After Hockley Hustle’s four year haitus, Sunday showed the city couldn’t bear to stay quiet any longer, with acts performing in every nook and cranny of Hockley available. All in the name of raising money for charity, over 400 bands, singers, rappers and DJ’s invaded the city centre.
April Towers
April Towers have never been afraid to wear their influences on their sleeve, clearly aligning themselves with 80’s pop icons à la New Order, The Pet Shop Boys and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Yet as their set at Contemporary showed, they’re equally unafraid to move forward. New single ‘Arcadia‘ seamlessly knits together old and new, creating a full, complex and, most importantly, signatory sound. The duo combines foot-stomping beats with an informed sense of modernity, making it difficult to predict them to be heading anywhere but the top of the charts.
Shaun Gordon Photography
Ryan Thomas
For an artist who’s been knocking about on Nottingham’s bar circuit for a few years now, Ryan Thomas looks startlingly professional stood on stage, accompanied by a backing band and dressed in a dapper jacket. It’s not just Thomas’ appearance which seems more professional, coinciding with the release of his first EP, his performance has taken a sidestep from modest bar-singer to a confident showman. Quite rightly so; ‘At Least Not Yet‘ takes all the appealing aspects of contemporary folk and adds his unique, Blues spin. It’s Thomas’ love of the Blues which sets him apart from the saturated singer-songwriter market. Many singers feel confident in taking up the baton of 60’s folk, few carry the Tom Waits like edge to reach back into the archaic days of the Blues.
White Finger
A band defined as much by lead-singer Joey’s stage antics as their music, White Finger’s live show was not to be missed. Using a conveniently placed hook above the stage he attempted to hang himself using the microphone. Then, taking note of the hook’s full potential, the microphone was tied to it, enabling it to be swung and creating sounds independent of the vocals. A rowdy bunch of punks whose relentless energy, aggression and innovation demands a listen.
Shaun Gordon Photography
D.I.D
Cecille Grey
A pixie like girl stood, tiptoed over a microphone looking a little perplexed by the large turnout at Jam Cafe. Front woman of Cecille Grey may have looked timid but her voice would suggest otherwise. The opening track saw silky, delicate vocals. The band worked diligently to compliment her voice, quietening when whispered lyrics were sung down the microphone then swelling in to beautiful melodies in between. The drums were simply brushed and the guitar kept to soothing plucking. The floaty, ethereal sound of Stories became an instant favourite which they later played as their encore, a request of the packed Jam Cafe crowd.
Shaun Gordon Photography
Cheshire and the Cat
Cheshire and the Cat are made up of Nottingham University students who were warmly welcomed to the festival as though they were local talent, born and bred in the city. The six musicians, cramped on a tiny stage, never really began their set, their warm ups just progressively became more melodic and lyrics seem to fit with them. That’s how it appeared for the audience, as though they were flies on the wall of a jam session back in their student accommodation. This laid back persona, tinkling with instruments during songs and experimenting with new material they had “never tried out before” gave the gig a special, more intimate feel. ‘Do You No Good‘, one of their latest tracks is packed with smooth saxophone solos, infectious bass and confident vocals.
All photos Shaun Gordon Photography
Ian Fillingham and Daisy Foster
