Alana Springsteen: Turning Vulnerability Into Strength
When I caught Alana Springsteen live at the Long Road Festival last summer, the performance felt like something special. The sun was blazing, the crowd was buzzing, and Springsteen’s effortless connection with the audience turned the set into one of the highlights of...
Like A Pomeranian With A Switchblade — Starbenders Unleash The Beast
Atlanta glam-rock firestarters Starbenders have never been a band to sit still — stylistically, geographically or emotionally. Over the past year they’ve drip-fed singles from their fourth album The Beast Goes On, each accompanied by increasingly surreal visuals,...
&U&I: Back From The Break, In The Room, And In Their Element
There’s a particular kind of electricity that happens when a band reunites after years apart. Sometimes it’s cautious, sometimes nostalgic, but sometimes, like tonight at Muthers Studios in Digbeth, it hits like a jolt of familiar voltage: instant, loud, chaotic, and...
Cody Pennington: From Nashville Roots To UK Arena Dreams
Country music may have its home in Nashville, but Cody Pennington has found an unlikely second heartland across the Atlantic. The Tennessee-born artist is half way through one of his biggest UK country tours selling close to 25,000 tickets, a leap from the 5,000 he...
“It Has Been a Whirlwind” — But Hannah McFarland Is Just Getting Started
Alabama country singer Hannah McFarland has barely had a chance to catch her breath. Since releasing her Broken Hearts EP in February, her career has skyrocketed with opportunities she once only dreamed of.
Maya Lane On The Hurt And The Healing: From Vulnerability to Growth
On a rain-soaked evening in London, rising singer-songwriter Maya Lane celebrated the release of her brand-new EP The Hurt And The Healing with an intimate show at The Grace. Just weeks earlier, we had met under sunnier skies at The Long Road Festival, beers and whiskies in hand, denim and sunshine everywhere. Now, umbrellas and storm clouds in tow, it felt fitting that Lane’s new project, a record that navigates through storms towards moments of calm, should arrive on a night like this.
Robbie Cavanagh: Confidence, Craft, And Capturing Audiences
It was a wet evening in London when I met singer-songwriter Robbie Cavanagh at The Grace. Fresh from playing The Long Road Festival, Robbie reflected on his style, stage presence, and the evolution of his music.
Sykamore Shines At The Long Road Festival
The late summer sun bathed Stanford Hall in gold as festival-goers wandered the grounds, the hum of distant stages blending with laughter and chatter. It was here, amid the vibrant energy of the festival, that I caught up with Sykamore, whose warmth and approachability are as inviting as the storytelling in her music.
Maya Lane: Storytelling On Every Stage
The Long Road Festival prides itself on being a home for all shades of Americana, from boot-stomping honky-tonk to delicate folk storytelling. On Friday, I caught one of those quieter, more intimate moments when Maya Lane stepped onto the Front Porch stage. Her...
Erin Kinsey: Finding Her Road At The Long Road Festival
As The Long Road Festival wound towards its close, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Erin Kinsey. Fresh from her set, still buzzing with energy, she was taking in the atmosphere at one of the UK’s biggest celebrations of Americana and country. “It’s great,” she...
Darkness With Depth: The Nocturnal Affair’s Brendan Shane On Ghosts, Growth & Gothic Grit
“I met strangers who offered me candy… and I got into their van.” Brendan Shane isn’t your average frontman. We’re tucked into a back room at The Asylum in Birmingham, in a dimly lit green room. Outside, a queue of black-clad fans is already forming in the...
“Always Dreaming Of Something, And Not On This Planet” — Lizzie Esau Has Sky-High Ambitions
It’s a grey day in Newcastle, but Lizzie Esau is all colour. Not just in her sound — an intoxicating blend of indie rock with pop and grunge edges — but in her outlook, visuals, and dreams. The 25-year-old singer-songwriter has spent the past few years steadily...
The Zipheads Kickstart A Rock ‘N’ Roll Renaissance In London
There’s two types of people in this world: those who’ve experienced The Zipheads live, and those who are missing out. If you’re into high energy rock n roll, then their sets are already inching their way into your highlights of the year, especially if you caught them...
The K’s – ‘Our Sights Are Set At The Top. We’re Definitely Aiming For The Big Boy Leagues.’
The K’s are one of the most exciting breakout British bands of 2024. Hailing from a small working class town between Liverpool and Manchester, the foursome of singer/songwriter and guitarist Jamie Boyle, lead guitarist Ryan Breslin, bassist Dexter Baker and drummer...
Amplify Andrea! In conversation With Amplify Her’s Andrea Dee
Despite the fact it’s 2025, female artists are notoriously under-represented in most mainstream music scenes. It’s glaringly obvious when you look at most festival lineups, and while obvious iconic acts immediately spring to mind as counterpoints, the sad truth is...
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