THE BIG FEASTIVAL takes place at Alex James’ farm in the heart of the Cotswolds over the Bank Holiday Weekend (27th - 29th AUGUST 2021) and features some incredible bands such as SIGALA, NILE RODGERS & CHIC, RAG ‘N BONE MAN, TOM WALKER, TOM GRENNAN and ELLA EYRE to name just a few.

I thought it would be good to step away from the delights of the main stage and check out a few bands and artists appearing on the BBC INTRODUCING that you should definitely try and catch.

RUTH KELLY / FRIDAY 27th August

Singer of dreams, Ruth Kelly is based in the West Midlands and has been singing seriously since ' discovering' her voice at the age of nine. Thankfully she hasn't stopped singing since….

PANDAPOPALYPSE / FRIDAY 27th August

Pandapopalypse are a jazz-infused indie-dance, electro-pop trio, consisting of Clare Heaviside (saxophone), Rachel Ruscombe-King (vocals and keyboards) and Stu Wigby (guitar and vocals). They formed to keep busy during down-time in other projects (Clare and Stu were in The Balkan Wanderers, Rachel in Ragdoll), and to try out something distinct from past musical efforts. Pandapopalypse sample their own creations in the way that 90s big beat producers would have sampled old records.

ZKELETONZ / SATURDAY 28th August

Zkeletonz from London and Coventry in the UK have been described by Louder Than War as "danceable, poppy, with a very seductive groove." - Their ‘Apocalypse Wow’ EP is self-written and produced. Track 4 Porsche to Berlin was a disco-fuelled tribute to techno clubbing. Track 3 25 Hours was a high-energy, feel-good ride through shimmering 80s pop. Track 2 Brazilian Crystal tackled modern materialism and its fierce anxiety. And opener Fade to Grey embraced a sadder, more directly apocalyptic tone.

Zkeletonz have connected to millions thanks to a live performance for Scott Mills on BBC 5Live, support from BBC 6music, BBC Introducing, Channel 4 Sunday Brunch, and Radio X, plus interviews in the Birmingham Mail, Mancunion and Irish Post newspapers. Their unique synth-fuelled sound is “very funky, like Jamiroquai” (BBC Coventry & Warwickshire breakfast show), one that "fans of MGMT, LCD Soundsystem & Scissor Sisters will love" (Q Magazine).

LAURA CHRISTOPHER / SATURDAY 28th August

Laura Christopher is a 23 year old singer songwriter from Worcester who takes inspiration from the likes of Zara Larsson, Miley Cyrus and Dua Lipa. Her music incorporates elements of varied styles and genres including Pop, Contemporary Soul and RnB.

PREMIUM LEISURE / SUNDAY 29th August

Premium Leisure is the solo project of songwriter/producer and guitarist Chris Barker. Combining the assured lounge-indie of White Denim and the unrelenting groove of 1970s psych-pop. The band enlists a revolving door of musicians from Oxford and London and have released a number of singles through new label Plum Cuts, leading up to their forthcoming EP.’

THE RISING / SUNDAY 29th August

The Rising can best be described as blending the fresh-faced sounds of today’s Pop/Rock with Modern Country Stylings/Americana stylings fresh from Nashville. It is the band’s love of storytelling lyrics and songs with meaning that inspires their love and affinity with Country Music.

The band have just released their second album “Moving On” via Renegade Maverick Records/Absolute on Vinyl/CD/Digital worldwide. The album received great critical acclaim including positive reviews and features with the likes of Guitarist Magazine, Hot Press Magazine, Maverick, Country Music Magazine, No Depression, The Arts Desk, Yorkshire Times etc..

Since the beginning the band’s music has enjoyed heavy rotation on radio globally including USA, UK, Ireland and Europe. With National UK Radio support by the likes of BBC Radio 2, BBC London thanks to Graham Norton and Gaby Roslin. Recently, the band have gained massive support from BBC Introducing where they were named “Band Of The Month” in May 2019. This lead to several high profile gigs and showcases such as a live BBC broadcast and slots at the Godiva Festival.

US based Country Music Bible ‘The Boot’ and Pop Music Magazine CelebMIX have premiered several of the bands music videos including “Even The Stars Fall For You” which was adopted by LGBTQ rights organisations.

Since its formation… the band have toured constantly including the chance to perform at the Country 2 Country festival in London’s O2 two years in a row. Most recently the band undertook the “Moving On UK Tour” of UK and Ireland which saw the band perform in key cities such as London, Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol, Belfast and Dublin. The band have also toured with The Shires, Ward Thomas and Jess & The Bandits to name a few.

The band name however, comes from a Bruce Springsteen album that has and continues to inspire all members of the band

SO there you go, a handful of acts that will be appearing on the BBC Introducing stage over the weekend.

There are loads more bands and artists to see, take your time and check out as many as possible, who knows, you might just find your new favourite!

For more information, head to the BIG FEASTIVAL website