With the 2019 event being cancelled owing to strong winds and 2020 not taking place because of that pesky COVID-19 pandemic thingy, to say that we are looking forward to the 2021 event is something of an understatement. We (as would many others) would quite happily sell our souls now to be stood in a field overlooking one of Cornwall’s finest beaches whilst the sound of bands, fairground rides and people fill the air, yes folks, Boardmasters Festival takes place from 11th to 15th August in Newquay, Cornwall and we are EXCITED!
To be clear, the festival starts on Wednesday 11th August, you can watch the surfing and skateboarding competitions, which will be taking place at Fistral Beach in Newquay. From Friday 13th August, the music festival kicks off at Watergate Bay and includes some of THE finest musical acts from across the globe.
The musical line-up that has been announced for the weekend is IMMENSE and I believe there are still some acts yet to be announced. Rather than tell you all about the headline acts (which you will probably know about already), we here at musomuso.com wanted to let you know about some of the acts lower down the bill that are definitely worth checking out.
Friday 13th August
The Andy Quick Band – If you like to ‘get on down’ at a festival, then Andy Quick and his band will happily produce the sonic goods for you to shake your tail feathers to. Their sound is a mixture of blues, rock and funk, which will get you in the mood for dancing all night long. Andy is also the frontman of a local Devon band called Land of the Giants which are sadly not performing at Boardmasters this year, if they WERE playing, you’d have been in real trouble!
Pattern Pusher – If you’re at Boardmasters to PARTY (with a capital P) you will do no better than making sure that you’re watching this super talented electro indie pop trio from Exeter. Their live shows have gone down in history as being f*cking amazing and I for one am a BIG FAN. You will leave this show with a massive grin on your face and a feel good feeling in your heart, just what we need these days!
Bailey Tomkinson – Cornish pop/country songwriter Bailey Tomkinson’s mastery of pop-country hooks and relatable emotional storytelling has earned her comparisons with early Taylor Swift & Emmylou Harris. She is a Boardmasters regular and after her set, head to Porthmeor Beach in Cornwall where you’ll find her catching waves and taking in the warm rays (assuming it’s not pouring with rain of course!)
Beans on Toast – Drunken barefooted folk singer Jay McAllister aka Beans on Toast is a straight up, no nonsense kinda guy who performs with his acoustic guitar and a pocketful of lyrics which will have you beaming from ear to ear and singing along to his catchy tunes. The subject matter of his songs is amusing, topical, political and he really engages with the audience to make this a show not to be missed.
Lucy Spraggan – Lucy is a folk/indie pop acoustic performer who took part in the X Factor way back in 2012 and sadly had to drop out due to illness, this meant that she came 9th place overall but was offered a recording contract owing to her song-writing prowess which wowed the judges earlier on in the contest. Fast forward to 2021 and Lucy has 6 studio albums under her belt and is a popular name on major festivals all over the UK and Europe every year. Her onstage presence and energy is amazing and if you’re looking for a great gig to attend over the weekend, make sure that you head for wherever Lucy Spraggan is performing!
Jade Bird – Jade is an Americana, Pop, Folk, Rock and Country musician who has a very unique voice which has people coming back for more time and time again. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Jade play a couple of times, on both occasions, she gave 110% and played her heart out to the entire room. Her debut self titled album reached #1 on the UK Americana chart in 2019 and her sophomore album ‘Different Kinds of Light’ is due to land in August. Jade is definitely an act that you cannot afford to miss at Boardmasters.
Gabrielle Aplin – Gabrielle is a Folk, indie folk, indie rock, synthpop & pop musician who plays guitar and piano. After amassing a following for her acoustic music covers on YouTube, Aplin signed a recording deal with Parlophone in February 2012. She rose to prominence the following November when she was selected to record the soundtrack for a John Lewis television commercial with a cover of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "The Power of Love", which went on to top the UK Singles Chart. Her live shows are spellbinding and should not be missed.
Saturday 14th August
The Snuts – Hailing from West Lothian in Scotland, this upbeat indie rock quartet only formed in 2015 and have gone from strength to strength very quickly indeed. They have released a slew of singles and recently dropped their debut long player ‘W.L.’ which I hope they will be showcasing material from when they perform at Boardmasters. If you want a taste of what to expect, head to YouTube and seek out their performance from TRANSMT Festival 2019.
Chubby and the Gang – I have heard so much about this West London based punk/pub/rock quintet from the likes of Steve Lamacq on Radio 6 Music I cannot wait to check them out live. They released an album (Speed Kills) in 2020 and are about drop another (The Mutt’s Nuts) in August this year. Rolling Stone magazine described the band’s debut album as "all buzzsaw riffs and drums that barrel forward like an 18-wheeler twisting around a cliff-edge switchback at top speed. But the tension between mayhem and heart, fury and fun, is always there", now who doesn’t want a piece of that in their lives? I’ll see you in the pit on the Land of the Saints stage!
Eliza Shaddad – I first came across Eliza Shaddad when she played at a local showcase event in Devon and ever since I have been keeping a close eye on her music. Self described as a Sudanese-Scottish ethereal grunger, Eliza is set to release new material in July in the form of a new album called ‘The Woman You Want’ which I am sure will be an incredible addition to her strong body of work.
The Rezner – Cornish rock n’ roll quartet The Rezner put on an electrifying set, which you need to see to believe. I’ve watched these guys tear up many a festival stage in my time and I am sure that they’ll be eager to get back out there and please the crowd when they take to the stage at Boardmasters this year, two words, BE THERE!
Yazzy – Half lion, half human, Yazzy is an absolute powerhouse when it comes to a vocalist, her songs are deep, emotional, powerful and bloody amazing. She has amassed over 137k followers on TikTok and is fast becoming the next ‘Adele’. Make a beeline for wherever Yazzy is performing, get the drinks in, snuggle down and let her soulful, jazzy tones take you to another world.
Sunday 15th August
Polly Money – Jessie J once sang that “It’s not about the money…money….money” but in this case it is ALL about the money, Polly Money. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Polly Money on two occasions, supporting The Boomtown Rats and also Basement Jaxx, she plays a great blend of acoustic songs which will keep you entertained throughout her set. Hailing from Cornwall, with a voice that reminds people of Janet Jackson and Minnie Riperton, you’d be a fool to miss her performance, see you there
The Barefoot Bandit – If you’re after a band to really get the party started, then you need look no further than The Barefoot Bandit. Their sets are chock full of dub and roots numbers that will make you dance, whether you’re a dancer or not, you’ll be happily bobbing along to their rhythms in next to no time! Tell all your friends to come along too, you won’t regret it!
Katy J Pearson – What a voice, that’s all I’m going to say about this super talented acoustic singer songwriter. She released her debut album ‘Return’ late in 2020 and I guess she’s super excited about getting out there and performing live in front of a lovely audience. She is signed to Heavenly Recordings which is also the home to bands such as Saint Etienne and Beth Orton. Catch her in the Land of the Saints tent.
The Mysterines – The last time I saw this band was supporting MUSE at The Great Hall in Exeter a few years back when they decided to grace some smaller venues with their presence. The Mysterines were awesome then and that was a good 6-7 years back so I can only imagine that they are of truly stratospheric standards by now. They recently co-wrote a track for Paul Weller’s latest album and are heading out on tour later this year, make sure you catch them at Boardmasters on the Land of the Saints stage to see what all the hype is about.
Goat Girl – This South London based post punk band were described by UK music magazine DIY as being "imbued with an innate ability to voice the socio-political concerns of their peers with wit and style". They released their second studio album in January 21 which received a very warm welcome from the music industry. They head out on tour in September, make sure that you get the chance to see them perform at Boardmasters beforehand.
The Big Moon – This all female London based indie rock band are immense and have really made a name fo themselves in the 4 years since their debut album landed in 2017 but it was their second LP ‘Walking Like We Do’ which really pushed my buttons and got me interested in the band. They’re no strangers to performing to large crowds after supporting Pixies on their 2019 tour. I guarantee that you will really enjoy this band, get involved if you’re able to!
Gentleman’s Dub Club – Originating from Leeds, this reggae dub band have graced stages all over the world including Glastonbury, Bestival, V Festival & Secret Garden Party. They know how to handle a festival crowd as have previously shared stages with Roots Manuva, The Streets, The Wailers, Busy Signal, U-Roy, and Finlay Quaye. Playing material form their 7 studio albums will ensure that the set list will be ‘all killer, no filler’ and will keep you dancing throughout.
So there you have it folks, some of the bands that you’ll find a little further down the bill at this year’s Boardmasters Festival that are definitely worthy of checking out.
We’ll be there to photograph as many acts as possible and to snap the odd shot of YOU lovely people soaking up the atmosphere and hopefully, some of the warm Cornish summer sun!
To make life even easier for you, here are some images which show the bands and acts appearing at The Keg & Pasty, Land of the Saints, The View stage and the VIP area.
