The Rafters

Image Credit: Ramsay Lohan

The Rafters are a four-piece band from Blackburn. Having formed in 2019, they are made up of Nathan Griffiths (vocals / guitar), Joe Roscow (lead guitar), Ryan McDermott (bass), and George Whittingham (drums).

The band are now regulars on matchday playlists at Ewood Park (Blackburn Rovers) and have performed with mod-actor icon Phil Daniels for a special Quadrophenia event.

Let’s check them out:

Gimmick

The Arctic Monkeys’ ‘Briantstorm’ is given a sexed-up makeover, incorporating the flamboyance of Bowie and the youthful exuberance of The Enemy’s classic ‘Technodanceaphobic’.

The results are the brash dancefloor-filling basslines and licks the guitar scene desperately needs to fill indie dancefloors with wild-eyed dreams once again.

The End

This is the sound of a last-chance saloon plan being hatched after the 40th B&H has burnt out and the rum has all gone.

Rock ‘n’ roll should always sound this desperate, and with this much cowbell!

Speakface

Image Credit: Dylan Jones

Speakface are a four-piece from Wales. Led by former Pretty Vicious bassist Jarvis Morgan (vocals), he is joined by Hayden Lewis (guitar), James Addison (bass), and Dozzer  Griffiths (drums).

This January, they play This Feeling’s coveted Big in 2026 gig in Cardiff. Let’s see why:

Over Again

A devil sent monster of a record!

Destructive drums, behemoth guitars, and, through Morgan, a vocalist who can carry it all into siege and emerge bloodied, battered, and triumphant.

Smash My Head into the Wall

Leaning into the poetry of Jack Jones, Morgan delivers a hauntingly beautiful opening minute and a half before roaring into life. The tinges of grunge and post-punk on guitar and bass, coupled with Morgan’s ability to produce life-affirming vocals, will be unstoppable in 2026.

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming This Feeling gig:

Pistol Daisys

Image Credit: Matthew Pearson

The Pistol Daisys are a three-piece band from Glasgow. They’re made up of Belly (vocals), Lorna Lynn (vocals), and Lewis Kelly (drums).

Next month, they play This Feeling’s coveted Big in 2026 gig in Glasgow.

Crying n Marseille

Slick af basslines which strut into the CBGBs and own the room!

Late 70s NYC links arms with the likes of CSS and New Young Pony Club to conjure the kind of band that reeks of cool!

Bury Me

The mesmerising aloofness of Ladyron lights up this indie-electro gem!

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming gig:

Office Party

Office Party are a four-piece rock band based in London. They’re made up of Chloe Smedley (lead vocals), Mert Benning (guitar/Backing vocals), and Matt (T) Townsend (drums/Backing vocals).

This January, they play This Feeling’s coveted Big in 2026 gig in London. Let’s see why:

Nicotine

Expansive and searching, tinged with grunge and shoegaze, this huge-sounding rock anthem is informed by.

The devilish warped guitar solos chime with Chloe’s rock classicist vocal to provide a juxtaposition to die for.

Tongue Tied

Their debut single takes Wolf Alice for a walk with pop music. Warped guitars and big choruses unite to deliver a fine single.

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming This Feeling gig:

The Harbours

Image Credit: Max Duncan

The Harbours are a multi-instrumental duo, Ollie Drakard (vocals/guitar/keys/bass)  and Will Massarella-Tyler (lead guitar/backing vocals/drums/bass) from Leicestershire.

Next month they play This Feeling’s coveted Big in 2026 gig in Birmingham. Let’s see why:

So Sweet

Does exactly what it says on the tin! Infectious indie that’s destined to light up radio stations and festivals this summer.

Forgive and Forget

Drakard and Massarella-Tyler bounce off each other with an effortless potency that is set to give indie-pop its credibility back!

Wooden Dog

Image Credit: Bob Griffiths

Wooden Dog are a five-piece hailing from Birmingham. Their line-up features Alfie Nicholls (lead vocalist/acoustic guitar), George Nicholls (keys/backing vocals), Luca Simian (guitar/backing vocals), Ben Roberts (drums), and  Drewe (bass).

Brothers George and Alfie began writing songs with their dad during lockdown, which kindled their creative fires. They went on to study music at college and university, where they would meet the rest of the band.

Let’s see what they have been up to:

Molten

With Noel Gallagher’s pin drop classic ‘Dead in the Water’ emblazoned across its soul, ‘Molten’ takes you to places that the indie scene had seemingly forgotten.

Blessed with torturous introspection to gleefully indulge in.

Only Sleeping

The kind of songwriting not seen since Starsailor’s pomp.

Click the image below for tickets to their gig with This Feeling:

The Public Eye

Image Credit: Jack Betts

The Public Eye are a four-piece from Derby. Their line-up features Joey Greener (vocals/rhythm guitar), Jonah Radford (lead guitar), Cavan Brady (bass), and Zack Bednall (drums).

This February, they play This Feeling’s coveted Big in 2026 gig in Birmingham.

Blue Note

Taking Reverend & The Makers on a dank journey where rock ‘n’ roll’s sex, drugs, and violence lurk around every corner. An intoxicating joyride of a single that's guitar solo is beset with bravado and flair, the kind that can steal shows!

Julia

Taken from their EP ‘Eternal Romantique’, ‘Julia’ takes on you on a deeply personal journey of love, loss, and regret.

To call this anything other than epic would be doing it a disservice!

Click the image below for tickets to their next gig:

Dreaming of Citra

Image courtesy of the band.

Dreaming of Citra are a five-piece from Manchester. They’re made up of Rae (vocals), Ryan (bass), James (guitar & backing vocals), Robbie (guitar), and Gordon (drums).

The band met via online ads just after lockdown and this February, they play This Feeling’s coveted Big in 2026 gig in Manchester.

Let’s see why:

Hostage

Rippling guitars and crisp indie-soul vocals conjure slickness strut their way to a joyously understated end.

Bitter

The clash of escapist guitars, ethereal vocals, and dark lyrics is pop music at its best.

Poignant and infectious, this is a single that seasoned pro’s would cut off limbs to have in their arsenal.

Click the image below for tickets to their next gig:

Decade

Decade are a five-piece hailing from Scotland. They’re made up of Brandon Martin (vocals), Fin Clark (guitar), Harry Moir (guitar), Alfie Hudson (bass/backing vocals), and Ollie Serle (drums)

Next month, they play This Feeling’s coveted Big in 2026 gig in Glasgow.

Let’s see why:

Lady

Frontman Martin captures the emotional fog of Doves’ Jimi Goodwin on their debut single. Unlike the Manchester icons, Decade are steeped in hope. Clark and Moir’s guitars counter Martin’s poignant sense of frustration with muscular defiance.  

In recent times, Stanleys and, latterly, The Ansells have led the charge with this kind of free-flowing yet emotive indie. Decade, in one single have announced themselves as serious players in this field.

Lacross Club

Image Credit: Ashley Evans

Lacross Club are a three-piece band from Wales based in Bristol. They consist of Ozzy (drums), Sean (bass), and Cai (guitar).

This February, they head out on a UK tour including iconic venues such as Elephants Head (Camden), Heartbreakers (Southampton), and The Bunkhouse (Swansea). Let’s check them out:

Spar Song

Full throttle guitars and venomous vocals are destined to erupt onto the guitar scene and shake it into life!

Welsh Weather Heather

Fire-breathing punk-rock from the realms of Soft Play and Bob Vylan that’s hell-bent on a destructive joyride!

Cheap Suits

Image Credit: Chloe Hornby

Cheap Suits are a four-piece from Oxford. They consist of George Parker (vocals / rhythm guitar), Felix Diamond (lead guitar), James Hart (bass), Stan Baker (drums).

This January, they play This Feeling’s coveted Big in 2026 gig in London. Let’s see why:

Poster

Riffs that reach for the glory of Dan Auberch and a rhythm section that stomps a sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll hole into your soul.

Frontman Parker’s voice is fragile enough to allow an underdog romance to swell, but defiant enough to fight back. Diamond’s intricate solo ebbs into a behemoth one and is destined to stun crowds.

Kiss Up

The aggressive intro melts into Parker’s indie vocal, allowing mortals a way into their brand of Strokes-cum-rock ‘n’ roll mayhem.  

Click the image below for tickets to their next gig:

ELLiS D

Image Credit: Freddie Willatt

ELLiS D aka Ellis Dickinson is the solo project of Fat Dog’s drummer.

He is set to play Hello 2026 for DIY Magazine at the Old Blue Last on the 13th January.

Let’s him them out:

Humdrum

Talking Heads on speed. Skittish indie with great drama to set the pulses racing in 2026.

ELLiS has made the more explosive glam-rock moments of Miles Kane’s debut sound like they're falling into a pit of despair, with the Talking Heads and B-52s.

Anything but simple, but glorious!

I Want to be Everything You Desire

An untamed mess to revel in. Raw and unfiltered, ELLiS makes the Talking Heads sound like they’re having a debauched crisis with The Rapture, and they’re all the better for it.

Click the image below for tickets to ELLiS D’s DIY gig:

Alphabet

Image Credit: Tatiana Ponzuelo

Alphabet are a four-piece band based in London. Lena, Milo, Tom, and George met in Brighton and formed the band in London where they now reside.

They’re set to play Hello 2026 for DIY Magazine at the Old Blue Last on the 6th January. Let’s check them out:

All the Words

The emotive post-punk power of Priestgate oozes through Milo’s vocal and is divinely cut through by Lena's shoegaze delivery.

A raw cacophony that comes at you in waves, which is undeniable.

Motion Sickness

Hints of Fontaines and Shame filter through their expansive shoegaze here. The elongated hook carries such depth, allowing romance, heartache, jealousy, and volatility to mesh in a rousing melting pot.

Click the image below for tickets to their DIY gig this month:

ferb

Image Credit: Alyssa Clark

ferb are a four-piece band based in London, Kingston, but met at school and formed the band at sixth form in Cheam. They consist of Harley McKinley (singer/guitar) Ross Blendell (lead guitar) Tom Tye (bass/backing vocals) Joel Boniface (drums/backing vocals)

On the 21st Jan, they are set to play the Elephant’s Head in Camden. Let’s see what they have been up to:

Ocean Floor

The effortlessness, great licks, and power of The Strokes’ ‘Is This It?’ is back!

Raw, unadulterated firepower that captures the volatile beginnings of the 00s.

Marina

Treading the rock classicist path of Wunderhorse, the guitars still manage to cause a frenzy. Laconic licks descend into chaotic thrashes that are one chorus away from catapulting the band to stardom.

Clamber

Image Credit: Tessa Neale

Clamber are a four-piece from London. They’re made up of Charlie, Kieran, Hayden, and Sam.

In the last two years, they have headlined and sold out The Old Blue Last, Camden Assembly (The Barfly), Hoxton Colours, and The Water Rats, which is a fine run of form for a fledgling band.

Let’s check them out:

37

The London outfit’s guitars ripple like shimmering waves of indie joy, crafting an ode to the journey of self-discovery.

Ideas Man

The early 10s saw math rock bands develop their emotional cannon, and ‘Ideas Man’ leaned into this with great joy sonically.

Lyrically, however, they cast grave shadows as they discuss the plight of a band in the era of TikTok.