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Planet Tim Baker

Liverpool Sound City 2019: 7 New Bands That Blew Us Away

The Pitchforks – 24 Kitchen Street

I walk into a dark venue, so dark that I barely notice the step near the entrance  

It’s on the edge of the Baltic Triangle and it’s the same time that local lads Red Rum Club have got people queuing around the corner.  

But even with less than 20 people in the room there’s a sense of excitement that The Pitchforks could go all the way.  

4 young lads from the Rhondda Valley who have been honing their craft over the past couple of years with sold out shows across Wales.

The energy of 60ft Dolls and Pretty Vicious with tunes and choruses that sound not out of place on Razorlight’s debut album.  

“Date Down”, “Waste Of A Day” and “Afflictions” will be sung out by crowds of lads from the terraces  

They look like a great band.  

And sound like a great band.  

The Pitchforks have the potential to be the next big band out of Wales.  

Creatures – District

In Creatures world Brexit, Grime and Game Of Thrones don’t exist

I’m not even sure Britpop has happened in their world to be honest

Owing more to the 1960-70s than 2019, Creatures describe themselves as Western Coast

It’s all 70s porn tashes, 60s grooves and wiry guitars and it’s a joy to watch  

Impossible not to groove along to. This rock and stroll, not rock & roll and you’re transported to that 1st time you ever saw colour TV. Pure innocent fun. And boy do we need that innocence as the world goes to hell.

Planet – District
Planet and the DMA’s have clearly grown up listening to the same records

Britpop has been injected into the watersupply in Australia and it’s boomeranging back to blightly with an Australian twang. This really is the sound of Australia right now

After supporting the DMA’s and James this Sound City appearance comes in the midst of a UK Tour of which most dates are sold out

Despite the obvious influences Planet’s songs are the best collection of songs in recent years. In a world where bands are used to knocking out a couple of singles for Spotify and then filling the album with pure filler, Planet hark back to a time where you would play an album from start to finish.

“Save.Sold” and “Northern Skyline” are two of the best songs of the last few years and it says a lot that words are being sung back to the band for the whole set. There is no divide between the stage and the audience. There’s a connection with the fans that is undeniable

We want to adopt Planet as our own. Australia can have Noel Gallagher now he sounds like Leo Sayer 😉

Short Paris – Hangar 34

If you missed Short Paris at Hangar 34 on the Sunday at Sound City you missed out on a showcase of performance art and ambiguity, with hypnotic Russian vocals and intense stage presence. The group combined experimental jangling guitar lines with Russian melodies and dark electronic pads to create an energetic and rumbling atmosphere.”

The Post Romantics – Hangar 34
Local boys The Post Romantics also played Hangar 34 on the Sunday and their hip hop inspired electro/guitar hybrid filled the cavernous space effortlessly. Frontman Connor Cockbain works the stage with an intensity that’s hard to ignore – like Dave Gahan reciting Kanye West he stalks the length and breadth as his guitarist and bassist siblings Cam and Liam along with drummer/childhood pal Sam create the deep sonic backdrop. Definitely one of the surprise highlights and most talked about acts of this year’s festival considering the wealth of international talent on display.. could it be finally coming home?

Spilt Milk Society – District
Split Milk Society are making names for themselves over in their home city of Birmingham with the likes of BBC Introducing and Fred Perry

Now based in Liverpool with over 4.5 million streams on Spotify it seems the hype is justified

They’s supported the likes of Fickle Friends, Superfood and Marsicans  

“Amsterdam” takes it’s nod from fellow Midlands band Peace with a trippy groove, “For The Last Time” has hints of jazz added to the mix and “Orange” canters off into disco  

It’s an eclectic mix which sounds cohesive and all of their own

Look out for these guys  


Spinn – Mainstage
It was exactly a year ago today we saw Spinn for the first time

Back in 2018 they were a little known band playing the Modern Sky showcase on the District Stage

Now it’s 2 days after they’ve released their debut album and they’re main support on the mainstage to Clean Cut Kid

It’s one of the biggest crowds on the Sound City main stage and they’ll be headlining the main stage in years to come

The sun is shining, but it’s bitterly cold and singer Jonny is avoiding his coat as he “already looks like a shit Ian McCulloch” (his words, not ours) and Andy can hardly feel his hands playing guitar  

“Spinn” as an album is perfect and with 11 songs coming in at 35 minutes we get to hear most of it live

The 1st thing that strikes you about Spinn live is Jonny’s signature dance moves. We’re not sure if he will “go and you stand on his own” or “go and dance on his own”, but it’s easy to see how good the songs are past the dancing.  

Classics to be “Sunshine”, “Foundations” and “Keep Dancing” join old fan faves such as “Is There Something That I Missed?” and “Notice Me”

Spinn – easily the standout band of this years Sound City  

  • Words: Alex McCann (except The Post Romantics / Short Paris – by Neil Simpson)