St Vincent
Since first cutting her teeth as a member of The Polyphonic Spree and in Sufjan Steven’s touring band, Annie Clarke has blossomed into one of the most forward-thinking and creative artists in the musical world. Since launching her St Vincent project with 2007’s ‘Marry Me’, she’s gone on to record a further three full-length records as well a collaborative album with David Byrne. Then there was last year’s self-titled LP, her most spectacular creation thus far it was named ‘Album Of The Year’ by The Guardian and was also nominated for ‘Best Alternative Album’ at the Grammy awards.
As a live performer St Vincent is beautifully unique; an electrifying marriage of striking song-craft and exhilarating guitar work that powerfully comes alive on the stage. A rousing mix of genres and mood, her live sets are impossible to pigeonhole but produce the kind of spectacle that simply has to be seen to be believed. An lustrous parade of skill and energy bound together by her distinctive ability and the unending magic of rock and roll as it should be: wild, untamed and completely thrilling.
Hot Chip
After years spent peddling away on the DIY circuit and a number self-released records, Hot Chip finally got their much-deserved break-through after signing to Moshi Moshi for their debut LP ‘Coming On Strong’ back in 2003. It’s follow-up, ‘The Warning’, would see their stock rise again thanks to a Mercury Award nomination and their ‘Over & Over’ single which is now remembered as one of the noughties most-adored singles.
Since then the London synth-poppers have become something of a household name, releasing a slew of critically-acclaimed albums containing some of the most danceable and loveable pop moments of the past decade. Their live show, too, is a true experience in every sense of the word. Often an improvised re-imagining of their studio work, their performances are a restless and relentless display of energy and talent that can shift from blissed-out beats to emphatic dance music in the blink of an eye.
Something of a national treasure, the bands first ever performance at Green Man promises to be a truly spectacular event. Don’t forget to pack your dancing shoes.
Goat
A secretive troop from Korpilombolo in northern Sweden, the infamous GOAT are widely regarded as one of the most mesmerizing live bands on the circuit, armed with the ability to move and shake you in ways you didn’t even know existed. Merging elements of afrobeat with funk and krautrock, the mysterious collective present a twisted fantasy of sound and colour, a somewhat tribal display that takes you on the kind of trip you’ll never forget.
Signed to the legendary Subpop label for last years ‘Communion’ album, the band built upon the hype of 2012’s debut album ‘World Music’ to deliver something truly astonishing - while offering further proof of their unique ability to entertain and transfix.
They’ve been labeled as everything from ‘acid-folk’ to ‘psych-freakery’ but sometimes you just have to let the music do the talking – and in that respect GOAT chant their mantra in the most captivating way imaginable. A unique and spell-binding party you simply can’t afford to miss.
Calexico
‘Legendary’ is something of an over-used term, specifically in the musical world, but it’s also one that has every right to be draped upon Tucson, Arizona’s Calexico. Primarily the musical workings of Joey Burns and John Convertino, the band will release their ninth studio album this year in a career that is approaching the twenty-year mark but actually dates back to 1990 when the two joined Howe Gelb’s much-adored band, Giant Sand.
Beautifully eclectic, Calexico is an ever-evolving project that has touched upon a whole number of varying genres throughout the years, shifting seamlessly from Latin/Mariachi influences to Tex-Mex and straight-up indie rock. Now in their third decade of existence, the band have toured with the likes of Pavement, Lambchop and Dirty Three and are consistently heralded as one of the tightest and most enthralling live bands on the planet.
Mew
In what promises to be one of 2015’s most magical sets, Danish pop purveyors Mew will take to the stage in support of brand new album ‘+ -‘, their first full-length album release since 2009.
Having gained something of a cult following since their debut album 1997, it was 2003’s Frengers LP that saw them gain mainstream recognition, including a European tour with REM. Notoriously difficult to summarise, the band weave beautiful textural instrumentals with shimmering, full-blooded pop hooks, all threaded together with that indescribable magic that Scandinavian bands so often deliver.
Think the atmospheric majesty of Sigur Ros coupled with a pop charm that could light up the dullest of days and you’re somewhere close. A very special band, with a suitably dramatic live show, there’s just nobody else quite like them.
The Staves
After three years of near-constant touring, The Staves return in 2015 with their second full-length album, If I Was, backed-by a wave of hype that should see them cement their place at the forefront of the UK indie-folk scene. A trio of sisters from Hertfordshire, they produce bewitching and memorable pop songs, rich in vocal harmonies and tender hooks.
Their new album was recorded over five trips across to Wisconsin and was produced by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver fame; a move which adds a muscular weight to the release, not only in terms of the resultant music but also to the bands high-flying reputation, which seemingly continues to grow with every song they unveil.
Charles Bradley
As a Black American who grew up in the mid-twentieth century, Charles Bradley’s back-story is, unsurprisingly, one of struggle and hardship but it’s also one that’s steeped in deep love and adoration for the musical greats. It was after seeing James Brown in 1966, at the age of fourteen, that Bradley first discovered his own talent - but it wouldn’t be truly unearthed until a full thirty years later when he was spotted by Daptone Records’ co-founder, Gabriel Roth, while performing as a James Brown impersonator in Brooklyn in 1996.
A run of singles throughout the 2000’s culminated in a debut album, with Bradley now in his 60’s, which was released in 2011. A documentary about his life followed, as well as widespread acclaim for his work and his second full-length record, Victim Of Love, in 2013.
In a life dictated by circumstance, Charles Bradley continues to swim against the tide – that he does so with such grace and charm is almost as remarkable as the story that got him here and it’s a true honour for Green Man Festival to have a bit-part in his latest chapter. This one’s going to be very special indeed.
Father John Misty
You might know him as Joshua Tillman, or maybe J Tillman, or perhaps just as the guy who used to drum for Fleet Foxes. All of these would be acceptable, of course, but in 2012 he also became known as Father John Misty – and he’s barely looked back since.
Another Subpop signee, 2015 sees Tillman release ‘I Love You, Honeybear’, the much-anticipated follow-up to his initial FJM-offering, 2012’s ‘Fear Fun’, and the ninth record of his blossoming solo career.
A unique and truly distinctive character, Father John Misty channels seventies Americana (think Scott Walker or Randy Newman) in to something suitably dramatic and stirring. Wonderfully theatrical, he sings both satirically and openly about love, life, the state of the world and all of the ups and downs which that entails. The result is a unique and often spellbinding performance and one of the live highlights of 2015.
Sun Ra Arkestra
Widely regarded as “the greatest yet least known” jazz musician in history, Sun Ra’s story is as offbeat and hysterical as they come. A philosopher, poet, cosmologist and sci-fi enthusiast, his band were just as likely to play Gershwin or Disney themes as they were freeform, experimental jazz pieces.
Led and developed by this magisterial figurehead from around 1946/47, until his passing in 1993, the Sun Ra Arkestra is now headed by the ninety year-old Marshall Allan who continues to inspire and delight in much the same way as his legendary master did for nearly half a century. A fireball of energy and excitement who guides this most remarkable ensemble through their breathtaking, otherworldly performances.
To see this band, so many decades on from its first inscription, continues to offer the kind of unique experience that only ever rarely comes our way. A relentless combination of style, speed, sound and colour, shaped by African heritage and old blues and then delivered as the most forward-thinking, spectacular display of Jazz music we’re ever likely to see.
The Fall
The story of The Fall is one that sometimes threatens to precede them. Mark E. Smith and his constantly shifting amalgamation of backing musicians have been making music since 1976 and have been threatening to fall apart ever since that first rehearsal. Initially inspired by the likes of The Velvet Underground and Can, Smith’s raw and repetitive songs would become a mainstay of the British post-punk scene and become heralded by John Peel from early on. He would often refer to them as his favourite band.
You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone from that era who’d believe that The Fall would, or perhaps could, still be a functioning band in 2015 but with with nearly forty years of history and thirty studio albums under their belt they appear as hungry and as vital as ever before.
Currently performing with their longest serving line-up, the bands performance at Green Man promises to be as beautifully ramshackle as you can possibly imagine. As John Peel once said “They’re always different... always the same.” Expect everything and anything.
Matthew E White
A “modern soul visionary” might not be the most enticing of descriptions but Matthew E. White does things differently; a true one-of-a-kind in a business full of imitators. A beguiling mix of the new and old, both musically and in appearance.
It was 2009 that shaped White’s career. After setting up an “old-fashioned label and production house” with some friends, which included in-house strings, horns and even a choir, he began to piece together his remarkable debut record, Big Inner. The following eighteen months would take in widespread acclaim and live shows at Glastonbury, Primavera, The Hollywood Bowl and even the Sydney Opera House.
The next chapter in Matthew E. White’s chapter comes in 2015, with the release of his brand new album, Fresh Blood, this March. Inspired by Neil Young, the death of Phillip Seymour Hoffman and his own reflections on his sudden leap in to the limelight, the album is already being championed as a huge leap forward for White and one of the year’s most innovative and enticing records. There ain’t no stopping him now.
Courtney Barnett
The rise of Courtney Barnett from internet cult figure of-sorts, to the indie-pop champion of 2015 has something to do with being in the right place at the right time, but a lot more to do with her wonderful talent for writing short, sharp pop songs which feel instantly memorable.
While it’s often labeled as “slacker-rock”, Barnett’s music is far too urgent to do that tag justice. Her songs are built upon energy; a roaring and relentless spilling of words and vexations, often about the most seemingly mundane moments, all beautifully delivered with her insatiable wit and deadpan Australian accent. Last years debut record (a collection of her first two EPs) spread like wild-fire among the biggest music sites and her debut album-proper, released this March, looks set to cement her place among 2015’s musical hierarchy.
A unique and prodigious talent, Courtney’s debut at Green Man Festival could well be the hidden gem of this year’s event. Don’t be the one to miss out.
Shovels & Rope
Two distinguished recording artists in their own right (and their own names) both before and after their marriage in 2009, Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst finally became known as Shovels & Rope with the release of 2012’s wonderful ‘O’ Be Joyful’, an album which would scoop a handful of awards and lead to them play on Late Show with David Letterman. That record’s follow-up, 2014’s ‘Swimmin Time’, was critically lauded and even landed at number twenty on the Billboard chart upon its release.
The two often perform songs from their solo records as well as Shovels & Rope, presenting a captivating mix of folk, country-rock and even punk. The sum of its parts and a whole lot more.
Hookworms
Breaking out of Leeds in a flurry of dark riffs and brooding, simmering atmosphere, Hookworms suddenly find themselves at the forefront of British guitar music, thanks to a refreshingly obtuse debut album in ‘Pearly Mystic’ and it’s staggeringly good, major-label follow-up ‘The Hum’.
Led by the ravishingly sludgy vocals of MJ – who is also responsible for producing nearly every great guitar record of the past couple of years – the band channel Fugazi-style riffs and raw psych tendencies in to some of the most dramatic and powerful songs this side of 1980’s Washington DC.
A roaring, immersive and heart-racing journey, The Hum is an enthralling document from a band that are fighting against the tide but never once stopping to look back.
The Wave Pictures
To call The Wave Pictures a cult band would be doing something of a disservice to a band who have, since 1998, been making some of the best guitar music this country has produced. They remain in the periphary for number of reasons, many of which of their own doing, but that shouldn’t detract from the fact that seeing them live on stage almost always feels revelatory.
A three-piece from Leicestershire who were “borne out of complete isolation”, they’re as prolific as they are over-looked. Armed with some of the best guitar solos found in two-minute pop songs, they guide their love of Dire Straits, Take That and African pop in to razor sharp reflections that are both hilarious and heartbreaking - often in the blink of an eye.
Described by their label, Moshi Moshi, as the best live band they’ve ever worked with, you’ll be in full agreement before the end of the first track and a die-hard fan by the last. A national treasure in-waiting.
Beyond The Wizard’s Sleeve
“They do not remix, they Re-Animate.”
So says the biography of Beyond The Wizard’s Sleeve, the musical side-project of the esteemed electronic producer Erol Alkan and Richard Norris, a musician and producer who is perhaps best known as a founding member of 1980s electronic band The Grid. The two came together to form Beyond The Wizard’s Sleeve in 2005; a psych-rock band that re-work some of their favourite tracks, from the likes of Chemical Brothers, Franz Ferdinand and Midlake, into their own - often wondrous - creations.
Most recently the duo have released a whole re-imagining of Temples’ Sun Structures LP; a record that was named ‘Album Of The Year’ by Rough Trade and are set to release more singles throughout 2015. With a back-story as rich and varied as anyone else in London’s electronic history, the duo will deliver the kind of performance that simply shouldn’t be missed.
Sylvan Esso
A chance meeting, an unlikely partnership, ideas penned in a bedroom…not usually the ingredients for mainstream success but with the video for their show-stopping ‘Coffee’ approaching two million views you’d have to say that Sylvan Esso have made something wholly miraculous from such inconspicuous beginnings. The kind of collaboration that might never have happened but feels like it was always meant to be.
The project of vocalist Amelia Meath and producer Nick Sanborn, the two were already well-established in varying musical guises before they came together as Sylvan Esso. A debut album on Partisan Records arrived in early 2014 and the response was immediate, landing inside the Top 40 and leading them to widespread acclaim and all else that follows.
The music they make is sublimely vague; indelibly smooth electro-pop, which feels withdrawn but important too. Shaped by feelings of love and loss but delivered with a burning sense of clarity that shapes their music in to gloriously addictive pop songs.
Son Lux
A friend and bandmate of Sufjan Stevens, a feature film composer...Ryan Lott has come a long way since moving to New York in 2007 to start work making music for adverts. His debut album and it’s subsequent follow-up were both released by the ultra cool Anticon label, home to the likes of Why? and Young Fathers. However, it was his most recent record, Satellites, released through Joyful Noise Recordings, that would see him cement his place as one of the most forward-thinking producers in the business.
A hypnotic, endlessly inventive, creation, Satellites saw Son Lux work with a host of guest musicians - including members of The Antlers and Dirty Projectors - each of whom added dashes of their own magic to his stylish and flamboyant pop songs. A immensely talented, multi instrumentalist, it’s not just in the studio where Son Lux comes alive. On stage, too, he makes for a formidable talent; The Line Of Best Fit going as far as to call him “one of the most exciting live artists of his generation.”
Waxahatchee
Named after a creek in her native Alabama, Waxahtachee is the recording name of Katie Crutchfield an artist who rose to prominence with her suitably smart bedroom recordings before Wichita Records snapped up the UK release of 2013’s breakthrough album, Cerulean Salt and pushed her to the forefront of American indie rock.
There’s far more to Crutchfield’s story than Waxahatchee, however. She grew up embedded in Alabama’s punk-rock scene, performing with her twin sister Alison in a variety of guises before finally going their separate ways (Alison now front’s the much-loved pop-punk band Swearin’). It was this background that shaped what was to come, however. A heartening blend of DIY-ethics and suitably smart lyrics run right through everything she does – something which is set to continue on her brand new ‘Ivy Tripp’ LP, released later this year.
A quietly invigorating blend of guitar and voice, Crutchfield writes bittersweet reflections about the most indistinct situations; small moments that are brought to life through the eyes of a song-writer who is consistently compelling. Wit and sadness, ridicule and reflection, she covers it all.
Viet Cong
Already blazing a raucous trail straight through the heart of 2015, Viet Cong followed last years tour-only cassette by signing to the mighty Jagjaguwar and subsequently releasing one of the most muscular and defiant debut albums you’ll hear in a very long time.
Partly formed from members of the much-missed Women, the quartet are heavy on guitars and even heavier on sentiment. Led by the vehement vocal of Matt Flegel, Viet Cong write the kind of songs that instantly grip and then stick with you for days. Guitars buzz and soar and the vocal hooks pound away at you like a sucker punch to the gut, until there’s little else to do but let the weighty atmosphere they create fully immerse you. A wild and substantial invitation to the dark side and one that simply has to be accepted.
Owen Pallett
Where known was known as “the guy who does the strings for Arcade Fire”, Owen Pallett has since grown into a distinguished and unique artist in his own right. A composer and multi-instrumentalist of the most impeccable variety, He released two albums in the mid-2000s under his Final Fantasy moniker (the second of which, He Poos Clouds, won the esteemed Polaris Prize in 2006) before two records in his own name; 2010’s Heartland and last years wonderful In Conflict LP.
Described as “Canada’s most sought after musician”, Pallett has created orchestral arrangement for acts as diverse as Taylor Swift and REM, but it’s perhaps his live shows that he is most famed for. His staggering performances are often centred around his violin, which he loops using one of his many pedals, at the same time as bounding around the stage adding various other instruments to the mix. A magnetic and unique presence, that he manages to turn this somewhat chaotic display in to sometimes simple, always gorgeous, pop songs is proof enough that Owen Pallett is one of a kind. A genius, some might say. We’ll leave that up to you…
Alasdair Roberts
One only has to look at the names that Alasdair Roberts has worked with to see how far the Scottish folk artist has come since his first musical offerings in the mid-nineties. Will ‘Bonnie Prince Billy’ Oldham, Jason ‘Songs Ohia’ Molina, Gerard ‘Teenage Fanclub’ Love all feature on various recordings with Roberts over the past decade.
Though actually born in Germany, Alasdair grew up in a small village near Stirling in Scotland and is seen as something of a flag-flyer for Traditional music. Since his early days playing in Appendix Out, he’s gone on to craft a number of much-adored albums, both as a solo musician and in varying ensembles, ranging from the minimal wonder of his debut album, ‘The Crook Of My Arm’, to more experimental collections such as 2013’s ‘A Wonder Working Stone’.
Steve Gunn
Formerly a guitarist in Kurt Vile’s band The Violators, Steve Gunn is quickly crafting a stellar reputation of his own thanks to 2013’s stunning ‘Time Off’ album, and it’s stunning follow-up, ‘Way Out Weather’; a fanciful marriage of blues, rock and drawn-out jams that has been championed as the pinnacle moment in his lengthy career.
With nods to the likes of the Grateful Dead as well as JJ. Cale and Bert Jansch, Gunn is a fascinating guitar player who manages to structure this talent into smart, affecting pop songs thanks to his splendidly languid vocal style. Never shapeless but always mesmerising, Gunn’s reflections on life are the kind that create their own space in a day, slowing things down to a crawl they exist simply and plainly at their own pace. Meditative, contemplative, ambling; to spend a little time with Steve Gunn’s songs is to see the world in a slightly different manner- and in this day and age, that’s no mean feat at all. A very special songwriter indeed.
Richard Dawson
A somewhat madcap balladeer from the North East of England isn’t usually the kind of artist to win widespread acclaim but it’s something that Richard Dawson has achieved - most notably on his most recent album ‘Nothing Important’.
Praised by everyone from The Guardian and The Quietus to Pitchfork and NME, the record, much like all of the music that Dawson creates, is steeped in antiquity, wry and thoughtful observations minutely detailed by a songwriter of the most unique persuasion. A most-accomplished guitarist and a mightily strong vocalist, it’s his magical way with words that fascinates the most. Sometimes deeply moving, often laugh-out-loud funny, they are deep reflections of a Northumbrian upbringing that see the world in a slightly different way than anyone else. And they’re as compelling as that sounds.
Songhoy Blues
A remarkable backstory in its own right, the Songhoy were one of the most prominent of Mali’s ethnic groups throughout history. Now somewhat marginalised, they continue to existing proudly on the outskirts of society continuing to spread the word of their heritage and beliefs.
Flying the flag for such traditions are Songhoy Blues; a young quartet who met at University in Bamako and formed during the adversity of refuge amid growing unrest in Mali. Discovered while playing in a bar by French music manager Marc-Antoine Moreau
who was scouting on behalf of Africa Express, the band have since gone on to play at varying festivals across the world, support Damon Albarn at the Royal Albert Hall, sign to Transgressive Records and record their debut album with the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Nick Zinner.
It takes something very special to form a story of such polarising highs and lows but this band are undoubtedly that - and a whole lot more. As they so eloquently put it themselves: “Songhoy Blues are a familiar proposition: four young men, guitar, drums, bass and vocals, driving rhythms, big hearts and a story to tell.”
Zun Zun Egui
A glorious anomaly in every sense of the word, Bristol’s Zun Zun Egui continue to release some of the most forward-thinking and thrilling psych-pop records that this country has produced. A collective of sorts, the core of the band is centred around Mauritian guitarist and singer Kushal Gaya and Japanese keyboard player Yoshino Shigihara but that grew to a five-piece for the release of their staggeringly good new record, Shackles Gift.
A rich and absorbing channeling of backgrounds and influence, the band weave brilliantly exuberant patterns of energetic guitar riffs, dub-inspired soundscapes and even hedonistic dance movements – perhaps inspired by Fuck Buttons’ Andrew Hung who produced the band’s latest record. If a breathless and magnificent display of sound and colour is what you’re after then look no further.
Jane Weaver
2014 saw the release of ‘The Silver Globe’, the sixth album in Jane Weaver’s near twenty year musical career. A true pioneer in a number of aspects, Weaver has covered a whole host of genres in her work thus far but her latest LP was a synth-driven, electro-pop beauty informed by a number of collaborations with acts as diverse as producer David Holmes and Hawkwind.
A conceptual record based on “power-plant funfairs,sci-fi education centres and post-apocalyptic love affairs” the album was praised for its unique, adventurous and inspiring take on industrial electro-pop, a fascinating ode to the French new wave and “cosmic Deutsch rock” that so inspire her work. More than that, however, ‘The Silver Globe’ singled Weaver out as one of the most forward-thinking - not to mention uncelebrated - artists that these shores have to offer.
Slug
Sunderland’s Ian Black doesn’t release his debut album until April but there’s already a buzz building around it thanks, in part, to it’s association with fellow North-East odd-pop purveyors Field Music. Inspired by his time spent as a touring member of the band, the ‘Ripe’ LP was produced by the Brewis brothers in their home studio and features both of them on various tracks.
Despite this, any talk of Field Music-aping was immediately distinguished with the release of the albums lead single; the stomping, surf-rock inspired ‘Running To Get Past Your Heart’. A cohesive but dramatic stirring of influences - from rock and funk to abstract film scores - it’s a debut album quite unlike any other you’ll hear this year and with both Peter and David Brewis playing as part of his five-piece live band, SLUG could well provide one of the most excitably gratifying sets of this years festival.
BC Camplight
Brought in to the limelight thanks to the wonderful Bella Union label, BC Camplight – a multi-instrumentalist by the name of Brian Christinzio – was quietly making mostly unheralded pop gems throughout the 2000’s, releasing albums that gained a small cult following among his peers but never the widespread acclaim they deserved.
This year’s How To Die In The North LP, recorded in his new-found Manchester home, is an eloquent, daring and majestic piece of work. A staunch throwback to the sun-scattered pop of the 60’s with dashes of outlandish psych references that forever keep you on the edge. Lovingly supported by 6Music and enthusiastically received by the likes of Q and Uncut Magazine, 2015 might finally be his year. And it’s about time.
Ryley Walker
Raised on the banks of the Rock River in northern Illinois isn’t a bad place for a musicians story to start, though Ryley Walker’s career didn’t start to take-off until he moved to Chicago and began playing shows at the age of 17 in 2007. After a reinvention, of sorts, in 2011 and a bike accident in 2012, Walker became much more disciplined to his craft and the seeds for what was to follow would be sewn. A majestic player in the vein of Bert Jansch and Nick Drake, Walker carves beautifully romantic songs out of the scraps of inspiration he finds.
With nods to 70s British folk music and more recent alt-country leanings of his home country, his latest record was a experimental and wonderfully crafted collection that seemed to stem from someone far richer in years than the young troubadour. Musically raw and lyrically affecting, Ryley Walker comes across as some throw-back to a long-forgotten age; a bruised and somewhat battered character but one who comes alive with a guitar in his arms.
Trust Fund
It’s not usually in the script that scrappy indie-rock bands get signed by established labels, however the recent announcement that Bristol’s Trust Fund would release their debut album through Turnstile – home to the likes of Perfume Genius, Cate Le Bon and Los Campesinos! – was testament to the brilliant song-writing which lies behind their sweetly raw brand of indie rock.
Led by front-man Ellis Jones, Trust Fund feel pleasingly unique thanks, in-part, to his high-pitched vocal which brings a sense of quiet fragility to otherwise muscular musical backing. Drifting between ramshackle DIY pop and sentimental laments to the dead-of-night, Trust Fund are one of the most intriguing and impressive new guitar bands in the country - and their festival debut shouldn’t be missed.
Corey Bowen
It takes very little to be a ‘bedroom artist’ in today’s musical climate - it takes a whole lot more to be a distinguished one, however. Which is where Corey Bowen comes in. Making music within the walls of his house in Middlesbrough, the young artist creates loose but captivating pop songs, warped gems full of languid psych flourishes and silky smooth vocal plays.
The songs he writes flip swiftly and sweetly between the old and new, with subtle nods to eighties electro-pop and the more experimental, hallucinogenic pop of the seventies. It’s might well be this sense of ambiguity that singles Bowen’s music out from that of his peers - in so joyously replicating the sound of the past he manages to produce a sound that simply can’t be pigeonholed; it’s at once as nostalgic as it is revelatory and somewhere within this vague, indistinct world he’s managed to create something genuinely magical - and long may it last.
Huw Stephens (DJ)
A DJ and broadcaster that should need no introduction, Radio One’s Huw Stephens has become synonymous and indispensable within the world of new and emerging music. A label runner, club night host and festival founder he’s something of a peoples champion; constantly giving a platform to the best unsigned and upcoming bands that these shores produce.
Tom Ravenscroft (DJ)
Much like fellow BBC DJ Huw Stephens, Tom Ravenscroft is viewed as a champion of the underdog; a tastemaker of the most unique persuasion. With one of the most diverse and eclectic record collections on the planet, it’s always a pleasure to have him spinning the decks and Green Man is delighted to welcome him back for another year.
Nothing Is (DJ)
As the core collective of Cherrystones, Jamie Paton (Cage & Aviary), Chris Reeder (of Rocket Recordings) and Mike Keeling (NTS), and having just finished a five-year stint at The Alibi in Dalston, Green Man is extremely excited to welcome Nothing Is to this years event. Fresh from handling the closing party at Liverpool’s Psych Fest, the DJ’s specialise in all things “psych, disco, punk, afro, jazz, noise, funk, techno and all that is in-between and beyond”, with guest DJ’s in the past including the mighty Powell, Teeth of the Sea, Gnod, Plastic Crimewave and Gum Takes Tooth to name just a few! Expect it all, and a whole lot more.
