There are always more bands – the biggest question is who do you listen to when it comes to recommendations? Obviously Dork should be your first port of call, but there are others too. This month we ask Kev Douch, from indie record label, Big Scary Monsters.
It’s spring which means festival announcements are absolutely everywhere. The four of us in the BSM office have wildly different music taste (let alone a difference in ages), so it’s always an interesting time of year as we each seem to get excited about a whole variety of new bands appearing on lineups. Unfortunately for the others though, I’m writing this so here’s a few from my selfish list of favourites and if you want to know theirs, you’ll just have to find them and ask.
Our first festival this year was SXSW where we had the honour of hosting our own stage. Through that, we discovered the wonderful Sidney Gish and her upbeat pop ditties. Two other Texas favourites, who both released brilliant records last year, were Weakened Friends (who could soundtrack pretty much any film I watched in my early twenties) and world’s greatest dad (just stunning). We also quietly snuck a new signing – shhh, it’s still a secret – onto our bill. Having recently changed their name from Great Wight to Proper., they toured the UK with Nervus last year under their previous guise, and it’s one band everyone in the office became absolutely OBSESSED with. Lyrically they have moments which just reach out of the stereo and grab you by the throat, and I cannot wait for everyone to hear their forthcoming record.
A little closer to home I’m really excited to see Martha (yes, I’m biassed) appearing on so many summer bills, as they’re just the perfect festival band in my opinion. itoldyouiwouldeatyou at The Great Escape is going to be A Lovely Time, and I can’t wait to see Gouge Away at 2000trees. We saw (and desperately tried to sign) them after having our faces ripped clean off by their set at Fest back in 2016. That’s gonna be a serious wake-up for any unsuspecting, hungover, passers-by!
Taken from the May issue of Dork. Big Scary Monsters have just dropped their 250th release, compilation ‘Let’s Just Do It And Be Legends’.