NEWLY re-branded and looking to continue to have a positive impact on young creatives from both Scotland and further afield, XpoNorth is an event which has its interests vested in a multitude of different mediums.
Set to take place in the coming week over the 10th-11th June 2015, one area in which the organisers have most certainly have excelled themselves is in the musicians and bands that they’ve deemed worthy of showcasing this year. With the cream most certainly rising to the top during their selection process, we’ve provided a brief overview of some of the most exciting acts that it’d be more than worth your while to check out if you’re descending upon the Inverness based event.
CATHOLIC ACTION: A band that have been frequently championed by TTV since their rise to prominence towards the end of last year, Catholic Action are a superb band that purvey an intangible mixture of slacker pop, glam and rock, creating a sound that is capable of being both wistful and energetic. Gearing up to unleash their latest single ‘The Real World’ later in the month (We’ve heard it; think Mott The Hoople fused with Hunky Dora era Bowie), it’d be best to catch them now before they progress to the next step.
Hector Bizerk: Scotland’s premier hip-hop act, Hector Bizerk combine the political and socially conscious rhymes of rapper Louie with the dexterity and innovation of drummer Audrey Tait to create a sound the likes of which can’t be found anywhere else. Expanding to a full band in recent times and fresh off of revealing their great new LP The Waltz Of Modern Psychiatry to the world and preparing to play to a sold out crowd at King Tuts on Saturday, you can be guaranteed a captivating live performance when they stride onto the stage in Inverness.
CRASH CLUB: Set to take to the T Break stage at this year’s T in the Park Festival, Crash Club are entirely unique within the Glasgow scene; producing a sound which in no way resembles another act in the city due to its stunning combination of electro and rock. Having already had a very productive year thus far, it’s a prerequisite that Crash Club will continue to expand their fanbase with every notable set they receive. XpoNorth will be no different, expect to be floored by both their sound and performance.
Nieves: A group that have blown us away with their sheer emotion on latest single ‘Black Tie’, Nieves are a Glasgow based four piece that seem determined to transfix you with their swelling, and at times overwhelmingly well-wrought sound. Primed for bigger things in the near future given the response that their output has garnered to date, we’d strongly advise getting down to their set and basking in it.
KATHRYN JOSEPH: Ethereal, otherworldly, haunting, sublime. These are just a few of the words that spring to mind when attempting to quantify what Kathryn Joseph created with her debut album Bones You Have Thrown At Me And Blood I’ve Spilled. Possessing both the kind of voice and ingenuity of artists such as Bjork, Billie Holiday and Joan Baez, XpoNorth would be a great chance to get familiar with this amazing artist.
MAN OF MOON: A band that has grown in leaps and bounds over the past year or so, Man Of Moon have found themselves beset with ever-increasing hype from various corners of the industry. Impressing throngs of music lovers with their set at Live At Glasgow and their performances in support of The Phantom Band and The Twilight Sad, look for them to capitalise on the recent success of debut single ‘The Road’ and turn in a spellbinding set.
PINACT: Possessing a seering mix of alt-rock combined with more overtly poppy sensibilities, Pinact impressed legions of music lovers with their remarkable debut record Stand Still And Rot, an album that highlighted not only their potential but just how prolific they already are. A blistering two piece that are sure to play a high octane set filled with relentless guitar and equally frantic percussion, it will likely be one of the most fawned over sets of the conference afterwards.
TIJUANA BIBLES: Cultivating a murky, blues-rock sound that could rival any of the genre’s stalwarts in terms of intensity and resonance, Tijuana Bibles are one of the finest unabashed rock ‘n’ roll bands in Scotland today. Having impressed during Wide Days and Live At Glasgow earlier in the year as well being one of the acts that will adjourn to Strathallan Castle to perform on the world-renowned T Break Stage, all of the indications point to them being a band on the ascendancy.
Monogram: Something of an enigmatic outfit that seem unwilling to give away a great deal of information, there is one thing we know for certain about Glasgow’s Monogram; with music as intriguing and infectiously catchy as ‘Romance’, there’s every possibility that they’ll make an impact to say the very least.
DECLAN WELSH: Retrieving inspiration from everything from jangly indie to the most socially aware and confrontational of folk, Declan Welsh’s material is generally centred on his masterful lyrics that are often profound beyond his years. Bellowed in his distinctive drawl, his songs are eclectic in both musicality and subject matter, placing the microscope on the inequity of society as well as often being altogether more lighthearted. With a variety of high profile support slots under his belt, it’d be wise to check him out now.
SPRING BREAK: A whimsical and outrageous outfit that have thrown caution to the wind and created a genre bending sound; Spring Break aren’t the easiest proposition to get your head round, but trust us; it’s worth it. Splicing aspects of folk, funk, psychedelia and hip-hop together to produce a truly fascinating result, it’s as good a time as ever to acquaint yourselves with this group from the highlands.
GARDEN OF ELKS : Unrelenting and at times dizzying at the peak of their powers, Garden Of Elks are an extremely exciting group that focus on thrashing guitars, soaring vocals and strident percussion. Having been on the scene for a couple of years, their profile was recently increased following an aggressive showing at Brew At The Bog in May. Expect more of the same from the three piece when they travel to Inverness.
