Festival Review: Sound City 2025
Boasting a formidable line up that delivered to heights beyond measure, Liverpool’s Sound City was a triumph yet again.
The ever-popular festival returned to some of Liverpool’s best-loved venues on the 3rd and 4th of May, and it surpassed all expectations. On paper, the line up was already brilliant… But the reality of Sound City 2025 was that it was even better than anyone could have anticipated.
The beautiful weather, paired with the incredible range of bars and venues for Sound Citizens to occupy, made for the perfect pre-festival combination on Saturday 3rd May. Everybody was well and truly up for it. The day, and thus the festival, was off to a flyer.
First up for me at Sound City was Dirty Blonde. They played Liverpool’s famous Jacaranda. The buzz around the alt-rock duo is undeniable and was evidenced by the fact that the venue reached its capacity before they even took to the stage. It was packed to the rafters. Their buzzing energy gave the festival exactly what it needed. With huge tracks like ‘Polly’, Dirty Blonde are set to be the next big thing, and their set at Sound City was proof of this.
Next came the Saturday afternoon headliners: Corella. It was clear, from the off, why the group were given this slot; they were absolutely incredible. Taking on the Grand Central Dome, Corella captivated the audience with their infectious energy. There were numerous mosh pits, with the crowd loving every second of the afternoon headline slot. It was amazing. Fans will hope to see Corella return to Sound City, perhaps as headliners, in the near future…
The quality of the festival was evident from the outset, with Saturday scheduled to host to some of the hottest prospects in music today. A quick turn around came as festival goers made their way from seeing local lads Keyside at the brilliant Arts Club Loft to Overpass at Grand Central. Despite many in attendance having to swiftly move between the venues to catch both acts, it was more than worth it. Keyside once again proved why they’re ones to watch, with their infectious jangly sound creating an incredible homecoming for the Liverpool lads. It felt as though everybody in attendance knew the words to many of the songs, which is testament to their likeability and quality as a group.
Overpass were, as you may expect, one of the highlights of the weekend. Off the back of their recent EP’s success, it was clear that their popularity had risen yet again. The venue was packed. Overpass worked their way through a high-energy set that had the crowd moving from the off. It’s no doubt that they’re destined for huge success.
Saturday evening was home to even more brilliant acts. It felt as though the evening was a showcase of the next wave of artists who will surely take over the game. Nieve Ella was first up, at Grand Central. Off the back of a busy touring schedule, she and her band demonstrated just how tight they are as an outfit. Nieve’s brilliant stage presence made for a set that stunned Liverpool. The crowd went wild for ‘Ganni Top’ and screamed along with the singer at her command.
There was another rapid turnaround, with many making their way over to the intimate EBGB’s to catch a glimpse of one of the most talked about groups around right now: KEO. Their set was watched by as many people as were safely allowed in the venue and its surrounding overflow. It’s safe to say that the hype is real. KEO wowed the crowd, with only one song currently being out in the world. People belted out the words to unreleased songs like ‘Thorn’. It was just incredible that a band could have this effect on people, with so little material out in the world.
Another run from venue to venue was had as Sound Citizens geared up for their first headliner: The Royston Club.
This felt like a real ‘We’ve made it’ moment for the Wrexham band. All their relentless touring and recording has brought them to this point, where they are undeniably one of the most popular groups in the indie world. Their set at Sound City proved exactly why they’re one of the best around right now. They performed with confidence and a real swagger, knowing they had the crowd exactly where they wanted them. New songs like ‘Shivers’ were lapped up by the audience, who bounced and moshed at every opportunity. The noise inside Grand Central was deafening when the group performed some of the older material, like ‘Mrs Narcissistic’. After an instrumental breakdown, the group kicked into the famous track and the audience went wild.
The Royston Club were the perfect headliner for what was a great day. Their outrageous abilities were visible for all to see, and Liverpool will hope to welcome them back as soon as possible.
Sunday was full of just as much quality. Kicking off the day for me was the afternoon headliners: STONE. As another local group, they really knew how to treat the Liverpool crowd. Front man Fin Power’s energy was amazing as he made his way into the audience to mosh to ‘Waste’. It felt as thought they were at their own show, the crowd lapped up every second of it. It’s clear to see how much they’ve grown in popularity, and Liverpool loved them as ever.
Then it was time for Alex Spencer, who took to the Arts Club Loft, and had the room bouncing. Despite being from Manchester, he was embraced by the audience, who made the set even better than it already was, as they all took to the ground upon request, before springing up and bouncing to the music.
The evening was incredible. The Clause were the designated band to precede the headliner and they did a fantastic job of warming the crowd up. Their set was raucous, full of energy and oozed a real coolness. It’s clear that The Clause are on an upwards trajectory, they’re loved wherever they go, and they have rooms bouncing, no matter the size.
The evening, and the weekend, was concluded with a stellar set from Dylan John Thomas. It’s extremely difficult to put into words how strong his set was. It had it all, from a frenzy of bodies during ‘Up In The Air’, to the whole crowd belting out ‘Feel The Fire’. There was even room for an ABBA cover!
Dylan John Thomas commanded the room with his assertive stage presence and catchy tunes that had the audience bouncing. He’s already proved why he is such a hot prospect, with his debut album proving to be a real success. But, his Sound City headline set was evidence that he can go even further, and I’m sure he will.
Sound City 2025 was perhaps the most triumphant yet. Everyone who attended loved every single minute. Let’s hope we are treated to the same next year.
Photography by Stu Moulding
Words by Matthew Caslin
