Here it is. Probably the busiest time for Sheffield music, and easily the most important. And what a fantastic time it was. Great venues, great crowds, and most importantly, great music. Here’s our writeup of our Tramlines weekend!
Friday
We kicked off proceedings with local band All Girls Arson Club, a fantastic Guided-By-Voices-meets-Riot-Girl twosome. Featuring witty lyrics and some incredible musicianship, All Girls Arson Club were definitely one of the standouts. Considering it was only two people playing an early set on the smallest stage, the band made it feel almost like a sold out show, especially due to their great crowd interaction. The performance felt really solid and put-together, and the band were able to bring a really energetic feel despite the realties of most open-air performances.
Afterwards we saw Coach Party at T’Other Stage. The indie four-piece, hailing from the Isle of Wight, delivered a really great set, including a brilliant performance of our favourite song, ‘Everybody Hates Me’.
Following Coach Party, we walked over to see our first act on the Sarah Nulty Main Stage, indie darling Declan McKenna. Despite some issues with the sound, McKenna delivered his usual masterclass, and the crowd were especially fantastic. Specific standout songs were ‘British Bombs’, which the crowd went particularly mad for, and perennial favourite ‘Brazil’.
Finally it was time to see the act we were probably the most excited to see out of anyone at the festival. Manchester Indie Legends James. Veterans of the UK indie scene since the 80s, having been one of the early bands involved in the Madchester scene, James are just one of those bands you have to see. As they took the stage, the crowd itself seemed to coalesce into a feeling of pure joy; everyone was dancing along, excited and just simply happy. James’ set, featuring favourites such as Sit Down and Laid, was extraordinary, an hour of pure brilliance.
Saturday
Starting off our Saturday at Tramlines we saw London-based indie pop band Kawala at T’Other Stage. Really bringing the energy, Kawala were all you want out of your first act- engaging and fun.
Following on from Kawala we saw Britain’s newest music sensation, Eurovision’s Sam Ryder! Straight off the back of his fantastic performance at the Eurovision Song Contest, Sam Ryder treated festival goers to a fantastic set, featuring the song that got him second-place, ‘Space-Man’. The crowd were suitably thrilled to be seeing the man who has already cemented himself into British music history, and that made for a really lovely and enjoyable set. Ryder himself was a fantastic performer, and we were left surprised by just how good he actually is live.
Finishing off the day were headliners Kasabian. The Leicester-based band are veterans of the indie scene, and their experienced showed when delivering what was one of the best live sets we’ve seen. The set-list, a collection of classics from multiple albums, couldn’t have been better if we had curated it ourselves, especially the first three songs, going from Club Foot to Ill Ray (The King) to Underdog. Serge Pizzorno has clearly proven himself as a worthy frontman, and the band seemed more solid than ever. Everything just worked for the performance, and it was easily the best thing we’d seen all day.
Sunday
Our final day at Tramlines began with Anya Lace’s fantastic performance on the BBC Introducing Stage. A wonderful set, Anya Lace brought her usual powerful voice and beautiful lyrics. Including a cover of Britney Spear’s ‘Toxic’ and wonderful renditions of her own songs, including ‘Coward’ and ‘Cold Hands’, Anya’s set, despite being at a crowded festival, felt raw and intimate, and was definitely a highlight from the weekend.
We were then lucky enough to have the chance to speak to Sheffield music legend Jon McClure, lead-singer of indie band (and Tramlines alumni) Reverend & the Makers. Speaking to him in Hillsborough Stadium, we asked Jon what he thought about the closing of The Leadmill, and what it meant for Sheffield’s music scene, as well as how he felt about Tramlines:
Hi Jon, thanks for speaking to us today! Obviously there is a risk that The Leadmill could close down, which will obviously have a negative effect on the music scene, but with venues like Sidney&Matilda on the rise, what do you think the future of Sheffield’s music scene will be?
I think Sheffield will be alright because it’s a music and cultural place but obviously losing the Leadmill will be bad for the city like, you know, if we bulldoze it down we’ll become fucking Reading you know, with ring roads like who wants that?! But we have to protect these places like in Manchester the Hacienda is now flats and like they go on about their legacy but they’ve literally flattened it. And obviously it is a very complex situation and I don’t think the person who own’s the Leadmill is entirely innocent but the people who bought the lease, I don’t know what they’re thinking because you can’t just come in and ride rough shot over people’s feelings and emotions. Music venues occupy emotive spaces, like football clubs, and you can’t just come in and run them like a supermarket because they’re not, because people will get upset, will get viscerally angry. I think you’ve gotta respect that. I think hopefully some wise heads will prevail and it will work out because, what’s the alternative really, a load of angry Sheffield people? No one wants that!
Obviously with this being such a local festival, and you and the band being very ‘Sheffield’, do you notice a difference when you play here, with the crowd?
Oh yeah there a pressure in that because obviously you’re nervous aren’t you, everyone you’ve ever met is there. Tramlines is a funny one because I’ll get messages like ‘Ay up is Jeanette, Collette’s mum, couldn’t sort us a few tickets for Tramlines could you?’ and I’m like A) I don’t know who Collette is, B) Who’s Jeanette, C) Tramlines has started this morning like what am I gonna do now? It’s funny really, but equally you don’t wanna be Billy Big Bollocks do you? But yeah, once you get on stage, you know, its the one- its amazing. For whatever reason, our gigs and our sets have just because a real big party for Sheffield really so like, yeah, I feel very- like you never think you’re going to be in a band at Forty, you know what I mean, think you’re gonna be back to grind. Dunno, it’s great really!
We then made our way over to The Leadmill stage to see Do Nothing and Yard Act, back-to-back. Nottingham four-piece Do Nothing are one of UK indie’s big up-and-comers, and their set definitely delivered. Sounding almost like a post-punk The National, with glimpses of Alex Turner and Interpol, they gave a brilliant performance. Featuring some of their current classics like New Life and Handshakes, as well as a couple of new songs from their soon-to-be-recorded debut album, Do Nothing really cemented themselves as one of the best new acts.
Following on from Do Nothing were Leeds-based Yard Act, who have burst onto the British music scene recently with their debut album The Overload. As they entered (or, in Lead Singer James Smith’s case, stumbled on, after, he later admitted, a few too many pints of Thornbridge Green Mountain in the Wednesday Tap) the stage, we looked round and realised that The Leadmill tent was packed to the brim, easily the busiest it had been all weekend. Some bands may feel the pressure of such a large festival audience, but Yard Act certainly did not. With their trademark sardonicism, the band captivated the whole tent, delivering a fantastic set.
Finishing off the day, and the festival, were Madness. It’s difficult to put into to words just how excited we, as well as everyone else at the festival, were for Madness. It’s Madness! Even so, there was a slight doubt in our minds- could they live up to the expectations?
They sure did.
Closing out the festival in the best way possible, Madness delivered a magnificent set. Playing classics like ‘Baggy Trousers’, ‘Wings of a Dove’, and ‘House of Fun’, it was just simply brilliant. Everyone was dancing along, and it was at this moment that the sun, which had been largely absent across the whole weekend, decided to break through the grey crowds, perfectly setting the scene for the end of what was a fantastic weekend.