Today marks the one-month countdown until the eighth Shiiine On festival. To the ill-educated, it’s a weekend of yesteryear. They’re wrong! It’s become a haven to rejoice in the past, but those older acts are still perfecting their craft with new music.
The weekend comes alive on the fringes with the new and unsigned acts making their way. The intimate Inn on the Green has hosted some of the most significant sets in the festival's history. Cellar Doors kissed heaven with their smoky West Coast psyche, Theatre Royal dazzled with their romantic tales of Medway, and The Institutes lifted us all from two years of lockdown agony to bliss.
*banner image courtesy of Bless and Peter Foster
To mark the excitement, we dive into five of the lesser-known (for now) acts on the bill from this year’s line-up:
Ecko
Image courtesy of the band.
Last year’s rags-to-riches story (read more here)! They went from Inn On The Green upstarts to Skyline heroes in 24 hours. They lived, breathed, and bled Shiiine On. Endearing? Yes. Above all, their tunes were raw, ecstatic pieces of rock ‘n’ roll glory.
Psycho Candy
In the second verse, they come alive as a band. Lo-fi lysergic licks wrestle with the attitude of ’77 and the spirit of ’94 as they light up the tales of misadventure in towns:
“Psycho Sandy coming down / Like a whisper growing / Through the town / You live too slow you'll fade away / You live too fast you'll do some”
Still Know Nothing (demo)
When Oasis pulled from the Beatles, Pistols, T-Rex, and The Who on ‘Definitely Maybe’, they went on to world domination within two years.
This demo has the same startling power. The hissing power of Oasis, Alex Turner’s early punk vocal, colossal John Bonham drumming and a solo that blows away ‘Exile On A Main Street’.
Bless.
Image courtesy of Stephanie Faucher
After a few years away, Bless are back! Having recently supported The Rifles in Southampton, they gear up for Shiiine On with a headline show at Water Rats for This Feeling (tickets here).
A Letter To You
With a siege mentality, they blend Ska and psychedelia with the effortlessness of The Coral’s debut. Although written back in 2017, the potency of their lyrics after two huge by-election turnovers for Labour last night remains just as potent:
“we’re sick of the fascists in blue / So this time we’re coming for you”
Daddy Didn’t Make It as a Rockstar
Nothing short of perfect!
A melodic tale of outsiders reliving their shot glory. The fire of The View and the joy of Little Man Tate and The Holloways unite to conjure indie nirvana.
Keyside
Artwork courtesy of Modern Sky.
The Merseyside four-piece have been championed by The Farm and are now signed to the impeccable Modern Sky UK label.
Paris To Marseille
The pop instincts of The Lathums and the jangling edge of The La’s on this ode to the Mersey (“across the water / moonlit reservoir”). Frontman Parker lights up the record with the infectiousness of former Vida singer Jamie Pollock, the defiance of Darren Forbes (Shambolics), and the mysticism of Tom Dempsey (The Kairos).
An instant classic!
Angeline
Their first single signed to Modern Sky is DMA’s meets Johnny Marr slice of alt-pop heaven. Tales of breakdown and family struggle have never sounded so infectious.
Born out of the ashes of the once formidable Shimmer Band, HYM hail from Bristol. They recently blitzed Truck Festival and have their sights set on Shiiine On this winter.
Tranquilizer
Glam-stomping basslines unite with fuzzed-up electronica, and the coolest of vocals unite to demand Kasabian step aside and allow HYM their time on the throne. The euphoric climax is sure to send Shiiine into a frenzied meltdown.
You Thought I Was Dead
Kasabian’s early looping electronic fire goes on a dystopian joyride with Primal Scream’s XTRMNTR. Debauched, decadent, delicious!
Image courtesy of the band.
The Wigan outfit have had quite the year with the release of their debut EP ‘Time Waits For No One’ back in May and their biggest capacity shows in Manchester and London this November (tickets here).
A Better Life
This tale of what might have been depicts a man tragically living in the past. Yet, the sweeping guitars of The Courteeners and the pop sensibilities of Orange Juice lend it a glory that the protagonist can only dream of.
I’ll Try
Their first single since the EP is an ode to love, loss, hope, and despair. Frontman Tom Concannon’s vocal switches from angelic to soul powerhouse, whilst guitarist Jake Dorsman delivers a career-best solo pulling from Style Council, Marr, and Prince.