Maystones: This Feeling, Truck Festival

Following an eye-catching support slot for The Crooks at the 100 Club, Hertfordshire’s Maystones returned on the This Feeling stage at this year’s Truck Festival.

*banner image credit: Alan Wells

Image Credit: Alan Wells

Opening the This Feeling stage on Saturday, the four-piece picked up where they left off at the 100 Club. Their brooding slant on rock ‘n’ roll drew comparison to Wunderhorse, who would grace the main stage later that evening.

Raw and enigmatic, they blitzed through their set with punk’s archetypal intensity. For some bands, playing this weekend was fun; it was an experience to tell their friends about. For Maystones, this was real life. It was now or never, and their defiant brutality was here to fight.

They lit up the struggle of working-class bands through their angst-ridden desperation to prove themselves. Whilst the songs may not have been fully formed, they all banged, and they all had flourishes of excellence that would keep this captivated crowd coming back for more.

Image Credit: Alan Wells

Rolla: This Feeling Stage, Truck Festival

Manchester’s Rolla headlined This Feeling’s stage at Truck Festival two weeks ago today, and we were there to catch them.

*banner image credit: This Is Gary  

Image credit: This Is Gary  

Back in March Rolla supported Pastel on their UK tour. at the Dome in London, on a bigger stage, with a better PA, Rolla emerged from wannabes to serious contenders. Maintaining their intensity, they sounded fuller and broader, allowing more into their world of chaos.

This rich vein of form was carried into their headline slot and was a lesson to any young band watching on. The loyal, faithful got their fix, but their broader sound spread a wider net. Luck by lick, you could feel the unsuspecting inching closer, yearning to become one of the faithful.

Former single ‘Hey You’ was the finest exponent of this newfound confidence. While the mayhem of their early sound remains prominent, there’s now space for Luke McConnell and Tom Paddon’s guitars to breathe. The Nick McCabe-esque blasts from ‘Rolling People’ and the deranged glory of ‘Come On’ soared through the tent like the devil singing it’s the nature of my game.

Bassist Luke Gilmore was in fine fettle. His bass lines thundered with devastating effect on ‘We Owe You Nothing’ and throbbed with violent anticipation on ‘Hey You’. He set the tone throughout the set, allowing frontman Gilmore to bound around the stage like a loose cannon.

They professed to owe us nothing; they delivered a hell of a lot!

Image credit: This Is Gary

April Tapes: This Feeling Stage, Truck Festival

Chesterfield via Sheffield outfit April Tapes were second up on This Feeling’s stage on day 2 of Truck Festival this year. Sweltering heat had migrated in to challenge the hangovers and comedowns of day 1 overindulgence. Could they blow away the cowebs?

*banner image credit; Rhona Murphy

Image Credit: Rhona Murphy

They say timing is everything in music, and, in a testing heat, April Tapes’ blend of meandering introspection was the perfect tonic. Thoughtful prose and melancholic licks, which occasionally strayed into moments of euphoria, coerced a tentative crowd back to life.

Former singles ‘Reyt Fast’ and ‘Those Days’ breezed through the tent, suggesting their name will climb festival bills sooner rather than later. The former stomped its way to hearts and minds like lost indie underdogs Polytechnic and Two Wounded Birds, but with frontman Max Stokes’ indie take on Jonathan Richman, April Tapes are set to outrun the underdog tag. On ‘Those Days’, the coming-of-age sounds of The Goa Express came to life through the brooding guitars and rueful lyrics.

From their latest EP ‘Dead in Water’, ‘Salt Rock’ and ‘Grunge’ burned Brightest. The former was a gentle foray into the world of Seafood and Six By Seven. Whereas ‘Grunge’ saw bassist Bethan Evans take lead vocals and drag their outsider status to the edge of mainstream.

Truck Festival has a great knack for putting over new talent, and in 2025, the offshoots of a new era emerged. Out goes the spoken word post-punk craze, and in comes the likes of Maystones, The North, and April Tapes. Bands which blur the lines of indie and punk with melody and teenage angst always at their core.

The Bracknall: This Feeling, Truck Festival

Essex DIY success story The Bracknall played This Feeling’s stage at Truck Festival recently. Last time out in London, they headlined Lower Third with a stunning set. This slot was just thirty minutes, could they condense their form into a smaller slot?

*banner image credit: This Is Gary

Image credit: This Is Gary

From the moment the haunting pianos drop on ‘No Way Back For Me’, the air changes at Truck Festival. Rock ‘n’ roll had entered the festival and, through its dogged sense of glory, was going to leave a resounding mark upon all who witnessed.

Former single ‘Get Better’ tapped into the key changes that made us all fall in love with Noel for the first time around, and through the gutsy vocals of Jack Dacey, bred an underdog status that demanded everyone’s emotional investment.

Image credit: This Is Gary

Anthemic sing-alongs nailed, they then brought the noise and confusion with ‘Make It Happen’, Visceral guitars and violent vocals united on this righteous line in the sand. Defiant self-belief on a gargantuan scale roared through the This Feeling tent. As they hit fever pitch, Ed Smith announced himself to the festival as a generational guitar talent. His explosive solo stared into the devil’s eyes and made Satan sit down!

‘I Don’t Understand It’ from their debut album closed proceedings with such grandeur you’d be forgiven for thinking it was Knebworth. The bluesy bohemia of early Kings of Leon collided with the windswept glory of Soundtrack Of Our Lives on the weekend’s one true moment of majesty. Layer upon layer of melody, hope, and togetherness fed through the band with an ease that led them to fold in ‘Love Spreads’. There was an ease and confidence to their playing which offered hope to bands to stick with it. The spotlight may take a while to come, but when it does, be ready, know who you are, and unleash it upon all and sundry with unwavering integrity.

The Bracknall’s latest album and this performance prove a working-class hero is still someone to be, that rock n roll will never die and that maybe, we could all see things they’ll never see once again.

Image credit: This Is Gary

The North: This Feeling Stage, Truck Festival

Leeds outfit The North burst onto the scene in January in our New Band Spotlight and then straight onto John Kennedy’s Xposure show on Radio X. It felt fitting that radio icon Kennedy would introduce them for their debut festival slot at Truck Festival in the This Feeling tent.

*banner image credit: Alan Wells

It may be seven months later, but that fiery momentum at the start of 2025 was burning bright still. Wave upon wave of teenage angst and indie-punk rock was unfurled upon a packed tent.

Image Credit: Alan Wells

In an era of post-punk excess, it felt natural that what would come next would be a melodic rock ‘n’ roll band as the antithesis. However, through gritty licks, snarling vocals, and a furious yet melodic rhythm section, The North realigned post-punk to its biting best.

On ‘She’, they tapped into the more eloquent moments of Bloc Party’s debut. As they chased victory and caressed dreams with their angelic licks, they came of age and took a generation with them.

On ‘Soundtrack Your Soul’ they can march into any festival and light it up with an instant classic. On record, it’s divine. Live, it was an enthralling joyride of teenage hope destined to overspill and save souls!

It may have been their first ever festival, but The North proved they are the real deal!

Image Credit: Alan Wells

Good Health Good Wealth: This Feeling Stage, Truck Festival

Last year, they breezed into the This Feeling tent at Truck Festival, mid-afternoon and stole the effing show. Effortless, playful and slick af, GHGW laid bare their credentials.

*banner image credit: This Is Gary

Image Credit: This Is Gary

Fast forward a year, and they headline the same tent. There’s a national tour to support, and anticipation for a debut album is sky high.

Pressure? What Pressure!

Frontman Bruce Breakey, resplendent in his white Sergio Tacchini tracky top, had a poise and grace to his delivery that said farewell to the smallest stage of Truck Festival and gave a knowing smile to main stage.

On ‘Snatch’, he put all of the UK’s grand stages on notice. With the smoky groove of Baxter Dury and the attitude of Audio Bullys, he is taking the sound of a cult classic to the precipice of a cultural anthem.

Breakey’s progression is notable, but it’s Simon Kuzmickas where the stark improvement lay. Twelve months ago, Kuzmickas looked good and was a fine aide to Breakey. In 2025, he comes as his equal. Excelling with solos, dipping the tempo with delicate licks when needed, he is now a master of his craft and together they feel force to be reckoned with.

Image Credit: This Is Gary

Sleeper: Chinnerys, Southend

90s icons Sleeper took to Chnnerys in Southend last Friday to play for Indie Cult Club.

Since their return in 2017, Sleeper have been gracing big stages and Festival headline slots. So it was a rare treat for the 600 who crammed into the seaside venue on a balmy summer’s evening.

*image credit: Oscr Visuals

And what a treat it was!

2019’s comeback album, ‘The Modern Age’, as credible a comeback as any from the Britpop contingent, featured thrice in the set. ‘Look At You Now’ cuts through the mid-90s singles with Louise Wener’s elegant performance and Jon Stewart’s warped homage to the Pixies on guitar.  ‘The Sun Also Rises’, crisp and aloof, worked the room like an IT girl, knowing everyone's secrets. Meanwhile, ‘Cellophane’s hooks hit like a hammer while Wener served up a boisterous vocal to unite a rapturous crowd.

Elsewhere, the set is littered with classics that lit up the UK from ’94 to ’97. ‘Statuesque’ shone brightest as the Southend faithful bounced in unison, defying their years. Stewart’s playing was muscular and aggressive, allowing Wener to parade the stage and perform the song instead. ‘Delicious’ sounded as cute and vibrant as ever, and ‘Sale of the Century’ blitzed its way through the sweat-filled room with the freedom of a teenager coming of age.

This summer may be about other 90s bands, but Sleeper proved their tales of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll will live forever with the same potency.

Theatre Royal – A Change of Weather

Rochester’s Theatre Royal are back with their sixth studio album ‘A Change of Weather’. Recorded at Ranscombe Studios, the record was produced by fellow Medway soul Jim Riley and is released by the impeccable label Spinout Nuggets.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band.

Middle age comes to us all; how we choose to approach it remains a personal choice. Fortunately, motorbikes and affairs at Coldplay gigs are not for our Kent heroes. They’ve allowed life’s natural slowing-down process to filter into their songwriting to fine effect. There’s a reflective tone percolating throughout which, on ‘Saturday Son’, is not without its questioning of what they’re becoming. The angelic vocals from Oliver Burgess and the dreamlike guitars allow their uncertain rhetoric to swell with heightened poignancy.

 Former single ‘Souvenir’ and album opener ‘In Time’ follow a similar pattern. The former, tinged with the stomp of classic R’n’B, Northern Soul and the bubble gum pop of the Lightning Seeds’ Ready or Not’ tackles not letting go of the past. ‘In Time’ leans into the estuary blues and greens warmth of their Medway peers The Claim, Beatles harmonies, and post-2010 Edwyn Collins as they eloquently explore being out of time.

In places, A Change of Weather turns to folk influences for the first time in their careers. On ‘Feet First’, they blend the whimsical pop of Noah & The Whale with the charm of Stornoway. Whereas, ‘Angelina’s strings evolve Portland’s Decemberists into a Kent countryside ramble. Both feel like a natural fit for Theatre Royal and raise the question: should they transition into the genre full-time?

Their archetypal sound has not disappeared, though. It still informs their twisting melodies throughout. ‘Feel A Lot Better’ and ‘Thrown Up Grown Up’ are both best with the riotous glee of former greats ‘Port Bou’ and ‘Locked Together On the Lines’. Then, on ‘Welsh Coastal Towns’, they serve up the album's finest moment and perhaps their best since ‘French Riviera 1988’. The frenetic jingle-jangle is accompanied by pulsating brass parts, taking them from The Jam to Phil Spector. It’s the romantic classic The Wedding Present forgot to write. The beauty and frustration of family holidays haven’t sounded this good since the Griswolds went to Walley World. Burgess’ prose and his vocal cadence are nostalgic, vital, and simply brilliant

Six albums in, the creative well has certainly not run dry. With the folk influences creeping in, it feels like a fresh start for one the UK’s hidden treasures. If there was any justice in the world, recognition would go beyond the iconic John Kennedy and Steve Lamacq as it is, those who know, know. Those who don’t, should.

Brògeal - Tuesday Paper Club

Falkirk’s Brògeal released their latest single, Tuesday Paper Club, recently. It’s accompanied by previous releases ‘Vicar Street Days’ and ‘Friday On Mind’, which will all feature on their debut album ‘Tuesday Paper Club’, released October 17th via Play It Again Sam.

*Banner image credit: Sam McGill

Artwork courtesy of TE-AM

If you’re going to invoke the greats like the Pogues, then, like Oasis did on ‘Definitely Maybe’ with the Beatles, the Stones, and T-Rex, you best come armed with heaven-sent melody. ‘Tuesday Paper Club’ does just that. This indie folk-punk riot sees frontman Aidan Callaghan deliver a vocal breakdown that sounds like Christy Moore fronting The Pogues in an inspired moment of songwriting.

Then, on ‘Vicar Street Days’, the official anointment to the throne of the finest new band around is made. Tinged Frank Turner’s romantic woes circa ‘Better Days’, the life-affirming stomp of The Wonder Stuff, and the earnest beauty of Billy Bragg drown the senses on this instant classic.

Wave upon wave of coming-of-age melody oozes from this ode to saying goodbye to a lost friend. Great pop song? Yes, but there's something more powerful at play. Defiance, via love and celebration, lights up this record as the most joyful eulogy ever constructed.

‘Friday On My Mind’ veers from the raw energy of Fontaines D.C. to the sharp hooks of The Ordinary Boys but never loses sight of its identity; this is no mere pastiche.

This EP marks a return to great melodic songwriting by life’s outsiders. Rebels have professed a lot of causes of late; they’ll achieve nothing without great songs, and Brògeal have them in abundance.

The world is theirs for the taking on October 17th.

My Raining Stars - Momentum

Thierry Haliniak’s My Raining Stars returned this summer with their latest album ‘Momentum’. It follows 2022’s fine ’89 Memories’, can it match up to its quality?

‘Momentum’ is available via their Bandcamp page.

’89 Memories’ was indebted to the lush melodies of the early 90s indie-pop and shoegaze scene in the UK. Whilst these hallmarks remain, there is a newfound directness to Haliniak’s songwriting, causing a stir here. Opener ‘For Good’ puts Johnny Marr’s hook-making skills through Andy Bell’s psychedelic prism to great effect. Whilst not full throttle in tempo, there is an urgency pouring out of ‘For Good’ that demands serious attention. ‘Lost in the Wild’ follows this more direct route with punchy, breathy vocals and defiant blasts on the guitar. Haliniak’s playing strays into the gothic overtures of The Cure, allowing a melancholic beauty to swell around the lysergic ‘Sonic Flower Groove’ artistry. ‘The Cost Within’ takes all that was good from ’89 Memories’ and is between the paisley singles era of Stone Roses and The La’s to conjure the jingle-jangle moment of the year.

All great shoegaze bands attempt to make coming-of-age records. It’s a default setting that all dreamers with pedals have. On ‘Special Place’ and ‘Stop the Time’, My Raining Stars enter said realm. The former opens with “There’s a place I know you’ve never seen”, from here on, Haliniak acts as the effortlessly cool friend who takes you to the best books, music and clothes. Sonically massive, spiritually pure, ‘Special Place’ hits hard with poignancy and, as the drums begin to close in on you like an anxiety dream, Haliniak’s solo heals with its divinity. ‘Stop the Time’ is steeped in rock ‘n’ roll desperation, of a longing to be heard. Haliniak’s ethereal vocals struggle to find space to breathe as the guitars come to the fore. It gives the song a cinematic quality, where the protagonists' arduous journey to triumph is against all odds.  

‘Manhattan’ close the album out with the finest Brian Jonestown Massacre homage written in a decade. Mid-paced, psych-guitar-driven tracks, beset with great drama, close out this album in the heroic style it richly deserves.

What comes next for My Raining Stars must be word-of-mouth success. Accept the challenge and spread the love!

All The Young - Bad Blood

Cult icons All The Young have released their second single of 2025. ‘Bad Blood’ was self-released on the 13th June and follows the instant classic ‘Demons’.

‘Demons’ was a deeply personal record, one that examined the relationship of a rock n roll partner. This confessional style continues on ‘Bad Blood’ as they explore the break-up of lead guitarist Tom Crompton’s former band.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band.

Poignant guitars shimmer with echoes of the past as Dooley’s vocal searches the most agonising moments of the fallout. Although not technically about All The Young, it’ll be hard for fans to escape that feeling.

The notion that the third album has to be the masterpiece is probably a bit alien in 2025. For those like All The Young who straddle different eras, it’s still worth striving for. Something seemingly on their mind when Crompton’s solo comes. In both 2010 and 2022, we suspect they would have unleashed a wall of sound at this point. Instead, they unfurl a lighter, almost ethereal but warped moment of majesty to light up yesteryear’s torment.

Dooley’s vocal cadence is nothing short of masterful in 2025. Knowing when to refrain, when to hit the power of ‘Welcome Home’, and when to let his penchant for emotive melody to soar. He tugs on the heartstrings as he lets some couplets fade, and ramps up the bitterness in others when he steps on the gas.

If 2022’s ‘Tales of Grandeur’ was a return to form, then their third album is shaping up to be a masterclass in songwriting.

Ryan Dunn – Lovin’ You

Former Gazelle frontman Ryan Dun released his second single, ‘Lovin’ You’, last week. It followed his debut solo venture ‘Ale House Blues’ in 2024, can it stack up to the promise shown/

‘Ale House Blues’ was indebted to Dylan circa ‘Bringing It All Back Home’. This time out, we see Dunn in a buoyant Motown mood akin to the back end of his former band, Gazelle.

Image % artwork courtesy of Ryan Dunn.

Dun lands himself instantly in the melody and beats of Stevie Wonder and Frank Wilson on this soul-pop gem. At points, he counters the uplifting northern soul with moments of real drama and intensity as a wall of sound eclipses the sunnier climates.

Vocally, this is Dunn’s most varied performance to date. He moves from Smokey’s angelic side of soul to Sam Cooke’s defiant nature with a grace that warrants serious attention!

Two singles deep and any ghosts of his former band are showing no sign of haunting Dunn. His eyes are focused on reimagining the classics for the modern age, and the results are triumphant.

Pulp: The 02 Arena (Friday), London

Just over a week ago, we witnessed Pulp’s return to London as they played a sold-out 02 Arena. With no support, the Sheffield icons played two sets. Could they pull it off, or would it stray into the self-indulgence of Springsteen?

*image credit: Indie Cult Club

Backed by an orchestra and a stunning set display, they launch in their new album with ‘Spike Island’, ‘Grown Ups’, and ‘Slow Jam’ to remind the twenty thousand in attendance that this is not a nostalgia fest.

Despite the disco-enthused prowess of Spike Island and later in the set, the lush orchestrated pop of Tina, it’s hard to escape the power of their past. ‘Sorted For E’s and Whiz’, ‘Acryllic Afternoons’, and ‘F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D’ prove yet again that counter-culture and indie can offer moments of alternative euphoria still.

Cocker, playful throughout the show, revisited the darker times of ‘This Is Hardcore’. Twenty-seven years after its release, The Fear echoed through the arena. Once a raw reflection of personal trauma, now a towering anthem forged from the wreckage of heavy drug use and its fallout.

On, ‘Disco 2000’, the band and crowd marched back into their triumphant 1996. It was an ecstatic release of joy the set never got close to again. Wave upon wave of blissful emotion soared as Pulp reminded everyone that once, the freaks, geeks, and outsiders once ruled the charts.

Indulgent? No. Missing a support act? Yes. However, Pulp was right; we did, and do, want more!

Subterrania – Peaks

With Pastel in the ascendency and label mates Marseille in the rear-view mirror, something is afoot in the UK right now. Ballsy shoegaze and escapist rock ‘n’ roll is on the rise. Throwing their name into the hat next are Subterrania. Their latest single ‘Peaks’, was recorded with Wolf Alice producer Michael Smith and was released last week via Echo Bass Records.

banner image courtesy of Songbird PR.

Artwork courtesy of the band.

Frontman Dylan Cai serves up a vocal that beds in between Liam Gallagher and Pastel’s James Yates. In the angelic verses, Cai arguably delivers the finest homage to Gallagher’s early Oasis days yet.

It’s a record that twists from angelic indie melodies to bruising shoegaze and bluesy rock 'n' roll, forged in the hedonism of the 90s. Like their label mates Marseille and Pastel, the sense of Richey Edwards’ ‘4 Real’ oozes from this single. The lyrics deliver hope (“I see the road ahead”), and the muscular blasts of guitar distribute hope. Together, they can forge a new allegiance of righteous souls marching on big venues and festival main stages.

Despite the many layers, it’s a simplistic record: Melody, noise, and a burst of sweet release in a solo. It’s a reminder that the music's principles haven’t changed, only its purveyors have been weak for too long. Subterrania have kicked off 2025 with a bang!

The Kowloons - I Don't Care

At the end of May, Liverpool outfit The Kowloons released their latest single ‘I Don’t Care’ via Ripe Records.

*banner image credit: Matt Owen

The LA’s defiant acoustic jangle looms large on this remarkable slice of guitar-cum-pop music. To compare The Kowloons to anyone beyond this would be a criminal injustice. There’s an effortless quality to this record that breeds a warm familiarity through its melody. The kind usually reserved for radio stations indebted to the past that stir up childhood car journey memories.

Melodies this good are so often met with lyrics which don’t stack up. Not here! The Kowloons have served up a deeply personal ode of love and heartache. Characters with darkness are drawn back to the light, and lifelong friendships are put to the test. Lyrically, he closing stages are poignantly open-ended, so that the joyous sonic becomes an emotive juxtaposition.

The Kowloons next gig is a big home city gig at Liverpool’s District on October 10th. It’s difficult to imagine this being anything other than triumphant based on this form.

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming show:

Marseille – Heaven’s At My Door

Derby’s Marseille recently released their latest single ‘Heaven’s At My Door’ via Echo Bass Records.

*banner image & artwork courtesy of the band.

There have been past singles which felt too rushed. Enjoyable, yet too fast, not allowing the majesty of Labrum and Brown to flourish. On ‘Heaven’s At My Door’, those attempts to speed up the work of the Roses click with spectacular results.

By adopting the trippier drums of Reni’s work on ‘The Second Coming’ and Andy Bell’s hazy jangle-jangle Beatles-inspired guitar sound, they forge a realm that marries big psychedelic rock ‘n’ roll and pop sensibilities.

Through Brown’s harmonious vocal and Labrum taking a back seat for the most part, the vocals ease their way into 60s pop and allow tinges of the Roses and the everyman infectiousness of Shed Seven to shine.

No Marseille single is complete without Labrum emerging as this generation's Squire, Bell, or McCabe, and this is no different. His work with Lennon Hall on rhythm here lays a platform for Brown to shine until the time comes to spiral heavenwards with rapid-fire licks from the gods.

With Y Not Festival just around the corner, Marseille are set to win yet more die-hard fans this summer with tier spiralling majesty.

The Crooks: 100 Club, London

The last time The Crooks were in London at The Water Rats, there was a reconnection and reaffirmation between the band and fans alike. What was lost, was found. This time around, the conundrum was trickier. It was prove yourself time!

*banner image credit: Rhona Murphy

‘Dreaming Out Loud’ and ‘Champagne & Caviar’ opened proceedings but, for anyone at the triumphant Water Rats gig, not as they hoped. The energy in the room was flat. Had the desperation for fans to prove themselves to a band evaporated?

No. The room was in awe!

Image Credit: Rhona Murphy

Quiet, jaws down, and eyes bulging the sold-out crowd looked on at a band that had gone to a new place in their time away. More melodic, intense and tighter than before, The Crooks unfurled a stream of rock ‘n’ roll that’s begging to connect with big crowds.

The latest single, ‘Carry On,’ gave their set a different dimension. Slower and more psychedelic, it allowed their guitars to spiral and fall with the freedom usually reserved for a band three albums deep. It allowed frontman Jacko to distil a gritty yet angelic clarity.

Most bands would kill to close on ‘In The Meantime’. Its euphoric football crowd quality bellowed out from Jacko and back again from the fans as one. The Crooks, however, signal time three songs out with Better Days and In Time preceding. Epic drama-fueled anthems which light up the 100 Club like it’s a stadium.

Festival season is upon The Crooks with Isle of Wight, Godney Gathering, and Y Not coming up. Three gigs to change the world? Maybe. Three gigs t change their status from underground to main stage? Definitely.

Siracuse - Chase The Morning

Cheltenham’s Siracuse returned with their first single of 2025 ‘Chase The Morning’ at the end of May. Released via Vibrant Sky Records, it was produced by Dave Draper in Pershore, at The Old Cider Press Studio. It follows last year’s hedonistic ‘Simple Pleasures’ with both expected to feature on their new album due in 2026.

The thunderous intro lands you in ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Star’s rabid intention of world domination. From there, through a divine key change, they depart from Oasis and forge a new path of intoxication and aspiration but with greater heart.

With each circling year, Ben Zakotti - frontman, guitarist, poet in chords - edges closer to the ranks of the almost-forgotten greats. Once, the phrase belonged to the slow-blooming, the ill-starred, the haunted. Now, in 2025, Zakotti stares down a music world hollowed and hunched. Even the stations that once swore by bands have drawn up the ladder, leaving echoes where anthems should be.

With hope now an almost bygone era sentiment, Zakotti’s performance becomes more vital. As his hypnotic vocal decrees, “take your chance to electrify” and “chase the morning”, a generation of guitar fans fed up with the lack of exposure have their clarion call. Images of stadiums shaking with limbs flying to this electrifying anthem become the goal, an insurrection among guitar lovers imminent. Their time miust be now!

2025 is going to be the year that Oasis came back. It should be about Pastel’s debut and The Bracknall’s seminal second album. It should be about Marseille, Rolla, and The Crooks selling out venues. It should be about Siracuse!

Ecko - Blesstival, Camden

Ayr’s rising stars Ecko, played the inaugural Blesstival this past Bank Holiday with the likes of Electric Sheep Inc. and Bless. at Camden’s Elephant’s Head.

*banner image courtesy of Martin Bailey

Their last visit to the capital was in the same venue and their measured psyche-cum-indie licks wowed a packed crowd. Many of the same faces have made the trek to the capital to see if lightning could strike twice.

It could, but not as we’ve come to expect.

Heavier in sonic but freer in playing, the Scottish quartet unleashed new songs of real impact. ‘El Cabio’ throbbed with the measured menace of Nirvana’s ‘In Utero’ and the distorted aggression of Sonic Youth and Idlewild’s angst-ridden beginnings. It gave frontman Jamie Warden a platform to mark himself as the kind of rock star festival goers will shed limbs for.

Fan favourite ‘Let Go’ rips through the Elephant’s Head like a spell from the devil. Bristling with punk's fervent energy and rock ‘n’ roll’s hedonism, they unleashed a single worthy of Creation Records status. This, what had become their archetypal sound to date, was a refreshing tonic against the backdrop of their new harder edges. together, they were a deadly duo few bands could match.

Time and time, and TIME again, Ecko prove they’re among the elite rock ‘n’ roll bands in the UK. It’s just a matter of time until their breakthrough to the masses comes!

Bless. - Blesstival, Camden

London’s Bless. hosted its inaugural all-dayer at Camden’s Elephants Head this past bank holiday. The event gave some of the UK’s finest new bands - Electric Sheep Inc., Cade Rain, and Ecko - a taste of the capital’s rock ‘n’ roll heartland.

*banner image courtesy of Martin Bailey

That was, until Bless. walked on stage.

More seasoned? Yes. World-weary? Not a chance. Punk’s energy, mod’s charm, and indie’s penchant for anthems oozed from the band at every turn. Bless may have given everyone a leg up today, but they blew them away on stage with a breathtaking performance.

Frontman Joei Silvestre is Britain’s best-kept rock ‘n’ roll secret. His Jarvis-like figure, his northern soul shapes, and an intense charm made even the oldest souls in the crowd want to be him — a skill few frontmen possess in 2025.

Last year’s single, ‘Skeleton Dance’, fired out with glints of The Clash and Dead 60s in its eyes. Playful and charming but always rebellious, they toy with cadence like a cat masterfully playing with its prey.

Frenetic and rampant throughout, the band could have walked off after ten minutes and changed lives. However, when you have a stonewall classic like ‘Daddy Didn’t Make It As A Rockstar’ in the locker, you leave knowing you’ve played the best song in any venue across Camden on any given day.

From the firesome to the angelic, Bless. have proved yet again they’re a force on the UK guitar scene — and they deserve the break that will entice the masses.