALL HAPPENING by The Music People Party across the grassroots venue circuit of Britain Ireland on all kinda size stages, so yes, we DO know quite a lot of them and are appreciative of the access which allows the story to bloom.

If you would like to be involved in the new rock n roll as an artist or an ally then coming to small venue shows is your friendliest finishing school and networking club.

REWIRED

Next up is This Feeling’s brilliant weekend.

That ticket is the most value to catch some of the most valued rising stars at Leeds Brudenell and London Garage on the 13th and 14th August!

See the poster? Whoa!

If you know, you know. If you don’t you will, so you might as well find your new favourites - secure a ticket to the party ZONE!

AWEfumn update - BEEN. It was even better than could be hoped for!

August 2021 Instagram clip (The Clause): “thezineuk doc (and guitarband fans!) report that REWIRED is an interdependent music festival SUCCESS!”

Some of these artist/band names on the posters, you may already know as threads woven into our social media tips and tales of the new rock n roll. Again, these are ALL tiptop scouts, promotions (and more)! Each year their alumni sparkle in all kinds of ways that musicians can only dream of.

All of these more personal music festival mentions are packing ones-to-watch dynamite!

In Autumn, get set for the return of three more interdependent favourites who welcome everybody to their events. Grab a ticket and some escapist musical JOY!

September

2nd-3rd Loud Women Fest

Event No.6 at Amersham Arms in New Cross. Two days of the best women-powered DIY bands Tickets: https://bit.ly/LWFest22

16th-18th Decolonise Fest

Signature Brew, Haggerston - the exceptional DIY punk fest featuring music, art and workshops by punx of colour. Income aware ticket prices

October

Cro Cro Land is cancelled for 2022.

Keep an eye on their socials for next news.

The multi-stage music festival presented by the Croydonist is a love in.

More uniqulture: their signature mash-up of queer, non-binary, and straight bands with gender equality at the heart

Info, updates: https://www.crocroland.co.uk/

All of these line ups are loaded with musical desire and entertainment fire.

14th-16th Till The Fest

See also the #NXD (New Cross and Deptford in the rebel republic of #SELondon) multi venue rock-out by Till The Wheels

Till The Fest’s secoind event celebrates twenty one years of DIY Punk!

https://www.tillthewheels.com/till-the-fest

For TheZineUK doc it kinda feels like guitar blessed scenes and anti-scenes are evolving in plain site.

Consider that for most of the artists concerned, their main media is social media.

Thanks to sussed allies in radio, on music sites and on playlists alongside audiences on side, they get a boost. Fans are definitely a key to artist and event survival in the dystopian age and the Cost Of Greed Crisis.

In the backdrop of real life an outstanding soundtrack that is under the radar! But when you’re THERE, it’s definitely over the rainbow.#

These events? BE THERE if you can, friends. Trust.

Nottingham in the house! Making friends at REWIRED 2021

There are interdependent promoters and grassroots music venues across Britain Ireland making exciting new things happen with people’s biggest power, passion.

In these dark and frankly cruel times, come and hang with some kind people. You may find new friends or new fave talents.

TheZineUK has attended all of the above mentioned events.

Can recommend as feelgood fun and friendly. Music is soul food AND spirit medicine.

Yeah, this is how we roll. Be seeing you…

The Future Fest ethos punches up!

“There are SO many amazing and exciting bands within the UK alone, if anything the hard task is narrowing it down!” says Ghost Road Fest, an exciting new addition to the independent rock music festival circuit that debuts this November. More on that to follow.

Ah, but mainstream festivals…

Generic fame reflects society at mainstream level - and sells tickets.  The pandora's box of pandemica exposed so much socially and politically, music industry included, that without change from the top, an eternal circle of conversations about rebuilding better, go nowhere. With fear and loathing in las plagus, we’re a nation that needs to party, sing and dance together. Tickets will still sell if some credible curve balls thrown in, enhance reputation.

Corporate sponsors of the biggest events may see otherwise to the statements of good intent or presume that us DIY girlies ain't as good at entertaining or scouting.  The fact is, smaller festivals activate the cultural shift guidelines. “Cro Cro Land felt like a platform for tomorrow’s headliners to play a festival crowd. You know; the ones who haven’t necessarily come to see you but who fall in love with your band regardless.” (London In Stereo, whose reviewer fell for Nova Twins April 2019 - they play the main stage at Reading/Leeds Festivals this autumn)

There is often dismay at post lockdown bill announcements at a time when even next level talent is struggling. With up to three decades of the same names, old guard thinking looks dated without emerging star-turns injected as lifeblood. “Ironic there is a band on there called Scouting For Girls, which is how I feel every time I look at a festival poster.” noted Tiger Mimic of one event. This band (on the forthcoming Brits & Pieces II CD) are a face-the-stage commanding, alt-rock proposition who mix a little Queen into their tempo tangent punk. They play Jam On The Farm festival in July (tickets)

By 2021, when artists deserve acclaim for just surviving, the friction of mixing in a little risk invites extra thrill. Cosmic new discoveries please, or it's not a festival - it's just an outdoor concert in cosplay.

Impassioned independent media can decry, but still enjoy, major events. Mainstream journalists don't write/(know?) about art punky party love via a spectrum of scenes. True festival spirit is here:

Organic pioneers, the previously mentioned CroCroLand (2019, pix above), DecoloniseFest, Kick Out The Jams, This Feeling Club, Loud Women Fest etc. gift a (proven succesful) wealth of possibilities.

Eventually the “prickstock” mentality will go tits up as audiences change. “We are the future, stop fucking ignoring us”, Ms Mohammed told The Guardian newspaper (a clip from her set at the awesome and inclusively welcoming DecoloniseFest) - or, ignore and bore.

Bigger bookers, select your 2022 entry level artists with guitars from ground level curators. There’s wide acclaim to select. Hard work, talent (and (r)evolution) has EARNED it. #SaveOurVenues alumni contain (disproportionately fab) future heritage acts. Thank you John Kennedy (Radio X), a swathe of BBC Introducing/6 Music and a wealth of independent  music media who are getting this noticed.

Also take note of how the fresh scenes fizz femme power. Never mind the bollocks, here's all the genitals. At the skint bottom of some imaginary heap, largely being talked over. But… being talked about in crossbreeding spaces.  

Our voices are 4REAL. Agreeing to disagree, keeps it interesting, an all happening flourish of diversity in adversity amidst an array of achievements, often for good causes. Interdependence is where the true thrills-and-results-per-week exist. Says a DIY documentary of the action fraction.

Flavouring this surreal decade are affordable festivals with cracking guitars inclusion. Jam On The Farm (July 30th-31st) looks like a wow-some pick n mixed mix.

Autumn includes Wide Awake, (3rd September) Modern Age Music’s Soma Fest (4th) and before then, rad female fronted new ventures: ReclaimTheseStreetsFest in Sheffield on 7th August and No Man’s Land in Manchester on 14h August.

At #TheZineUK doc we are stoked to be involved in this Leeds and London weekender debuting in November…

“Ghost Road Fest was born out of an excitement to change how things are done post lockdown. I feel like with this much time off there's a real scope for change in how the industry is run. It's really disappointing there is still in 2021 an outcry for (god forbid) inclusivity within line-ups.

I've seen a few festival line ups released and it's still very male heavy - and it's not like there is only a handful of bands with female and trans representation that are 'good enough' to be playing these events! There are SO many amazing and exciting bands within the UK alone, if anything the hard task is narrowing it down!

Our festival has an 82% balance of acts with female or trans representation in - and I'd love to say I'm proud of that - but that should simply be the norm and not something to be highlighted. Alongside the festival we are also running a mentoring programme to encourage young adults to pursue their career within the music industry - something I think is very important - as they are the future of this industry and I strongly believe if you're educated within the correct surroundings then that is how you'll carry on that ethos.”

Lori of #GhostRoadFest

Written by a vintage West Indian rock chick who has promoted/booked artists and events at all levels, and is excited by the Fertile Environment.