Meet the acts playing Are You Listening? at the Rising Sun
By Damien on Mon 23 Apr
We’re very pleased to be part of the Are You Listening? Festival once again this Saturday. There are more acts than you can shake a stick at performing at seven venues across the town, all giving their time generously to help support Reading Mencap.
So we thought it would be handy to let you know a little bit about the acts that will be gracing our stage this year…
16:45 – Colours & Fires
Emotive acoustic Indie folk band with “songs that will make you listen and sounds which will make you think”. Their songs give an insight into a personal transformation across genders and relationships, and the band are active supporters of LGBT+ equality, specifically around transgender rights. Lead singer Sophie had to pull out of last year’s Here Comes The Sun due to ill health, so it’s great to finally hear her voice at the centre.
17:45 – Tiger Mendoza
You could sum up Tiger Mendoza as an accident – but a happy accident. Their music is “our attempt to create great songs with beats, guitars and whatever other sounds and nonsense happen to wander past at the time”. You may recognise the man beneath the mask from his many Tribute Night appearances… if he were to take it off.
18:45 – Cecil
Taking her name from her great uncle, Cecil is an alternate indie pop artist who was the only unsigned artist to play the main stage at Jamie Oliver's The Big Feastival. She has also performed at BBC's Carfest for Children In Need, Godiva Festival, The Royal Henley Regatta, headlined the o2 Academy Islington and many more. And now here at the Rising Sun, the most important one on that list.
19:45 – Self Help
Self Help, recently tipped by prominent Oxford music monthly Nightshift and BBC Introducing as “new local band most likely-to-be”, have got a name for themselves for their energetic live shows. Their unusual combination of a fierce female rhythm section and the shouty but sensitive boys on guitar soon started to make waves and attract the attention of local music hero Ronan Munro, BBC’s Steve Lamacq, Tom Robinson and Dave Gilyeat, as well as ardent fans who turn up to every show.
20:45 – The Autumn Saints
The Autumn Saints are based in Oxford but their musical roots are planted firmly in the American South, with tales of hurricanes sweeping through the Appalachian Mountains and encounters with the devil at the crossroads unravelling in each song. And its balanced with the melodic, ethereal guitar lines that create the sort of atmospheric depth that British indie groups have always done so well.
21:45 – Head Drop
They’ve played here once this year (at the request of Muz, of all people), and now this wah-wah aggression band make their festival debut. They rock so hard that they can break their own bones!
22:30 – Grafted
Coming to us all the way from Basingstoke, this industrious four-piece sports gritty pop and indie sounds, hitting the scene hard with vigorous guitar riffs and punchy lyrics. Their debut EP will be released later this year.
For all the info you could possibly need about the festival, head over to areyoulistening.org.uk
