Northampton's number one showcase for budding new bands returns
Hey good looking,
A few weekends back a dedicated group of local organisations teamed up to put on a whopping 21 acts in one evening as part of their annual celebration of up-and-coming young talent The FactorY Fest. I headed down and discovered some absolutely brilliant new bands to keep an eye (and ear) out for, but just in case you missed it here are my recommendations from the night.
Ground Floor
Blasting out some excellent ska-punk tunes that I couldn't resist partying along to, if Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars have left you with a hunger for groovy, high-octane bass riffs and a brass section pumped full of energy then this is the band for you. Sparkling and full-bodied are words you probably only expect to see on a wine menu, but the description fits Ground Floor as snugly as a sweater.
Curtain Mafia
Musically these lads are by no means the greatest band out there (yet) but what makes them a cut above the rest is the enormous amount of enjoyment that they inject into their set. Curtain Mafia are a seriously entertaining band, and that ladies and gents is the most important ingredient of all. Honestly I'd rather watch a six year old play the recorder with pizzazz than a world class pianist who has the personality of Andy Murray.
Solar Roads
I can definitely imagine myself discovering this band at some indie festival and then sticking their album on repeat all summer in the car that I don't have. With a smorgasbord of crisp, dreamy, melodic tunes and an edginess that you only find in up-and-coming bands, the bushy haired four piece give off such blissful vibes. It's impossible not to feel relaxed.
The Naked Spoons
Best named band of the festival by far. And one of the most entertaining too. Not only do they cook up an intense mix of rock, punk & funk but The Naked Spoons are experts at whipping audiences into a frenzy. Their set was bedlam! Whilst his bandmates pounded out one hell of a ruckus frontman Jacob had the crowd wound right around his finger. As you'll see below, these guys certainly know how to party.
Lake Acacia
Yes their soundcloud demos are pretty shoddy but don't let that put you off. Live this band a force to be reckoned with. Richie, Adam & Joe make up the formidable alt-rock trio who blew the roof off with their thunderous rhythm section and shit hot guitar riffs. Already they've been booked to support Lonely The Brave in Bicester next month, and the rock fan inside me can't wait to hear what comes next.
I always aim to come away from a gig with something physical. Whatever they are - stickers, CDs, t-shirts - those tangible mementos are a million times better than videos on your phone. Fact. Y-FI's bassist dropped me a copy of their woozy new track 'Again', which features a gorgeously chilled intro and a drawled chant of "again, again, again & again" (imagine the Tellytubbies' post-punk older brother). It's a shame more of the acts weren't flogging merch really.
But the excitement doesn't stop there FactorY fans. You see this wasn't only a festival, it was a battle of the bands as well, and on Saturday 21st March seven of the acts including Ground Floor and Lake Acacia will return to the Roadmender to compete for the title of champion. I'll see you there.
Links
Bands:
Ground Floor
Curtain Mafia
Solar Roads
The Naked Spoons
Lake Acacia
Y-FI
The Y Factor:
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