With festival season in full swing, it’s almost time to return to the (hopefully) sunny skies of Oxfordshire and Truck Festival.
Always a highlight on the calendar, Truck Festival remains a place to witness some of the most exciting bands and artists in the UK, and this year is no different with hundreds of talented musicians taking to the stage to get your feet moving. To get the excitement brewing, The Rock Revival have picked out 10 acts in particular you won’t want to miss.
IDLES
Punk band IDLES got a raucous reception for their Glastonbury 2024 set, with some even giving it shouts for the best set of the entire week.
They’re fresh from releasing their brilliant sixth album ‘TANGK’, with successful singles ‘Dancer’ and ‘Gift Horse’ growing to their full potential on the stage.
IDLES headline the Truck Stage on Thursday night at 21:00.
The Streets
Mike Skinner is at the stage of his career where he needs no introduction. One of the most influential voices in recent UK music memory, The Streets grew to notoriety with their debut ‘Original Pirate Material’ and never looked back.
The Streets released their freshest album, ‘The Darker The Shadow The Brighter The Light’ in 2023 and have spent the last year touring the world, finally taking their show to Truck Festival.
The Streets will headline the Truck Stage on Sunday night at 21:30.
Nieve Ella
Quickly asserting herself on the indie-pop scene is Nieve Ella, a singer-songwriter with a knack for writing adolescent breakup hits. ‘The Things We Say’ is the pick of all her singles, with an incessantly catchy chorus and a great vocal performance.
Fresh from supporting Inhaler, Ella is quickly gaining a reputation for her energetic live shows that will be sure to attract a crowd at Truck Festival.
Nieve Ella will play on the Market Stage at 13:45 on Friday.
Soft Play
Brash punkers Soft Play released their new album ‘Heavy Jelly’ to much praise for its heavy riffs and brilliant songwriting.
‘Punk’s Dead’ is the pick of the singles, an unapologetically loud anthem that’s sure to be carnage live.
Soft Play will perform on the Truck Stage on Satursay at 19:30.
The Royston Club
Quickly becoming indie darlings are Welsh outlet The Royston Club, quickly gaining praise due to their excellent melodies and catchy chorus writing.
With new music being teased for release soon, fans can possibly expect to hear new material in Oxfordshire this weekend.
The Royston Club will play on the Market Stage on Sunday at 19:00.
NewDad
One of Ireland’s currently finest bands, Galway’s NewDad released their debut ‘Madra’ this year to heaps of praise and success.
Both ‘Angel’ and ‘Dream Of Me’ are ethereal in their reverberated noise, with both tracks being a sure bet to translate excellently to stage.
NewDad will perform on the Truck Stage on Friday at 16:15.
The Kairos
Despite being one of the smaller bands on the list, Scouse rock’n’rollers The Kairos are on a steep upwards trajectory thanks to their snappy songwriting and bold choruses.
The release of their debut EP last year asserted themselves as one of the most talented rising stars in their scene, and are capable of producing electric live shows.
The Kairos will perform on the This Feeling Stage on Saturday at 20:30.
Balancing Act
London indie four piece Balancing Act is going to be a name you’ll want to learn very quickly. Releasing some of the best indie singles in the past couple of years, Balancing Act are a band whose talent shines through on first listen.
Recently released single ‘Laylow’ shows off their excellent hooks, meanwhile ‘She Plays The Theremin’ has guitar riffs and lyrics that will constantly have you pressing the replay button.
Balancing Act will perform on the Truck Stage on Thursday at 17:30.
Corella
Corella recently released their debut album ‘Once Upon A Weekend’, and in doing so showcased a band with a serious talent and voice.
Their singles show a band who are primed for sunny festival season, with mega choruses on tracks such as ‘Bloom’ and ‘Barcelona Girl’ brimming with funk and personality.
Corella will play on the Market Stage at 17:45 on Sunday.
Yard Act
Yard Act first burst onto the scene with their excellent debut album ‘The Overload’, presenting a snappy, fresh vision for what a new band can be in the alternative scene.
With their recently released album, ‘Where’s My Utopia?’ already being a contender for one of the best of the year thanks to excellent tracks such as ‘Dream Job’ and ‘We Make Hits’, their set is bound to be a more than memorable one at Truck Festival this year.
Yard Act will perform on the Market Stage at 20:30 on Saturday.
Words by Niall McGreevy