PREVIEW: We take a deep dive into TRUCK FEST and pick out a few acts that you must see....
Truck Festival is an annual independent music festival in Oxfordshire, England.
Truck Festival started in 1998, founded by the Bennett family (including the brothers Robin and Joe of the band Goldrush). The Bennett family decided that mainstream festivals such as Glastonbury had become too commercial and predictable. Trunk Festival is held in July at Hill Farm in Steventon, which lies between Abingdon, Didcot and Wantage. The festival also gave birth to the Truck Records label in 1999.
The main stage was originally constructed from three large flatbed trucks, giving rise to a common misperception is that this is where the name of the festival comes from. However, in 2007 Robin Bennett wrote on the official Truck website: "Contrary to popular belief, the name Truck actually came from a compilation CD I picked up, 'Ten Trucking Greats', the soundtrack of the movie Convoy."
The big question is, who do I see whilst there? Granted, there are loads of acts for you to enjoy with some major names including The Streets, Yard Act, The Kooks and Declan McKenna, here’s a few that we think you’ll be a fool to miss…
Wet Leg
Forming out of hazy scenes on their native Isle of Wight – a sparsely populated island off the south coast of England accessible only by boat – Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers found themselves at the summit of a Ferris wheel.
They decided to start a band. The band is called Wet Leg. Wet Leg play sad music for party people, and party music for sad people.
Rhian and Hester each wear a small gold necklace, made by Hester: one that says Wet, and one that says Leg. Before last summer, those necklaces would have been cryptic to almost everyone else. However, a lot has changed since then. Wet Leg only released their debut single, ‘Chaise Longue’, in June 2021, but its dry wit, Mean Girls nod and thumping indie-disco beat turned it into a runaway hit.
www.youtube.com/channel/UCIuyI9I_DlDwxykE7Kt7h2g
Holly Humberstone
Always inspired by her environment and how that affects her sense of self and identity, from her parent’s Haunted House to flatshares in London with The Walls Are Way To Thin, award winning British singer songwriter Holly Humberstone’s highly anticipated debut album Paint My Bedroom Black represents her coming of age.
Growing from unknown singer at her parent’s piano to the most exciting alternative pop stars of her generation, the dark and otherworldly space Holly has built and invited fans into, both sonically and visually, have been lucid and visceral, with the camera always on her shoulder, a lens into her chaotic thoughts and deep feelings.
Already nominated for two Ivor Novello’s, winning the BRIT Rising Star in 2022 and coming runner up in BBC Sound Of 2021, Humberstone’s bear-all storytelling is the heart of her craft, with new songs “Antichrist” and “Room Service”, the double A-Side single that reflect her introspection and extraversion, two opposing artistic multitudes that inform Holly’s lyricism and sound.
https://www.hollyhumberstone.com
https://www.instagram.com/hollyhumberstone/?hl=en
https://www.youtube.com/c/HollyHumberstone
The Mysterines
The Mysterines are a captivating British rock band hailing from Liverpool, known for their raw and energetic sound that blends elements of garage rock, punk, and blues. The band formed in 2015 and quickly garnered attention for their dynamic performances and the distinctive vocals of lead singer and guitarist Lia Metcalfe.
Led by Metcalfe’s powerful and soulful voice, The Mysterines have been praised for their ability to craft edgy, guitar-driven anthems. Their music often explores themes of empowerment, rebellion, and self-discovery, resonating with a diverse audience. The band’s lineup also includes George Favager on bass and backing vocals, and Paul Crilly on drums.
Since their formation, The Mysterines have built a reputation for their electrifying live shows, gaining momentum in the music scene. They have played at notable venues and festivals, showcasing their talent and earning a devoted fanbase. The band’s commitment to authenticity and their fierce stage presence have solidified their position as a rising force in the contemporary rock landscape.
https://www.instagram.com/themysterines
https://www.youtube.com/@TheMysterines
Black Honey
For two albums, Brighton quartet Black Honey – firebrand frontwoman Izzy Bee Phillips, guitarist Chris Ostler, bassist Tommy Taylor and drummer Alex Woodward – have been living in a glitter-specked, sepia-tinged magic kingdom of their own making. It’s undeniably served them well. Rising from cult underground favourites on their self-titled 2018 debut through to a genuine breakthrough success story on 2021’s Top 10-charting follow up ‘Written & Directed’, the band have amassed a legion of fans to their constantly shifting canon of fizzing, visceral indie and nostalgia-soaked pop – a following that, in the past year alone, has seen them handpicked to support Liam Gallagher, The Libertines, IDLES, The Vaccines and more, on top of their own sold out headline tour.
Izzy, meanwhile, has become something of a Pied Piper for life’s outliers, for the people that resonate hard with her own memories of struggling through youth and desperately attempting to find connection and understanding in an often impossible world. You can see the results in the front row of any Black Honey show; dedicated fans presenting in all forms that embrace the band’s message of acceptance. But it’s not until now that the singer has fully, 100% bared her soul herself.”