By some unwritten law of the fields, the front of the festival pit has earned a mythical status—where sweat, spilled drinks, and half-screamed lyrics forge what many call ‘the real experience’. This is the place for the wide-eyed thrill-seekers, the crowd-surfers, the circe-pit instigators, the ones who don’t mind losing their left shoe in exchange for a moment of communion with their favourite band. For them, this is how memories are made: breathless, battered, and triumphant.

A visit to the Southwest from the trance legend PAUL OAKENFOLD is a rare occurrence, particularly in Torbay - the first and last time he played here (In Arena’s previous incarnation as Claire’s nightclub) was in 1998 (possibly 99 but I can’t find the review I did for that back in the day which is somewhere in my loft and unavailable online). Torquay came out in force for the chance to hear Oakey work his magic and also for  the chance to experience the newly-opened and much-hyped Arena venue, housed in the old Claire’s building (later renamed to Bohemia before closing its doors in 2013). The evening did not disappoint on both counts.

Man, it’s been a peach of an English summers day, and a happy crowd settles in to the marvellously medieval Great Hall at Dartington for an evening of spellbinding tunes courtesy of Max ZT & Dan Whitehouse and Billie Marie.

It broke my heart when one of my fave local bands decided to call it a day, imagine the look on my face when I heard that they were getting back together. Hit ‘play’ on the interview feature I did with COLOUR TV and learn all about why they broke up and then decided to get back together.

In a quiet corner of Dartington this October, the gothic shiver of autumn won’t just hang in the air—it’ll echo through the walls of Things Happen Here. “Autumn Sacrarium” marks the long-awaited return of gothic post-rock explorers Abrasive Trees, joined in a rare double-headliner by the textured alt-rock of Gravity Machine.

With a reputation for turning raw truth into rhythm and verse, Kae Tempest returns this summer with a new album and tour that promises to strike deeper than ever before. Their fifth studio release, Self Titled, arrives July 4 via Island Records—and it’s more than a new chapter. It’s a reckoning.

When Grammy-nominated hammered dulcimer virtuoso Max ZT and Black Country singer-songwriter Dan Whitehouse take the stage, the boundaries between folk, spoken word, and improvisational magic dissolve—and what remains is something unshakeably profound.

DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL 2025 is but a distant memory but we wanted to bring it back to life for you lovely metal monsters who might have attended by playing the interviews that our roving reported MARTHA FITZPATRICK did whilst onsite over the weekend. You’ll see a short bio below of each of the bands that she caught up with, followed by an audio file, simply hit ‘play’ on it to hear how she got on.

I think this was the first time that I had ever interviewed a Swedish rock band, I may have done a few email interviews in the past but never face to face so I was excited when Philip Strand, vocalist for a Swedish rock band called NORMANDIE agreed to meet after their set at the Summer Sessions in Plymouth where they were opening for the mighty PENDULUM.

It’s not every day that you get the chance to support SNOW PATROL in your home city as part of a 4 day event called Summer Sessions. This is exactly what happened to local musician GRACE LIGHTMAN. We caught up with race after her set to chat about her early days, her musical influences, working on a new project and of course, the one that you ALL want to know, her favourite cheese, click the play button below to hear the full interview feature.

Summer Sessions rolls on under the summer moon at Plymouth’s iconic Sound Shell, turning The Hoe into a tapestry of rock riffs, pop anthems and Celtic-infused harmonies. On Saturday 14th June, three generations of female-fronted powerhouses will carve their sonic signatures into the night sky—from Belfast buskers to ’90s soap-star-turned-pop icon to Ireland’s chart-topping sibling quartet.

As the final rays of sun glint off Plymouth Sound, Summer Sessions returns to the Sound Shell for its grand finale. On Sunday 15 June, four acts—rising singer-songwriter Grace Lightman, Dublin-born rockers Somebody’s Child, Wigan’s indie breakout The Lathums and headliners Snow Patrol guided The Hoe through a daylong journey from intimate storytelling to arena-sized anthems.

Having seen WARGASM a couple of times over the past few years (Bearded Theory / Burn it Down Festival), I was keen to get some time with them at Summer Sessions in Plymouth where they were supporting PENDULUM to chat about their music and what motivates them to put on such an incredible show.

I caught up with MOLLIE MCGINN from DEA MATRONA as they left the stage at Summer Sessions on Saturday 14th June where they opened the day for THE CORRS.

As the sun sets over Plymouth Hoe, the first of four Summer Sessions delivered an electrifying night of live music, bringing together a dynamic lineup of artists who each bring their own distinct energy to the stage. From rising talent to legendary acts, this event is set to be a celebration of music’s power to connect and inspire.

Summer Sessions returns to the iconic Sound Shell on The Hoe for the second of four back-to-back summer nights, transforming Plymouth’s waterfront into a high-voltage festival stage. Expect a seamless ascent from underground agitators to drum-and-bass legends as four acts deliver a relentless sequence of riffs, hooks and bass drops under the setting sun.

We chatted to Tom A. Smith earlier this year via a ZOOM call and given the opportunity to meet him in the flesh, I was never going to say no!

Talked about and talked-up Manchester newcomers, Moss Side Sauna Club, is a band born in a bad year, thus Will Brooks, Maddy Storm and Sam Craighan decided to take up arms against the pains of the world through the use of sauna therapy. Out of the steam room, briefly, the band returns to release their latest single, My Weird Appetite.

LEAD SINGLE ‘MANCHILD’ OUT NOW, BST HYDE PARK HEADLINE SHOWS JULY 5th & 6th