Welsh, Awen rock band Holy Coves head out on tour at the end of this month. The band will headline nine cities and nine independent venues across the UK kicking off their full UK tour with Bristol and Liverpool in October, then on to Birmingham, Manchester, London, Glasgow and Aberdeen in November, with their final shows of the year taking place in Leeds and their North Wales homecoming show in Wrexham.
This will be Holy Coves first ever fully independent tour run by the band and their team. They will be joined by some of the UKs finest independent bands, The Heavy North, Hazy Sundays, Maze, Box Of Trash, Rivia, Little Juke, Chase The Wild, Monza Express, Transmission Suite, SickRichard, Dakota Avenue, Luke Jones, Healer, The Dassins, Tom Collins, Charlie George Dempsey, Paul Askew and Suns Of Rest.
Tour Dates 30th October – Exchange – Bristol 31st October – Kazimier Stockroom – Liverpool 1st November – Sunflower Lounge – Birmingham 14th November – 33 Oldham Street, Manchester 15th November – Troubadour – London 28th November – Nice n Sleazy – Glasgow 29th November – Tunnels – Aberdeen 12th December – Royal Park Cellars – Leeds 13th December – The Lab – Wrexham
2025 begins with it’s first eagerly anticipated, sparkling debut album Souls In Motion by Swansea/Manchester band Pastel.
Pastel are a 5-piece guitar band. Fronted by Droylsden (Manchester) cousins Jack Yates (singer) & James Yates (guitar) with Liam O’Shea (Bass), Joe Anderson (guitar) & Rhys Wheeler (drums).
Souls In Motion is the ten track album laced with all the shoegaze and madchester vibes, bringing a warm familiar feel to the listener, pure nostalgia. A nod to the all the greats of the past that are clearly a huge influence to the young band.
The album is full of relentless bass, glittering guitars, hazy and uplifting vocals that you can picture being sung along to, real crowd pleasers, anthemic. Each track better than the last.
Pastel have certainly delivered with this album, an exciting start to the year for the band!
Souls in Motion is out now on all streaming platforms.
Trouble calls my name’ is a powerful and captivating instant favourite that delves deep lyrically about the struggles of addiction, creating a stunning contrasted track. I can guarantee this unforgettable tune will be in the forefront of your mind for weeks.
Written and produced by ‘SHADE’s very own Luke Anthony Owens, you can hear from start to finish the passion and graft throughout. Wavering through a combination of different genres, these lads can’t be pinned down by just one, creating a fresh new spin on guitar music.
SHADE are leading the way for new bands coming out of Manchester, starting a new, exciting music scene and ‘Trouble Calls My Name’ is only the start.
With a new chapter beginning for SHADE lyrically and sonically, their new single is packed full of feel . Although the boys are heading in a different direction, they still manage to incorporate that forever loved Manchester sound.
‘Super Cars’ is SHADE’s most recent single, which has had various widespread radio play and has also been championed by XS Manchester as ‘Record of the Week’.
Paving the way for 2025 SHADE are close to selling out the well renowned GORILLA venue in Manchester and have many singles eager to be released to their ever growing fans.
You’ll need to catch and bounce off SHADE’s raw energy on their way to the top….
‘We All Fall Down’ is the latest offering from Ventrelles produced by Dean Glover at Vibe, Crumpsall, Manchester.
The track blends their classic influences and dives a little further back into the past echoing Love, The Byrds and Motown.
This time round the band are showing their more psychedelic pop side and there’s an energetic optimism to the driving drums and snaking bass line which will leave you wanting more from this 2 minute 20 explosion of modern northern English soul.
Ventrelles are a four piece ‘fleece-pop’ outfit from Manchester – After a busy year of gigs and releases they have ended 2024 with a session at the legendary Magic Garden Studios working with the equally legendary producer Gavin Monaghan (Editors, The Twang, The Sherlocks) on their follow up single due April ‘25.
The highly anticipated Manchester band Shade have just released their latest single ‘Supercars’, Shade are definitely a band to keep a very close eye on this year!
“Its a song made for singing along to, at the top of your voice from the bottom of your heart”
Shade are set to lead the way for new bands coming out of Manchester. ‘Supercars’ is the start of a new chapter for the band lyrically and sonically. With their new single’s anthemic drums and dreamy vocal harmonies, with a modern alt-rock yet Beatles inspired ballad, they incorporate their Manchester sound with a refreshing twist.
‘Illusive Dreams’ has already racked up the success of 300k+ online streams, various widespread radio play and has also been championed by XS Manchester’s ‘Record of the Week’. This also caught the eye of the world-wide star (and big SHADE fan) Louis Tomlinson, who after hearing the track, personally invited the band to support and perform at his annual ‘Away From Home Festival’ in Italy. They performed alongside well known artists ‘Blossoms’ and ‘The Cribs’. This next tune is set to be another exciting and striking release just like the last. Paving the way for 2024. Shade have many UK festival performances lined up and also more electrifying singles awaiting in the pipeline. You’ll need to catch and bounce off Shade’s raw energy on their way to the top!
Cleethorpes-based teenage trio announce new single ‘The Town’ landing as their debut on Manchester-based indie label Cosmic Glue alongside a new music video shot in the band’s hometown.
The Cleethorpes-based trio comprising of Ben Townsend (vocals & guitar), Josh Corfield (vocals & bass) and Lewis Hubbert (drums), have been making waves supporting artists such as Reverend & The Makers and Corella in addition to performing gigs and festivals across the country including Kendal Calling, Tramlines Fringe and Humber Street Sesh.
Citing Nirvana, Arctic Monkeys, Supergrass and The Reytons among their musical influences ‘The Town ’is a hard-hitting dose of classic indie rock.
About the single, the trio say:
“The Town is about living for the weekend. Being alone and being a loner – at work, school, college or uni struggling Monday to Friday 9 till 5 but knowing at the weekend there is a gig. You will see the familiar faces, all the loners together but now as one and as the song drops, the pit explodes and the world feels right.”
With their indie rock sound gaining critical acclaim and an ever-growing fan base, Revivalry gears up for recently announced festival performances including Kendal Calling, Garristonbury, The Longest Day and Camper Calling. The Town is out now on all streaming platforms.
The new, young, and exciting “Crook On The Wall” have released their latest single following on from their most recent show at Manchester Rebellion. The band have already made a name for themselves around Manchester with multiple gigs as Manchester Academy as well as National Radio play for their first single “Imperial Mind” on Radio X.
The band are at the forefront of new emerging artists in the UK, currently self-managed and backed, they have shown all the potential necessary to go right to the very top. With a unique flair energy surrounding the band, it is only to be said that they are one to be kept close on your radar over the upcoming years. “These Cracked Streets” immediately catches your attention with the fast, intricate drums, heavy energetic guitar and bass, to then be followed by the song’s anthemic guitar riff which flows throughout the song.
The song focuses its meaning on growing up around the streets of Manchester, with emphasis towards the movement of “living in the now,” hence the lyrics “Let them decide how they should rule the world” in the chorus. This song highlights the band’s nature as currently underground artists who sing about what they know that can only be found from building from the roots upward.
With much more material the band is planning to release, “These Cracked Streets” shows a much more raw and authentic side towards the band, as well as the skills they have acquired of such an early age in maintaining their unique sound whilst moving between styles of music.
Set to play “Venture Fest” on July 27th, the band are excited to announce some upcoming gigs as well as much more with their high aspirations and vision. With members ranging from ages 17-15, “Crook On The Wall” are a band are only at the beginning at an incredible journey that lays ahead of them.
Megan Wyn has spent the last 12 months building an army of new fans from across the UK, and it all started by arming herself with an inventory of songs well beyond her years.
Earlier cuts, ‘You Don’t Get It’, ‘Familiar Faces’ and ‘Are You Bored Yet?’, made a long-lasting impression on new music scenesters writ-large. With her self-deprecating lyricism, which can be on the nose at times, Megan has developed a wall of sound that can only really be compared to her Welsh elders Manic Street Preachers and Catfish and The Bottlemen.
Already in the last year the young star to be has packed out rooms on the metropolitan festival circuit at places such as Twisterella, Beyond the Music, Stockton Calling, Liverpool Sound City and Focus Wales. She has also sold out shows in her new home of Manchester, as well as Liverpool and London.
Elsewhere, Megan has supported indie heroes past and present in Swim Deep, Little Comets, Sundara Karma, Andrew Cushin, The K’s and others at sold out shows across the UK
There is something authentic building with Megan, the fruits of her labour after years of playing the circuit from the early age of 16 are starting to rear their heads and as her sound is blooming, it is no surprise that her fanbase is too.
At radio, Megan has already had playlist support from Radio X alongside a live session with John Kennedy. Amazing Radio also added previous single, ‘Familiar Faces’ to their A-List which saw the track get to a top 20 placement on their chart. She also did a live session with BBC introducing Manchester, whilst gaining repeat support at BBC Radio London and BBC Radio Merseyside including a live session for the latter.
Wyn was also Huw Stephens‘ Artist of The Week on BBC Radio Wales and added to the station’s playlist. Wyn also had support at Spotify UK with placement on tastemaker playlists such as Proper Belters & Fresh Finds UK & IE.
On the brand new single, the Welsh artist shows that age really is just a number and talent is something that is unimpeded by that number. The track swells in the introduction prior to exploding into life and feeding first time listeners with the ultimate payoff of raw, undeniable talent. Rare that an artist is effortlessly cool whilst calling upon pop sensibilities relentlessly. Wistful but assured in equal measure, it sounds exactly like a teenager figuring themselves out.
Speaking about the song, Megan said: “This song focuses on looking at my own flaws in navigating a relationship and the feelings of naivety, guilt, and loneliness that come with it. It focuses on the polarities of behaviour that we encounter when coping with suffering, and that we always want what is bad for us.”
As the year progresses, Megan is booked for more and more shows, and this summer will be her busiest yet with slots at key festivals such as Kendal Calling, Y Not Festival and Liverpool Sound City in the calendar already. She will also be setting off to Sweden to play her first international show to boot.
2024 promises to be a truly stellar year for Wyn with a headline tour + debut EP to follow later this year, the world truly is the young starlet’s oyster.
‘Waiting For A Reason’, was written with and produced by Alex Quinn (The Royston Club, Lottery Winners, Overpass) over the course of an extensive period of writing in Summer 2022.
Previous years saw Megan play The Great Escape, Truck Festival, Y Not and Isle Of Wight Festival. And she completed her debut headline tour earlier in the year.
An old head on young shoulders, Megan rightly feels that she has reached her starting point. With live experiences already in the bag, it was just a matter of honing her sound and landing on something that was truly representative of herself.
It’s also true that moving from her native Anglesey just off the Welsh coast, to her now home of Manchester at the age of 16, would have helped Megan develop not only as a musician but most importantly as a woman.
Megan grew up wanting exactly what she has now, the ability to put pen to paper and have songs fall out of her, to play shows to packed out venues in Manchester, as well as, elsewhere.
— Catch Megan Live: 07.07 – Cheshire – Britfest 19.07 – Deadwax – Birmingham (What’s Happening Weekender) 20.07 – Glastonbury – Godney Gathering 27.07 – Preston- Rock AM River Festival 02.08 – Derby – Y Not? Festival 04.08 – Kendal Calling 30.08 — Llandudno – Pine Festival 06/07.09 – Bridlington Spa – By The Sea 20.09 – Manchester – Deaf Institute 23.09.2024 – Newcastle – Three Tanners Bank 24.09.2024 – Sheffield – Sidney & Matilda 25.09.2024 – Birmingham – Dead Wax 26.09.2024 – London – The Grace
The Shed Project are playing at Zerox, Newcastle on Saturday 27th April, plus special guests Jen Dixon and MC Tunes
The Shed Project were formed in Bolton by Roy (vocals), and John (rhythm) in John’s garden shed in 2018. After creating a few acoustic demos, Tim (bass) joined the group in 2019. By the time 2020 came around The Shed Project had completed their group with the additions of Olli (lead) an Shane (drums) and released their first single ‘Livin’.
The band released their first studio album in 2022 ‘The Curious Mind Of A Common Man’ then last year went on to release the phenomenal and hard hitting album ‘Our Fear is Their Power’ and continue their fast trajectory to the top of the Manchester music scene.
SHADE release their video for new single ‘Break Out‘, out now on Golden Robot Records.
Highly acclaimed Manchester band SHADE has just announced their latest single, ‘Break Out’, is out now via Golden Robot Records. SHADE is a band poised on the brink of greatness, and their latest track, ‘Break Out‘, serves as just the opening act in what promises to be a prolific year for the ensemble.
This single marks the inception of a new era for SHADE, both lyrically and sonically. Infused with energetic drums and captivating vocals, the track pulsates with a modern alt-rock essence and upbeat vibes, seamlessly blending the quintessential Manchester sound with a fresh, innovative twist.
‘Break Out‘ was produced by renowned hit-maker Gavin Monaghan (Editors, Sherlocks, The Blinders, The Twang, Robert Plant, Paolo Nutini) at the prolific Magic Garden Studios. Positioned at the forefront of Manchester’s thriving music scene, SHADE sets a high standard for emerging bands.
Their previous single, ‘Illusive Dreams’, caught the eye of worldwide superstar (and big SHADE fan), Louis Tomlinson, who, after hearing the track, personally invited the band to support and perform at his annual ‘Away From Home Festival’ in Italy last year. They performed alongside well-known artists Blossoms and The Cribs.
This next tune is set to be another exciting and striking release just like the last. Get ready to embark on a sonic journey like no other with‘Break Out’. Upcoming shows: 23rd March – Academy 3, Manchester 26th April – Fiddlers Elbow, London
Indie Revolution 