Sound City - Top Five Bands To Check Out

Liverpool Sound City is just around the corner and we’ve started to plan our weekend. The bands have been announced, day splits have been sorted and now we even know the set times, so let the planning begin.

We’ve compiled a list of five top picks to go see across the weekend to help you out. Exciting headliners DMA’s and Peace aside, here’s some acts you won’t want to miss across the two-day festival.


Neon Waltz

Neon Waltz are quite literally neon waltz, an upbeat dreamy psychedelic rock band. Coming from Caithness, a tiny town in Scotland, the band sound huge. After the release of their debut album last year and a surprise EP in March, Neon Waltz are definitely one to watch. They remind me of Sheffield band High Hazels, only with more members and presence.

Catch them right before Black Honey and DMA’s at the Furnace on Saturday.

The Slow Readers Club

If you like Editors, White Lies or Interpol, you’ll love The Slow Readers Club. With new album, Build A Tower, set to be released 4th May (a day before the festival), the band are sure to play some new songs amongst old favourites. Often overshadowed by some of Manchester’s finest bands, these boys fill the gap for all your sad electro pop needs. They have been gaining more and more attention throughout the years, so why not see them at their best.

The Slow Readers Club are your Saturday night headliners at the Hangar 34.

Hey Charlie

Sitting somewhere in-between the Haim sisters, Black Honey and Sugababes (serious), Hey Charlie come dressed in the same outfits armed with boy repellent. These girls are kind of trashy but a good kind of trashy, describing themselves as a ‘British grunge pop band. Girls only’, we can’t wait to see what it’s all about. Clashing with Keir might put you off but these girls are just as powerful and sassy.

Catch them at the Baltic Market, 6pm on Sunday.

Hockey Dad

Two albums in Aussie band Hockey Dad don’t quite get the recognition they deserve with their perfect sunny day festival vibes. I can’t quite put them into words but thankfully this YouTube comment summed it up perfectly “goddamn I love this 70-80's revival surf hipster shit”, yeah exactly that.

Get out early on Saturday to see them play upstairs at the Blade Factory.

JW Ridley

With a name sounding like an author, or perhaps a member of Slytherin, former art student JW Ridley gives off Ian Curtis vibes. Unsettling yet beautiful, his songs are a work of art in their own sense. Echo-y and hollow sounding on recording, we can only imagine what these songs sound like live.

If you want something unique and don’t fancy seeing Hey Charlie or Keir who’re playing at the same time, this is the one for you.

Sound City takes place in Liverpool on 5th and 6th May, 2018.

Words by Abbie Jennings