Stockton-on-Tees is gearing up for another year of organised chaos, the good kind, as The Gathering Sounds drops a heavyweight second wave of artists for its 2026 edition. If last year felt like a festival levelling up, this year feels like the moment it plants a flag in the ground and says: this is where the future starts.
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INDIE IS NOT A GENRE: How a movement became a misunderstood label
Independent music was never meant to be a genre, it was a rebellion, a refusal, a way for artists to create outside the machinery of the major‑label world. Yet somewhere between the DIY spirit of early labels like Rough Trade and Factory, and the algorithm‑friendly playlists of today, “indie” has been flattened into a catch‑all term for almost any guitar‑based band with a hint of alternative edge.
This feature digs back into the roots of true independence, the labels, the ethos, the bands who shaped the movement, to explore what indie really means, how the term drifted, and whether it should ever have been treated as a genre at all.
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Eli Paperboy Reed announces March 2027 UK tour and new album ‘Getting There’
Eli Paperboy Reed has never been one to chase trends — he’s spent the past two decades proving that soul music doesn’t need reinventing so much as it needs believing in. Now, with a brand‑new album produced by the legendary Swamp Dogg and a UK tour set for March 2027, Reed is stepping into the next chapter of a career built on grit, gospel fire, and a deep love for the roots of American music.
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Los Bitchos step into a new era with “Hang Up (Pt 2)” — A borderless, sun‑drenched collaboration
Los Bitchos have never been a band you could pin to one place, one tradition, or one tidy genre box — but their next chapter looks set to push that spirit even further. Fresh off the back of Let The Festivities Begin! and last year’s Talkie Talkie, the London‑based trio return with “Hang Up (Pt 2)”, the first glimpse of an upcoming studio album built around collaboration, vocalists and global musical exchange.
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INTERVIEW: Glorious Wolf: Elements of Hope, Identity and Evolution — A Conversation with Ruud Dielen
Ruud Dielen has spent the last decade shaping Glorious Wolf into one of the most quietly ambitious and emotionally resonant projects in modern prog. What began as a one‑man studio experiment has grown into a richly collaborative, ever‑evolving musical world — one driven by instinct, curiosity and a deep awareness of the times we’re living through.
In this Q&A, Ruud opens up about the origins of the Glorious Wolf name, the moment he committed to music full‑time, and the global challenges that inspired his latest album Elements Of Hope. From the impact of world events on young people to the joy of building a studio that finally matches his creative vision, this is a candid, thoughtful conversation with an artist who has never stopped growing.
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INTERVIEW: Redefining the Darkness: Craig Ewan Opens Up About Dead Defined’s New Chapter
Dead Defined has always been a project built from lived experience — the kind that leaves marks, reshapes you, and ultimately pushes you toward something stronger. In conversation with vocalist and songwriter Craig Ewan, it’s clear that the band’s latest chapter isn’t just about refining a sound, but about sharpening a message. With One Life, Craig leans fully into the emotional core of Dead Defined: hope, resilience, and the belief that the hardest moments don’t have to define who we become. What follows is a candid look at the journey behind the music, the intention driving the new release, and the vision shaping what comes next.
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exPorter find new momentum with their shimmering, fan‑favourite single “Letting Go”
Some songs arrive quietly, almost by accident, and then end up defining a moment for a band. For Santa Barbara indie outfit exPorter, “Letting Go” has become exactly that — a track that started life as a loose collaboration with friends, evolved into a staple of their live set, and unexpectedly found an audience far beyond their hometown.
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INTERVIEW: FALSE HEAD's Luke Griffiths on Rage, Resilience and the Oldest Part of Hell
False Heads have never been a band to do things by halves. Whether it’s Jake Elliott locking in on bass even after going “arse over head” onstage, Charlie Gregory powering through drum takes with machine‑like precision, or Luke Griffiths pouring every ounce of energy into the songs he writes, the trio have carved out a reputation as one of the UK’s most fiercely committed alternative acts. With a decade of graft behind them, a charting second album, and a third record that Luke describes as their “best written and produced” yet, the band stand on the cusp of a new chapter — bigger, heavier, and more emotionally charged than anything they’ve done before. We sat down with Luke to talk origins, influences, chaos, growth, and the bleak beauty at the heart of Oldest Part of Hell.
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MARK CHADWICK steps into the unknown with Ouse Dragon — A haunting solo journey through Sussex myth and memory…
Mark Chadwick has spent decades fronting Levellers with fire in his voice and politics in his pen — but his new solo album Ouse Dragon is something else entirely. It’s a drift into the uncanny. A headphone‑only expedition through forgotten corners of the South Downs, where folklore, tragedy and spectral beauty bleed into one another.
Released 21 August via On The Fiddle Recordings, Ouse Dragon is a six‑track suite of ambient storytelling, electronic drift and acoustic unease. It’s dreamlike, disorientating, and strangely intimate — the sound of a songwriter stepping away from the roar of the crowd and into the shadows of a place that has shaped him.
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LIVE REVIEW - Yard Act at Rough Trade Bristol: Double Yard Act, Double Fun — A Matinee Lesson in Spontaneity, an Evening Lesson in Joy
The idea of seeing Yard Act twice in one day felt mischievous, indulgent, and absolutely necessary. Once news broke of a matinee show at Rough Trade Bristol — freshly refurbished, buzzing with anticipation — the decision made itself. You’re Gonna Need a Little Music had already sunk its hooks in after a single listen, and its title couldn’t ring truer. We need live music. We need independent venues. And on this particular afternoon, Rough Trade was exactly the right place to be.
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INTERVIEW: UNLUCKY - London’s Most Compelling New Noise
UNLUCKY are fast becoming one of London’s most compelling new acts, blending jagged electronic textures, distorted vocals and existential lyricism into a sound that feels both volatile and strangely intimate. Fresh off their Sebright Arms performance — and hinting at new material shaped by recent London studio sessions — the trio of Patrick James Fitzroy, Tamsin Wickens and Max Doohan channel a mix of industrial grit and emotional honesty that’s earning them a growing underground following.
With roots in a scene that’s currently buzzing with experimentation and cross‑pollination, UNLUCKY stand out for the sheer intent behind their music: raw, restless and unafraid to confront the darker corners of modern life. What follows is a conversation that digs into their origins, influences, creative process and future plans, plus a Come Dine With Me twist and their dream festival lineup featuring artists dead or alive.
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INTERVIEW: Chaos, Clarity and Rock & Roll: The Making of the New BILK
A couple of years can change a person. For Sol, they changed everything — the music, the band, the way he sees himself, even the way he writes. What started as a teenage rebellion with a guitar has evolved into something sharper and more intentional, shaped by heavy break-ups, late-night doubts, and the kind of self-discovery you only get from stepping off a stage and knowing you were born for it. This interview captures BILK at the moment of reinvention: bruised, liberated, and finally sounding like the band they were always meant to be.
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INTERVIEW: Chaos, Cult Status and Cultural Magpies: A Deep Dive into The Yummy Fur’s Strange and Brilliant Journey
Some bands arrive fully formed; others claw their way out of the suburbs with a thirty‑buck guitar and a head full of Bowie. The Yummy Fur did the latter. Born in the early 90s and shaped by Blantyre’s brutalist edges, Televisions’ wiry guitars, and the feedback‑soaked mythology of East Kilbride, John McKeown’s cult Glasgow outfit has always operated at a strange, brilliant angle to the rest of the city’s scene.
Across the decades, The Yummy Fur have remained gloriously singular: a revolving crate of bass players, a core trio who never quite stopped, and a creative process that treats cultural detritus like treasure. Their influence has quietly rippled outward — future Franz Ferdinand members passed through their ranks — yet the band themselves have stayed defiantly off‑grid, powered by iPod Classics, Mac McNaughton paintings, and a worldview where social commentary is optional but absurdity is essential.
With renewed interest from younger listeners and a fresh run of releases, The Yummy Fur are once again bending the rules of what a Glasgow band can be. In this interview, McKeown reflects on dangerous suburbs, demented guitar lessons, the tyranny of looper pedals, and why his dream festival involves Chris Burden getting shot again — all delivered with the dry, surreal humour that has always made The Yummy Fur feel like their own self‑contained universe.
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INTERVIEW: Life, Chaos and Glasgow Grit: Gallus Talk 'Sick Bastards' and Their Next Chapter
Gallus are back — louder, sharper and gloriously unhinged. Sick Bastards kicks the door open for their new album Life Is Bliss, a frantic blast of punk chaos, biting humour and Glasgow grit. We caught up with the band to talk self‑inflicted mayhem, disappearing communities and why doubling down on your mistakes can sometimes make the best art.
Your new single Sick Bastards is a chaotic, tongue-in-cheek anthem. What's the wildest real-life moment that inspired it?
Moment that inspired ‘Sick Bastards'? Let’s just say it involved “beer”.
Your new album Life Is Bliss digs into anxiety, disappearing communities and Glasgow changing fast. Which lyric or moment on the record hits closest to home for you?
The song ‘M8' really sums up what this album is about - not so much a lyric but a sample we have used at the end. Last year, The Glasgow Bell wrote a great article about the impact the construction of the M8 motorway had on Glaswegian communities. The piece centred around two best pals who were separated. Relocated to make way for the construction only to not meet again for 50 years. We got the audio from the interview with Robin Bans and his words close out the album.
The album artwork features that iconic Finnieston tree. What does that symbol mean to Gallus personally?
The tree is huge. In fact, it's bigger than that, it's large. Arguably the largest in the former region of Strathclyde.
Blair Crichton from Dead Pony produced and mixed the album. What's one thing Blair said or did in the studio that completely changed a track?
Funny story: he actually forgot to press record for the first 6 tracks we recorded! Turns out we were all just sitting there not recording any music! Doh!!!!
Be honest — who caused the most chaos during recording Life Is Bliss?
I’d have to say not a person but a business. During our 8 days with Blair, Chilos (an incredible eating spot) had recently opened over the road. That caused the most disruption, all we were thinking about was their great value platters and exceptional customer service!
Sick Bastards is frantic. How does it feel to unleash that one live?
Have you ever seen Oppenheimer? That bit where he realises what he's unleashed on the world? Nothing like that. Not even close.
Your biggest UK headline tour kicks off in October. What's one thing fans can expect that you've never done on stage before?
We’re doing research on how to bring the tree to life onstage, or maybe even multiple trees. We’re unsure about potential objections from local councils but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Regardless, just hammering out the new songs. We’ve been very excited to revitalise the set list for a while, so we’ll be frothing at the mouth to get familiar with the album in a live setting.
Eamon is experimenting with some really, really short shorts. It's pretty disgusting. it's just a denim belt to be honest.
Which city on the tour always brings the chaos - and why?
It's hard to look past Bishop Auckland. Ain't no party like a Bishop Auckland party!
Your cover of Letter From America by The Proclaimers blew up — 128k views and even a visit to the Scotland football squad. What was that day like?
Yeah, it was nice to meet them. There was a real buzz about Scotland's first World Cup in 28 years so it was good to bask in that for a short while before it inevitably went tits up.
What's the funniest or most ridiculous thing that's happened to Gallus in the last 12 months?
Last year we had a 24 hour round trip to Bordeaux. We ended up being flung about the back of a van with no windows wearing fire fighter helmets, trains where delayed due to tracks being on fire and Barry scaled a fire truck during our set. It was pretty out there. Also, getting 40 mins or so of sleep outside Biarritz Airport while a certain member of the band decided to belt out the greatest hits of Carly Simon was interesting. Also, during dinner before the show, Matt sat down with a fork to eat soup! Oh, how we laughed. Matt didn't see the funny side, however, and threatened to walk over the matter.
Huge thanks to Gallus for taking the time to dive into the chaos, humour and heart behind Life Is Bliss. It’s always a joy catching up with a band who refuse to play it safe and continue pushing their sound — and themselves — into sharper, stranger, more compelling territory. We wish them every success with the new album and the upcoming tour; if the new material is anything to go by, those shows are going to be absolute carnage in the best possible way.
You can find all the latest updates, music and tour info across their socials — and if they’re hitting a city near you, do yourself a favour and grab a ticket. Gallus are only getting louder.
Gallus are Barry Dolan – Vocals / Eamon Ewins – Guitar & BV's / Gianluca Bernacchi – Guitar / Matt McGoldrick – Bass / Paul Ewins – Drums
2026 TOUR DATES
30 Jul – Badehaus, Berlin, DE
7 Aug – Amplifire, Hamburg, DE
UK Headline Tour
2 Oct – The Art School, Glasgow
3 Oct – The Cluny, Newcastle
4 Oct – YES (Basement), Manchester
6 Oct – The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham
10 Oct – Voodoo Daddy's, Norwich
12 Oct – The Lower Third, London
13 Oct – The Hope & Ruin, Brighton
15 Oct – The Croft, Bristol
SECOND ALBUM ‘LIFE IS BLISS’ DUE 25 SEPTEMBER VIA MARSHALL RECORDS
INTERVIEW: Between London, Brooklyn and the In‑Between — Dan Fisher talks identity, influence and The Domino Accords
Brooklyn-based writer, performer, producer, and recording engineer Dan Fisher has carved out a cinematic, world‑building approach to music that feels less like a collection of songs and more like a fully realised environment. Raised between London and the United States, Fisher’s outsider perspective informs the emotional precision and textured production that define his debut EP, The Domino Accords, a six‑track release that invites listeners into a wide, atmospheric world built from curiosity, reinvention, and a refusal to settle into a single identity.
Working out of Parasol Studios, Fisher produces, records, mixes, and masters everything himself, shaping a tactile sound that favours grain, pressure, and physical detail over polish. Before stepping into his solo project, he completed three international tours as bassist for Sid Simons — an experience that sharpened his instincts and set the stage for the narrative‑driven work he’s now releasing.
With The Domino Accords out in the world, we sat down with Fisher to explore his influences, early musical beginnings, creative process, and what comes next.
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Katy Perry Brings The Lifetimes Tour – Live From Paris to Cinemas Worldwide This September
Katy Perry is about to make pop history all over again. Fresh from its acclaimed debut at the Tribeca Festival, Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour – Live from Paris is heading to cinemas across the globe this September, transforming one of the most ambitious pop tours of the decade into a full‑scale, immersive big‑screen event.
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Northern Exposure Redux: How Sasha & John Digweed’s 1996 Masterwork Rewrote the Map of Electronic Music
When Northern Exposure first landed in 1996, it marked a moment where the underground currents of progressive house, trance, ambient and American breakbeat collided, crystallising into something that felt less like a DJ compilation and more like a geographical document of club culture. Three decades later, Sasha and John Digweed return to the work that defined them, and defined an era, with Northern Exposure Redux, arriving September 25th via Late Night Tales/Night Time Stories.
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Jah Wobble & Tian Qiyi release Strawberry Fields Forever — A psychedelic family love‑letter to Liverpool
If you’ve followed Jah Wobble’s journey — from PiL’s seismic early days to decades of dub‑soaked adventures — you’ll know he’s never been afraid to pull music apart and rebuild it in his own image. But his new project with his sons, Tian Qiyi, might be his most personal yet.
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Teenage Fanclub Announce New Album Do Not Dare To Dream - New Single “Day In The Sun” Out Now
Teenage Fanclub have never rushed their evolution. Across nearly four decades, the Scottish indie institution have refined a sound that feels both timeless and lived-in, melodic guitars, warm harmonies, and songwriting that peers gently but honestly into the human condition. On 9 October, they’ll release their 13th studio album, Do Not Dare To Dream, via Merge Records, a record that finds the band embracing perspective, resilience, and the quiet power of simply carrying on.
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LIVE REVIEW: FAN GIRL, UNLUCKY & CAM DAVEY ignite London's SEBRIGHT ARMS
A warm, muggy Thursday night at Sebright Arms, London turned into a packed showcase of rising alternative talent as Cam Davey, Unlucky, and Fan Girl delivered three distinct, high‑energy sets in the venue’s iconic basement room. With attendance higher than expected for a midweek show and a vibrant crowd spanning generations, the atmosphere was primed for a night of grunge, noise, math‑rock intricacy and explosive indie‑rock energy.
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