She’s In Parties arrive at this year’s Big Feastival with momentum that most young bands can only dream of. Fresh from supporting White Lies, tearing through a slew of UK festivals, and earning a long‑list nod for Best Live Performer at the AIM Awards, the Essex/London outfit step onto the Feastival main stage with confidence, chaos, and a whole lot of charm.
During our chat, the band were in classic form: playful, self‑deprecating, occasionally feral, but always honest. What follows is a snapshot of a group still evolving, still experimenting, and still very much enjoying the ride.
The band officially took shape around 2019–2020, with members joining from across Essex and London. As they put it:
“We say something like 2019/2020 as the formation of the band—some of us joined later, but that’s when the band was born.”
Their sonic identity—an atmospheric blend of dream‑pop, shoegaze, and indie, has been shifting ever since. They jokingly describe their evolution as “musical puberty,” a phase they’re still very much in.
“We’ve gone from writing everything from guitars to exploring synths and working with other producers.”
Influences range from The Cure and Tears for Fears to Wolf Alice, Lime Garden, and newer acts like Maruja. They’re voracious listeners, constantly absorbing new textures and approaches.
One of the most exciting developments has been collaborating with outside writers and producers, opening up new creative pathways:
“We usually start writing songs with drums or a melody… it broadens the spectrum of ways we can write, and it always changes into something we don’t quite expect.”
This experimentation is feeding directly into their upcoming debut album. Yes, it’s written—and yes, it’s coming.
Fans will be thrilled to hear the band’s first full‑length record is already in the bag:
“It’s written… it’s just finding time in the studio and funds to support the cost.”
They’re aiming for early next year, with a tongue‑in‑cheek working title floated during the interview:
“Let’s go with Dead Weight… sounds a bit emo.”
Expect a fuller, more electronic, more expansive version of the band you’ve seen so far.
The Big Feastival is as much about food as music, so naturally we asked about their festival favourites. The answers were… eclectic.
Herbie warned everyone to avoid Yorkshire pudding wraps after witnessing a food‑poisoning fiasco at a previous festival. Charlie and Matt opted for the safety of pie & mash—“you can’t really go wrong with that.”
Staying on the food theme, I asked what they’d serve if we visited She’s In Parties HQ for dinner.
Herbie’s starter: A childhood classic—frankfurters and ketchup between sliced bread.
Charlie’s main: A tour‑tested risotto “coloured yellow like iodine… you’re definitely not going to get any infections eating that!”
Matt’s dessert: Giant Danish pastries filled with cream and jam, courtesy of White Lies’ green room in Copenhagen.
Unhinged? Absolutely. Filling? Definitely.
Their picks for next year’s hypothetical Big Feastival headliners:
Herbie (Friday): Static Dress or Thornhill
Charlie (Saturday): Empire of the Sun
Matt (Sunday): Fontaines D.C.
“Fontaines are great… they’ve got a new album coming soon—the perfect way to close the festival!”
On whether AI has a place in music creation, Herbie didn’t hold back:
“AI is the tool for dumb people to make them feel smart or creative when they’re not… it’ll be terrible, but you think it’s cool because it’s better than what you could have created.”
A bold take, delivered with the kind of candour that makes interviewing this band so fun.
The band spoke proudly of the growing indie scene in Essex:
“There’s a lot of young bands coming out… plenty of indie poo, and no, I’m not going to name names!”
They joked about waiting to see their name appear on the viral Indie Poo League ‘The Poomier League’ - a satirical social‑media ranking system cataloguing rising UK indie guitar bands.
No interview is complete without the most important question of all: What is your favourite cheese?
Herbie: Comté, eaten straight—no crackers, no bread.
Charlie: Babybel or melted mountain cheese scraped fresh, served with crackers or baguette.
Matt: Strong mature cheddar with crackers and grapes.
Matt wins. Obviously.
Before Big Feastival, the band support Becky Hill in Colchester—an almost hometown moment before their main stage appearance over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
She’s In Parties are a band on the rise: funny, self‑aware, musically adventurous, and ready for their next chapter. Their Big Feastival set is shaping up to be one of the weekend’s essential stops.
Catch them: 13:15pm, Main Stage, Saturday 29th August.
Interview by Steve Muscutt