Camden Rocks brings together around 200 bands on one day to the vivid streets of Camden, London. No mean feat putting that together and whilst on first glance the lineup this year seems a bit more pointed towards the softer, more indie, side of rock there is still a lot to be seen on a lineup boasting InMe, Sikth and Hacktivist. On the day we will have Léna and Colin on site taking in as much as two people can. Here are the hidden gems on the lineup that they recommend:
Hands Off Gretel
Since their formation in 2015 Hands Off Gretel have been on a seemingly unstoppable trajectory, having played Isle of Wight, Rebellion and Download, wowing fans along the way with their blistering take on Riot Grrrl influenced Alt Rock. Fronted by the force of nature that is Lauren Tate their return to Camden Rocks is sure to be special.
The Kut
With a sound drawing on influences such as L7 and Hole, The Kut are a tenacious live proposition. Set to tour the UK later this year they will be sure to entertain with their high octane punk-tinged set.
Screech Bats
Melding the sounds of bands such as Against Me and Alkaline Trio, Screech Bats are an electrifying live act. Following the release of their Wish You Were Her EP in March they’ve been hitting the road and making new fans along the way, they’ll be sure to deliver a storming set at The Dublin Castle.
Muffin Heads
Mixing up the uncompromising attitude of frontwoman Bex with with fast metal influenced drumming, Essex based three piece The Muffin Heads are starting to garner some attention. Following the release of their EP earlier this year they’ve hit the road with their full on live set which is not to be missed.
Healthy Junkies
Healthy Junkies are well established on the Camden Underground scene running a regular night at The Unicorn. They play grunge influenced punk, with a few glam elements thrown in for good measure. Gigging relentlessly, they have developed a polished set which allows frontwoman Nina to captivate audiences in a raucous live show.
Duke Of Wolves
Duke Of Wolves are a London based 4 piece alternative rock band. Adding their own melodic touch to the genre, the band played a lot of gigs and festivals across the UK since their start in 2016! Come and join the Wolfpack!
Shvpes
Their mixtape 1 will be out on 6th of July, and they will be at some of the biggest festivals this summer including Leeds and Reading. If you don’t know them, you should definitely check their last single, released early this month ‘Understones’ and it’s colorful and futuristic music video!
The Faim
Coming from Australia, with an amazing stage presence, an incredible voice and an old Fall Out Boy vibe, the Faim is definitely the band you don’t want to miss next week! Check out Paris’ interview with Josh from the band here.
Better Than Never
5 piece pop-punk band from Brighton, Better Than Never already shared the stage with the likes of As It Is, Don Broco, WSTR,… Heading on tour this summer with Abandoned By Bears, the boys are not doing the London date, so if you don’t want to miss out, catch their set on Saturday!
Rews
Duo from Ireland and England, the Rews girls got rage and passion and the combination of their vocals is amazing. After doing a couple of festivals around the UK this month, including Liverpool Sound City and The Great Escape, Shauna (guitar/vocals) and Colette (drums/vocals) are back in London so be ready to mosh and sing along!
So there they are. Our recommendations of who you shouldn’t miss. Who are your must see bands? Who do you think deserves a shot on the lineup in 2019?