For her special, one-off performance at Sound City, Gwenno and her producer Rhys Edwards are inviting some of the region’s emerging female talent for a series of workshops. The results of the five-day residency, running from 30th April - 4th May, will then form the basis of Gwenno’s performance at the festival, with the successful applicants also taking part.
Gwenno’s project encourages the exploration of concepts inspired by a sense of place and people, drawing from Liverpool’s rich and varied communities.
The five day residency and show are part of an ongoing partnership with Both Sides Now, a pioneering initiative from music charity Brighter Sound to support women in music across the North. This is the same partnership that brought us last year’s pioneering collaboration with Stealing Sheep, continuing Sound City’s position as the UK’s leading independent festival for new and emerging talent.
Gwenno says: “We’re so very looking forward to spending a week exploring sounds and ideas with everyone. Working through the creative process collectively is so exciting and we can’t wait to see where we end up. Liverpool is a hugely inspiring city, so full of incredible stories so we’re all in for a treat.”
The deadline to apply to join Gwenno is midnight Sunday 31st March.
The Welsh and Cornish enigma weaves elements of folk, electronica and psychedelia around her phonetics, with the overall combination resulting in a spellbinding sonic that at times borders on surrealism. There really is no other artist like her on the planet, however in the years to come there is no doubt that her influence will be found in a range of artists across a myriad of genres, including the artists who will join her in the coming weeks at Sound City.
For more info and to apply check https://www.brightersound.com/gwenno-in-liverpool/
The Californian songstress is bringing her cosmic-country crossover to Sound City. Pearl Charles embraces a radiant serene sound whilst painting a watercolored picture of whirlwind stories exploiting love affairs and serenading the sunrise in LA in her debut album ‘Sleepless Dreamer’. The soulful artist will transfix you into her psychedelic noise and heartbreak tales - see her live at Sound City 2019 and find yourself in the bubble too.
Tickets are available here.
The electronic trio from Matlock, Derbyshire, champion a sound which tampers with disco-pop in an overdressed sparkly outfit of colour & carefree chorus. They recently have treated us with ‘All The Time’ their latest release to keep us fans sweet until the EP which is set to release 3rd May 2019, just in time for them to take the Baltic Triangle at Sound City 2019.
Listen to ‘All The Time’ now on Spotify.
Get tickets to Sound City 2019 here!
Sandwich are Filipino musical royalty with over 8 studio albums over 20 years including a collection of dance moves to flex at Sound City 2019. Under the band’s belt is a slew of iconic hits such as ‘Butterfly Carnival’, ‘Two Tick Pony’, ‘Betamax’ & many many more. Do not miss out on seeing the legendary 5 piece.
Tickets are available here: http://bit.ly/SoundCity2019x
In keeping with our theme of showcasing the greatest emerging international talent, as part of St Patrick’s Day 2019 we want to celebrate some of the fabulous Irish artists gracing our line-up!
SOAK - Derry
Exclusive to VIP - SOAK’s sound is utterly enchanting: her lyrics range from optimistic to introspective, her delivery ethereal to melancholic. In one moment you find yourself immersed in a dense, highly textured soundscape, only to then be transported to her front room, sat up close observing every subtle nuance to her music.
Listen here: https://spoti.fi/2VYr5oL
VIP Tickets: http://bit.ly/2SmCGw5
Just Mustard - Dundalk
One of the most unique bands on our line-up, Just Mustard fuse together elements of shoe gaze, noise-rock and electronica to create refined, no-nonsense naughtiness.
Watch here: http://bit.ly/2CkOQ2W
RuthAnne - Donaghmede
An artist who spent many years behind the scenes, RuthAnne’s solo material shows exactly why she has been one of the most in demand songwriters of the past decade, only this time her music and reflections are brought to life by her own set of captivating vocal chords.
Listen here: https://spoti.fi/2UFRhV2
Eve Belle - Donegal
Eve Belle displays the songwriting maturity of an artist well beyond her years. Her craft covers a full range of emotions, with lyrics that examine all aspects of life, whether it’s at its most wearisome or amusingly spontaneous.
Watch here: http://bit.ly/2FdDeR5
Discover HALFNOISE! The solo innovation of Paramore drummer Zac Farro, HALFNOISE step into alternative and psychedelic rock to deliver chilled-out, head-bobbing tunes. A strong audiovisual influence pervades HALFNOISE’s music, with quirky production and casual yet understated jams helping to shape a supercut of a sunny, summer’s day.
Latest release ‘Who Could You Be?’ is 2 minutes of lofi, guitar-driven goodness - think Innerspeaker-era Tame Impala. They come down to the Baltic Triangle on the Saturday of the festival - you might just leave with a new favourite band!
Get your tickets now: http://bit.ly/SoundCity2019x
Hear the Noise: https://spoti.fi/2UvQBBk
Our artist of the week is Gwenno!
The Welsh/Cornish enigma weaves elements of folk, electronica and psychedelia around her phonetics, with the overall combination resulting in a spellbinding sonic that at times borders on surrealism. There really is no other artist like her on the planet, however in the years to come there is no doubt that her influence will be found in a range of artists across a myriad of genres. Gwenno stops by at Sound City with a special one-off performance of brand new works, created on a five-day residency with some of the regions most exciting emerging talent. Part of Both Sides Now - a pioneering initiative from music charity Brighter Sound to support, inspire and champion woman in music across the North of England - this is something you won’t want to miss!
Get tickets today https://bit.ly/SoundCity2019x
BIMM’s active connections to music festivals throughout Europe provide amazing performance opportunities and valuable work placements for its students year after year. In 2019, the colleges’ festival outreach program is bigger and better than ever, and it all kicks off this May with the brilliant Sound City in Liverpool.
As always, Sound City’s line-up is overflowing with incredible talent this year. And more than a few of them are student artists hailing from BIMM’s northern-most campus in Manchester. Bands set to grace Liverpool’s biggest annual music event are as follows:
Retro-indie pop soloist Julia Bardo
Electronic pop songstress HANĀ
Acoustic guitar virtuoso Jamie Ferguson
Upcoming singer songwriter Morgan Harper-Jones
Alternative indie rockers Ballamona
and Liverpool’s own psychedelic quintet Indica Gallery
The incredible festival line-up also features BIMM alumni who’ve been making big industry waves since their graduation, such as Brighton-based Bella Union signees Penelope Isles and alternative Brit-pop sensation Abbey Ozard.
And that’s not all! BIMM’s relationship with LSC also offers non-performance students the opportunity to gain valuable work experience in the lead-up to the big weekend, with various organisational and administrational internship roles. The cherry on the cake? LSC are even offering ‘hands-on roles’ for key student candidates within Production, Artist/Sponsor Liaison, Marketing/Social Media and Stage Management for the event.
Bring it on!
Leeds College of Music is delighted to return to Sound City for the fourth year running. We are proud to showcase an eclectic mix of talented artists as we take over the Cavern Stage on Saturday 4th May, from 1pm – 4pm!
Here’s a bit more about the fantastic performers featured on our showcase…
Project Hilts is a nine-piece Jazz & Grime Fusion band from London and Leeds, and a collaboration between students studying on the Music Production, Pop, Jazz and Songwriting pathways at LCoM. Their sets are energetic and danceable, displaying virtuosic musicianship and challenging songwriting. The band comprises three vocalists, drums, percussion, two brass players and keys players from a range of different backgrounds and disciplines. Together, they marry jazz musicianship with styles from early 00’s Grime, Latin, Soul and Hip Hop. .
TIGER by the TAIL is duo Emma Barker and Callum Lewis, both Music Production students at LCoM, who fuse together heavy electronic bass lines and melancholy vocals. After gigging with a live string section, the duo are now ready to hit the festival circuit as a two-piece with an electronic set. Expect resonating bass-lines, hard-hitting hooks and atmospheric soundscapes, bound to move your heart and your feet. ‘Tunnel Vision’, the pair’s highly anticipated first single, is due to be released on May 3rd 2019.
Hannah Willwood is a singer-songwriter from Snowdonia, currently studying Songwriting at LCoM. Her music blends folk, indie and jazz - with influences stemming from the likes of Laura Marling, Lianne La Havas and Alice Phoebe Lou. The relationships and experiences she has encountered, alongside the physical beauty of her homeland, have been a constant source of inspiration in her music.
In The Morning Lights is a Leeds based band formed in 2017, consisting of LCoM Jazz student Matilde Mirotti and Music Production alumni Frankie Harper. The duo write and produce all of their own music, which they define as “Alternative Pop/RnB”, influenced by electronic, ambient and alternative indie music, as well as Hip-Hop. Analogue synths and acoustic sounds meet heavily manipulated samples, paired with soulful and honest vocals, intricate grooves and rhythmic ideas. These elements fuse together creating the soundscapes in which In The Morning Lights exist. The band is named In The Morning Lights because the project is intended to represent everything a new morning does - that moment of calm and those volatile few seconds before the day plays out, however it is going to play out.
DOMI is an international dark electro-pop band, made up of LCoM Postgraduate students. Their music, performance and lyrics have a fresh combination of Norwegian pop and British electronic, delivered with a raw vocal style. DOMI is not afraid to experiment with new sounds, delivering dark pop music that you can’t help but dance to. Recently, DOMI released their first single ‘Let Me Follow’, with a video that featured in the New Music Charts in the Czech Republic and on BBC Introducing West Yorkshire.
Also featuring on the 2019 Sound City line-up are LCoM alumni band King No-One.
Find out more about studying at Leeds College of Music.
It only started just over a year ago, but already Europe’s new network of showcase festivals has almost doubled in size. This year, as of now, five new members have joined the Innovation Network of European Showcases (INES). Another five members had already joined the network in 2018. Together with the network’s founding members, INES now connects 18 of Europe’s most dynamic live music industry events.
The new members that have joined in 2019 are Mastering the Music Business (Romania), m4music (Switzerland), PIN Music Conference (North Macedonia), Sharpe Festival (Slovakia), and What’s Next in Music? (Lithuania).
The first of these kicks off in March, when m4music takes place in both Zürich and Lausanne. To celebrate their induction, Portuguese band and INES#talent member :papercutz have been invited to perform at the festival.
INES is a unique and dynamic platform that fosters exchange and interaction between Europe’s vital showcase festivals, which are small to medium events that combine live music performance with music business conferences. INES is co-funded by the Creative Europe program from the European Union. It includes actions to help artists and music business professionals develop their careers, cross borders for transnational growth, and embrace digitisation.
More info at: www.ines-festivals.eu
The future of the music industry is in the hands of independent artists, taking control of their own careers and being successful on their own merit. Kycker is the independent artist’s best friend.
With Kycker, artists can release their music to all major stores at no cost, publish their music and earn royalties for shows, streams and broadcasts, and have access to career mentoring and sync representation. Kycker artists also have access to festival and showcase opportunities like Liverpool Sound City, SXSW (Texas) and Zandari Festa (Korea).
Kycker gives artists the tools, knowledge and opportunities they need to make the music industry work for them. For more info, contact autumn@kycker.net
#SCDiscover Say Sue Me! The South Korean indie quartet are riding a wave of critical acclaim headed by no other than Elton John himself. Picture surf rock through a florescent filter — a polaroid exuding 90s nostalgia. The band are able to flip instantaneously from retro high-spirited up tempo tracks to endearing slow burners that draw the listener in. Bands like this don’t come around so often!
Get Your Tickets Here
Stream Say Sue Me: https://spoti.fi/2E0SH5j
#SCDiscover Emily Burns! Bringing her relatable pop bangers to the Baltic Triangle this May, Emily Burns could just be the voice of 2019, having perfected a craft of combining catchy hooks with lyrics that celebrate diversity and champion acceptance. After racking up millions of streams over the last year following the release of her debut album, her crisp and modern sound is almost certainly set for chart domination. Catch her at Sound City 2019!
Get Your Tickets: http://bit.ly/SoundCity2019x
Listen To Emily Burns: https://spoti.fi/2IsGT1c
Our Artist of the Week is SPINN! Their music is tranquil. Their lyrics are sweet. They have the tunes to make you move your feet. Their new single ‘Is There Something That I Missed?’ bodies all of the signature bubble and bliss that has made SPINN Liverpool’s premier indie outfit. Their performance comes during a hectic few months for the band. They perform to a sold-out East Village Arts Club tonight, however if you weren’t lucky enough to get a ticket you can catch them in Barcelona, or Paris, or another one of the cities on their European Tour. They arrive at Sound City during the same weekend they drop their self-titled debut album. With the opportunity to see one of the county’s most exciting new bands, performing in their hometown at the top of their game, there really isn’t an excuse to miss out!
Get Your Tickets: http://bit.ly/SoundCity2019x
Spin SPINN: https://spoti.fi/2XfZalr
An artist about to explode out of London’s thriving R&B scene, Jvck James brings his blend of jazz, gospel and neo-soul to Sound City 2019! The luscious chord progressions and rich vocal harmonies that permeate his music has already led to comparisons to R&B legend D’Angelo. Having just completed a European tour with fellow London sensation and Grammy winner Ella Mai, James’ stock is only set to rise in 2019. Catch him this May!
Tickets: http://bit.ly/SoundCity2019x
Listen to Jvck James: https://spoti.fi/2SP73zG
With Baltic Creative CIC’s Digital House at 61–65 Norfolk Street nearing completion, many of the first studios have been taken by existing Baltic Creative tenants who are at full capacity in their current studios. While leases are now being offered to the wider digital and creative sector, the brand new studios at Digital House have until now been prioritised for current tenants. And for many of them, this expansion can’t come soon enough.
Taking over the top floor studio will be app and software developers Citrus Suite. Moving into the new Digital House will allow them to restart their previously successful scheme of offering placements to aspiring developers, a strategy that had to be put on hold for 12 months as the team outgrew their Jamaica Street studio. Although they were amongst the first top sign up to the new development, Citrus Suite do admit that they will miss the highly visibility of their previous workspace, with much of their business, sometimes £100,000 plus jobs, coming from people walking in from the street. However there is no doubt that the movement to the Digital House will ultimately allow the company to prosper further as they are backed by the high quality resources that their business demands.
Another company benefitting from the new build is Simul. CEO Roderick Kennedy uses his background in plasma physics alongside his three person team to create high quality sky renders for the games industry. Roderick believes the dynamic environment provided by the Digital House will be ‘very positive for recruitment’ as it is a perfect manifestation of the buzz of the Baltic Triangle. This will subsequently encourage people to seek out employment in the area.
For Michelle Dow and All About STEM, the Digital House will become the epicentre for the promotion of STEM careers throughout the North West, providing an area where their Maghull employees and Baltic based workers can come together to ‘take things to the next level.’ Dow believes that the ‘sense of community’ afforded by the Digital House is what makes All About STEM and other companies in the Baltic Triangle successful. ‘It’s that nod to the person in the next shed. It feels like family. People pass leads on without realising that they are passing leads on. It is really hard to quantify that and put a price on it.’
Overall the £2.6m Digital House is the Baltic Creative’s next step towards providing high quality affordable space for digital companies in the Baltic Triangle. With the potential to accommodate 20 digital/tech businesses, the scheme will provide a boost to the Baltic Triangle’s rapidly growing reputation as one of the UK’s most dynamic creative clusters.
With more than 5.900 attending professionals, MaMA is the greatest French
gathering of the music industry and one of the most important in the world.
By day, MaMA suggests a conference program featuring over 450 international
speakers and 150 panels, keynotes, workshops, match-making sessions and
cocktails for music industry actors. In addition, a dedicated space to the
integration of innovation in and for the music industry, also known as MaMA
invent offers solutions for: Artist Factory, Live Music Factory and Label
Factory.
By night, with 150 concerts, MaMA transforms the Pigalle District into a giant
urban festival bringing together professionals and the Parisian public in 15
emblematic venues!
On October 16th, 17th and 18th 2019, MaMA Festival & Convention will
celebrate its 10th anniversary in Paris!
Info, program and ticketing: www.mamafestival.com
Gigs & Graphics is a collaborative project between Northern Lights, Sound City, Toucan Tango and the Paper Moon Print Studio. Across the Sound City weekend they are undertaking a number of projects aiming to engage all lovers of art and music!
International Gig Poster Exhibition
From May 3rd to May 6th a collection of posters designed by internationally renowned artists for musicians, gigs and festivals will be on display.
5 Out Of 5
This project aims to pair up five emerging and established visual artists with five acts from the 2019 Sound City line-up. This will lead to the creation of a limited edition gig poster for each artist, which will then be displayed at Gigs & Graphics over the course of the weekend.
Sound City+
An opportunity for the intersection of art and music will take place at Sound City+. Angled on the coalescence of art, design, print, photography, video and the music industry, all musicians and artists are invited to exchange ideas and open a dialogue that could lead to more exciting collaborations in the future.
Activities
Across the weekend a whole host alternative entertainment will take place alongside the exhibition. Expect DJ sets, micro gigs, live screen printing and even a pop-up record store!
Check out the Gigs & Graphics Website: http://gigsandgraphics.com
Discover Glass Peaks at Sound City 2019! A band quickly gaining a reputation for their pumping off-kilter indie rock, their past releases have been championed by BBC Introducing, Radio 6 and Radio X. They have just released their brand new single ‘Misery’, and as the title suggests it is a record draped in desperation. Tormented vocals and twisting guitar lines build to a concluding riff as heavy as the subject matter, resulting in an emotionally complex admission of anguish. Make sure you don’t miss them at Sound City 2019!
Get tickets now: http://bit.ly/SoundCity2019x
Listen to Glass Peaks: https://spoti.fi/2I0dOd5
Introducing Poland’s finest group BOKKA! Their atmospheric synth-pop is as mysterious as the band itself, with its members concealing their identity behind unsettling masks. New single ‘Forgive Me’ is an ever-evolving trip through an array of electronic soundscapes, all the while retaining an organic quality that gives their sound a sense of Lynchian uncomfortable innocence. Be sure to catch them at Sound City 2019!
Get your tickets now: http://bit.ly/SoundCity2019x
Listen to BOKKA: https://spoti.fi/2BzWAh7
