With summer having officially passed, it was fitting to have some Spanish sunshine to descend upon London as Son Estrella Galicia’s Soundhood East London event took place last week. Their London showcases have become a popular fixture over the last few years, as the beer brand’s music project continues to create alternative ways to fill different spaces with musical and non-musical activities in cities including London, Barcelona, Madrid and Bilbao in Spain.
From music performances in a hair salon and vintage clothing shop, to beer culture workshops in local bars, this year’s two-day event brings a spotlight on several well-loved venues in Hackney and Dalston. In times where the fragility of many grassroots venues across the UK is a critical issue to the industry’s ecosystem, the event’s mission to support local communities, highlight emerging talent and champion everyday spaces as cultural hubs feels more pertinent than ever.
Kicking off proceedings for this year’s flagship event is . The talented North London artist, who just released her debut EP ‘Grace, Flair & Distance’, treats the attentive crowd in the neatly adorned Hackney Style Council hair salon to one of her rawest performances yet armed solely with her acoustic guitar and no mics or amps in sight. From the tender opener ‘Release’ to fan favourite ‘Julia Roberts’, as well as a preview of a new unreleased track, Jo’s endearing crowd interactions, hushed vocals and deftly intricate guitar playing are captivating from start to finish. She may only be 22 years old, but with material of such depth already in her arsenal, her path ahead looks incredibly bright.
A hop, skip and a jump round the corner to the event’s mainstay, Paper Dress Vintage, is where the volume turns up a notch. Double parked with bottles of Estrella Galicia (it’d be rude not to), the heat in the live room quickly builds as Madrid outfit, , open their set. From the offset, their energy is bolstered by the adoring Spanish contingent they’ve brought with them, who sing and dance with every song. Seamlessly flowing between the early 00s of The Strokes, as well as higher octane punk moments, their dense back catalogue has plenty to offer. As their stage presence grows in confidence throughout the set, the crowd crawl further into the palm of their hand. By their finale, it could easily be said that this is one of the best Spanish bands that Son Estrella Galicia have ever showcased at their London events.
It made for a tough act for thistle. to follow. Luckily, they know a thing or two about making an impression. The rising Northampton noise rock band have earned acclaim with their relentless gig runs and early EPs ‘backflip’ and ‘It’s Nice to See You, Stranger’. This Clash writer interviewed the band last year, warning of the danger of not bringing earplugs to their thrillingly abrasive live sets. Once again, he forgot to bring earplugs… but it didn’t matter. As the three-piece tear through their set in incendiary fashion, each of their individual qualities come to the fore, displaying their talent among the distortion. Cameron Godfrey’s vocals are both melodic and intense, Judwyn Rushton’s bass is propulsively rhythmic, while Lewis O’Grady’s frenetic yet controlled drums bind everything together. As Cameron strums his guitar to its wit’s end on their closing track, and the drone of feedback finally allows the crowd some respite, this is a powerfully delivered performance from a band who will no doubt continue to reap more rewards as their status grows further.
Night two of the event opens at the Sebright Arms with one of the country’s most talked about prospects over the last couple of years, The Orchestra (For Now). The multi-limbed London collective, comprised of seven members, made their name south of the river at The Windmill in Brixton, where the likes of Black Midi and Black Country, New Road fostered a scene that continues to flourish. Both respective acts make a heavy influence on The Orchestra (For Now)’s music. From the swooning violins and cellos of ‘Escape from New York’ to the throat-grabbing ‘Impatient’ and ‘Skins’, the level of cohesion the group attain among their hypnotic, free-flowing, avant garde rock tracks (all whilst looking nonchalantly casual) are undeniably impressive. With a debut LP in the works, it’d be wise to keep a close eye on their next steps.
The fourth venue of this year’s event is The Victoria in Dalston. Unfortunately, Clash misses the first act of this three-part lineup switching between venues. But as the second Madrid based act of the event, , takes to the stage, all is not lost. The alt/pop punk leaning band released their debut album earlier this year, and as their enigmatic lead frontman Álvaro “Torete” Casado passionately strums his way through the band’s songs, it’s clear that they’re an experienced live act capable of getting a party started. There’s no let-up in their four to the floor energy, with drummer Nicolás Escardó providing the adrenaline pumping backbeats that encourage the crowd to fully loosen up by the closing moments of the set. With another healthy Spanish contingent in the crowd enjoying the moment, it’s a joy to be reminded how subcultures can break down barriers and bring people together from all parts of the world.
are last up and close proceedings of this year’s Soundhood East London event. The South London trio are the classiest act of the two-day showcase. Not only do they draw the biggest crowd, but the Fat Possum also signed band’s inherently alternative ethos permeates through their beautifully shapeshifting music – despite ironically walking on to Kesha and Pitbull’s ‘Timber’. The opening thrashes of ‘Hide’ ensure that the crowd are listening, before making way for a plethora of arpeggiated chords, delicate vocals from lead singer and guitarist Anouska Sokolow, and even shades of Radiohead in their neatly crafted, reverb laden arrangements. ‘Cold Caller’ draws an immediate cheer from the home crowd with its opening guitar line, while a newer unreleased track, that the band say is a work in progress, still feels wholly refined. While Honeyglaze are certainly no strangers to the capital’s music scene, it’s this writer’s first time watching them live and will by no means be the last.
This latter point is what makes any showcase event worth it. Providing platforms for new artists is what Son Estrella Galicia continues to excel at with their multi-faceted showcases. Not only do they bring benefit to local communities and grassroots venues with their forward-thinking initiatives, ultimately for music lovers, there’s every chance you might walk away having seen your new favourite band.
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Photo Credit: Alex Amoros