In the coming weeks, thousands of indie-rock fans will make their way to the hallowed grounds of Hill Farm. Year in, year out, the festival has consistently been home to new and upcoming bands as well as hosting some of the biggest names in the business. Make no mistake, the 2021 Truck Festival line-up has continued this tradition with an absolutely stacked line-up – here is a closer look at some awesome bands playing Truck who you may have heard of, alongside some who may be new to you.
Fontaines D.C.
Friday
Photo Credit: Ellius Grace
Friday night at Truck sees the boys from Dublin take the main stage in a huge co-headlining spot with Bombay Bicycle Club. The band have only released two albums – the mercury-nominated Dogrel, and the Grammy-nominated A Hero’s Death. Grian Chatten’s iconic Dublin accent and poetic lyrics matched with the most intricate of instrumentals has meant that the band have deservedly sealed a co-headline slot in what will arguably be one of their biggest gigs to date – you will not want to miss it.
Billy Nomates
Friday
Also in a co-headlining slot on Friday is Leicester’s own Tor Maries who goes by the name of Billy Nomates. Maries’ unapologetically post-punk style verses work astoundingly well with her more melodic choruses in her self-titled debut album which earned her plaudits from critics up and down the country. Following this up with her 2021 EP Emergency Telephone which showed Maries’ production and musicianship skills improving, she is definitely one worth watching at Truck.
Do Nothing
Friday
Photo Credit: Adrian Vitelleschi Cook
Another up-and-coming band that has caught the eyes of many music critics is Do Nothing. Their debut EP which features tracks such as Uber Alles and Glueland has seen their small cult following rise and rise to the point where they are playing big slots at festivals. They will definitely be worth seeing live before they stop playing these smaller stages in favour of bigger ones. Seemingly, the band are right in the middle of a new wave of post-punk/indie rock which is being led by the likes of Sports Team and Shame, which leads us onto our next must-see band…
Shame
Saturday
Photo Credit: Sam Alexander-Gregg
Truck really has nailed it with their post-punk acts this year, and the addition of second stage headliners Shame has only further cemented that opinion into fact. Interestingly, Shame were set to headline the second stage in 2019, before having to pull out on the day due to travel issues, so hopefully second time is a charm for the post-punkers. After their punky yet vulnerable debut suitably named Songs of Praise, Shame returned in 2021 with their sophomore record Drunk Tank Pink which saw the band take inspiration from the likes of Talking Heads to create what will be many people’s album of the year. Combine this with the raucous live reputation the band possesses, where else would you want to spend your Saturday night?
Biig Piig
Sunday
The uniquely named Biig Piig (Jessica Smith) is taking on the Market Stage on Sunday night followed by Arlo Parks and Little Simz, in what is one of the best line-ups at any stage you will find in 2021. Despite only releasing a few singles, Smith has really taken the alternative music world by storm as she now amasses over 2 million monthly Spotify listeners. Her own unique production techniques and mashing of other genres in her tracks have a lot of people talking about her. Trust us when we say the Market Stage at Truck Festival will be the smallest venue you will get to see her at because she is already blowing up.
Sorry
Sunday
Photo Credit: Sam Hiscox
Another fantastic new band is Brixton post-punk act Sorry. You are unlikely to hear a more dulcet voice than Asha Lorenz vocals, but her voice suits the music perfectly. The bands low-key instrumentals create an almost uncomfortable atmosphere – however, it is a strangely addictive sound, and definitely one that would be interesting to see live. Their debut album 925 was on a lot of people’s 2020 album of the year list, and their Twixtustwain EP saw them take on more of a Billie Eilish style, and intertwine that with their post-punk roots. They are a band a lot of people are talking about, and a lot of people will be wanting to see live – so do not miss them!
Truck Festival takes place 23rd – 25th July at Hill Farm, Steventon. For the full line-up, further information and to join the ticket waiting list head to the Truck Festival website.
