Photo: Press
Robin Hood, Brian Clough, Su Pollard and KWS (ask your dad) apart, Nottingham hasn’t had that much to shout about until now. With the city’s live scene thriving it’s rubbed off on those making music too. Here’s 11 of the finest acts currently gracing Nottingham’s stages, and no doubt coming to a town near you very soon.
EYRE LLEW
Their name might be pronounced “Air Loo” but this experimental ambient outfit have been cited as Nottingham’s answer to Sigur Ros and 65daysofstatic all rolled into one, which is nothing to be scoffed at. Arguably one of the most exciting bands in the UK right now.
MANNEQUIN
This three-piece have been kicking up a storm in recent months with their incendiary live shows. New EP ‘Nobody’s Listening’ is out later this month and it’s as perfect a concoction of grunge, noise, punk and pop as you’re likely to hear all year.
APRIL TOWERS
This duo have been compared to New Order, OMD and the Pet Shop Boys among others which is high praise indeed, but not undeserved either. Third single ‘A Little Bit Of Fear’ was featured on the FIFA 16 soundtrack and with their imminent debut album near fruition as we speak, the Premier League beckons.
KETO
Essentially the project of locally based singer/songwriter Leah Sinead. This four-piece have been packing out venues across the city for some time, and June’s ‘What We Do’ EP represents their most accomplished body of work to date.
FIELD STUDIES
Another band who’ve been making a name for themselves around the city ever since finishing third in a battle of the bands competition two years ago. Since then they’ve played at Glastonbury, signed to local independent Denizen and released a couple of blinding EPs. Very studious in other words…
DAUDI MATSUKO
This locally based singer/songwriter is equal parts Nick Drake and Conor Oberst. Subtle in parts, soaring in others. But always distinctive. If he’s not gigging elsewhere you’re likely to see him turn up unannounced at an open mic event, which immediately raises the quality control by several hundred per cent.
CROSA ROSA
This psych grunge crossover outfit probably played more gigs last year than many bands do in a lifetime. Which is just as well because the demand to see them has reached fever pitch within the city. November sees their biggest headline show to date at the 450 capacity Rescue Rooms, which promises to be explosive.
WHEN THE SUN HITS
If you’re going to name your band after one of the greatest songs ever written you have to either be supremely confident or utterly deluded. Thankfully it’s a case of the former with this five-piece, and rightly so. Their ethereal shoegaze tinged sound harks back to the halcyon days of 1991 yet manages to sound as relevant as ever today.
KAGOULE
Probably the most well known of the pack, having released debut LP ‘Urth’ last August. This summer they’ve spent most of their time wowing audiences at festivals around the UK and Europe, and if the batch of new songs that have been gradually introduced into their set are anything to go by, that second record will be blinding.
FUTURE SHINJUKU
They might be named after the busiest railway station in the world but their ebullient mix of prog, metal and elegant ambience makes them one of Nottingham’s most distinguished outfits right now. Their show stopping set at the recent Waterfront Festival drew comparisons with Oceansize and with a new EP set to drop in November, we’re predicting big things for these guys.
SUNSET NEBULA
Psychedelic post rock with more twists and turns than Alton Towers finest rollercoaster. This trio only started out in the early part of 2015 yet they’ve already become one of the city’s most hotly tipped live bands.
