Death Of The High Street

Image Credit: Oolay Photography

Death Of The High Street are a five-piece band hailing from Derby and Nottingham in the Midlands. Their line-up consists of Scott Baxter (vocals), Ash Simpson (bass), Joe Hodges (drums), Andy Purves (guitar/vocals), and Rhys Davies (guitar/vocals).

After forming in 2015, they released their debut album last year. Let’s check a couple of songs out from it:

Don’t Look into the Sun

Channelling The Specials, they inject the ska scene with the sound of the underclass railing against wealth inequality.

Simpson’s deadly bassline, coupled with Baxter’s aggressive vocal, lends a brutality that will surely breed legions of die-hard fans.

Monster

A record to make films like Tyrannosaur look fluffy. A brutal reckoning of a violent past descending into a similar present. Purves and Davies’ guitars are blessed with the Cobain’s ‘Heart Shaped Box’ violent calmness in the early proceedings before roaring with the power of Spear of Destiny and Theatre of Hate.

Arienas

Image Credit: Jos Rodriguez

Arienas are a four-piece band from Fife in Scotland. The band are made up of Sam Robb (lead vocals/guitar), Colm Souter (lead guitar), Owen McCann (bass guitar), and Pandy (drums) 

2026 is looking very promising already, having sold out their headline show at Sneaky Pete’s in Edinburgh.

Let’s see why:

Take The Money

An ambitious record from a fledgling band. A band signalling their intentions on outrunning their humble beginnings as fast as possible!

Holy Grail

Merging the 00s Sheffield scene (Arctic Monkeys, Little Man Tate, Reverend & The Makers, Milburn) with the free-flowing rumble of The Rifles, their guitars erupt with joy!

Aurelia

The sound of youth looking to make its mark on a generation.

The Ransoms

Image Credit: Wilf Gill

The Ransoms are a five-piece band from Darlington. The band consists of Elliot Horn (lead singer), Jack Atkinson (lead guitarist), Ollie Coulter (rhythm guitarist), Olly McAvoy (bassist) and Dylan Forster (drums).

Let’s check them out:

Devil’s Temptation

Warped psyche-guitars and rock music’s rebellion join forces, creating a potent tonic that all should sup from.

Frontman Horn’s vocal drifts from light to dark with a rage that demands immediate attention.

Late Nights

Horn’s breathy vocal gives this record vitality. A desperate urgency loiters with debauched intent, one that beckons you to the dark side!  

Max Avoidance

Image courtesy of Max Avoidance

Max Avoidance is the electronic adventures of London via Wales’ Hari Limaye.

Let’s see what he has been up to:

Lightyear

The latest single, produced by Nick Brine (Oasis, Ash, The Darkness, Stereophonics, Stone Roses) at his studio in Wales, has a beautiful weightlessness.

Dreamy, atmospheric, and charting a course to nowhere, Limaye’s imagination will set you free.

Alone

As Limaye’s vocal taps into Chris Keating’s (Yeasayer) high-pitch tones, which lend his brand of electronica and indie-cum-pop prowess.

The Streetlights

The Streetlights are a four-piece band based in Manchester. Their lineup consists of Ryan Wynne (vox & rhythm guitar), Owen Marsh (bass), Matty Garmston (lead guitar), and Max Holmes (drums).

Let’s check out their debut single:

Something More

Tinged with the pure souls of the 90s indie scene, Something More twists and turns with great cinematic presence. Dark twists and turns are met with blasts of hope amid a decaying landscape!

Vocally, Wynne’s beds in between frail power of Andrew Montgomery (Geneva) and the poignant soul of Gary Briggs (Haven), whilst guitarist Garmston harnesses his inner Richard Oakes (Suede).

Together, they could just be the next great songwriting partnership.  

The High Flats

Image courtesy of the band

The High Flats are a five-piece band from the south side of Glasgow. They’re made up of Scott McKigen (vocals), Jai Madden (bass), Thomas Molony (rhythm guitar), Humza Ishaq (drums), and Kerr Ayton (lead guitar).

Having formed five years ago, they played their first gig in 2024 and have since gone on to play the iconic King Tuts Wah Wah Hut.

Let’s check them out:

Revolution

It’s Thin Lizzy’s streetwise freedom, the Beatles’ penchant for melody and Oasis threatening to kick the doors in. A soundtrack for long nights in the pub where the jukebox is still sacred.

Crashing Down

Huge riffs and lo-fi vocals recall QOSTA but, put through the ecstatic prism of British rock ‘n’ roll.

Death-defying guitars and defiant vocals announce The High Flats as serious contenders!

Silverline

Image Credit: zakkplwhite

Silverline are four-piece band from Southampton. They’re made up of Alex (guitar/vocals), Euan (guitar/bass), Charlie (bass/guitar/vocals), and Julie (drums).

The band began with Alex penning a few songs and turned to his friends for help. The rest, as they say, is history.

With a fine debut album under their belts in already, could this be the year the world catches up to their brilliance? It should be.

Let’s check them out:

Sparkly

Frontman Alex’s distinct vocals will see Silverline surge to the front of a crowded guitar scene. The snap of early Alex Turner combines with the wayward joy of Dominic Masters (The Others) and the unifying power of Jason Bavanandan (Battle).

Alex and Charlie’s guitars take the 00s guitar scene to a more ethereal place, and thus, make it a more ethereal place to reside. This culminates in a sublime, warped solo that moves beyond songwriting altogether, becoming less a sound and more a life-or-death reckoning.

A Choice of Two

Delightfully lo-fi, evoking images of bands scraping pennies to record in dingy studios in the wee hours.

As pure an indie single as you’ll hear!

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: