Matthew recommends:
Hello.
Thanks for making the decision to start reading this. I usually write loads, but I’m not going to this time. If you’ve not read it already, I recommend reading the ‘About’ section of our Facebook page. You can find that HERE.
Here’s a list of the ten acts I’m most excited about having at, and hopefully seeing at, Carefully Planned Festival this year. I’ve booked all but three of the bands this time, so there’s a LOT I really want to see. There are some I wanted to acknowledge with a special mention here however and they are the following acts, which I’ve listed in alphabetical order.
a.P.A.t.T
Experimenting musicians must remember to have fun.
Hail! The Planes
Classy progressive post-folk rock from Cardiff. Nice drums, nice horns, nice guitar, nice vocals.
Jo Mango
Charming, intimate, gentle music. I initially contacted Jo about doing a gig way back in 2007 via myspace. It’s not until now that we’ve managed to get it sorted. She’s probably the act I’m most excited of all about.
The Longcut
Late addition to the line-up. These guys have a song called Transition. A couple of friends used to run a live music night called Transition. Transition gave me a valuable insight into how such events were possible. We had some good times dancing to The Longcut back then.
Nitkowski
Heavy, intense, weird, inventive hardcore punk rock.
The Old Dance School
Accomplished and innovative contemporary folk 9-piece from Birmingham. You don’t normally get bands like this playing at festivals like Carefully Planned.
Remember Remember
Steve Reich-influenced progressive chamber pop from Glasgow on Mogwai’s Rock Action record label.
Tekla
Tekla is my lovely housemate and she makes music that encourages a certain patience out of her audiences. Her songs and performances induce a certain inimitable stillness. Her lyrics transform mundane, everyday situations into colourful adventures and her arrangements emphasise unmistakable brightness in even the simplest passages. She is also dead sound and sillyly modest.
Thought Forms
Thought Forms have crept up on me a bit and I think it’s due to the fact that they do spacey, post-garage rock so well alongside doomy, psychadelic, ethereal, ambient metal. It’s sometimes difficult to recognise where one ends and the other begins. Which is great. Another classy act that I’m very proud to have on-board.
Trust Fund
Clever, sweet, emotional, fun guitar-led pop music. These are probably the act I’m second-most looking forward to. You should listen to them now because they have good lyrics to sing along with. It’s best if you at least kind-of know the words.
Bonus mentions: Chuman, Whitebelt and Yarbo.
Thank you for reading this. I hope you enjoy the festival.
Matthew x
Jess recommends:
Hi I’m Jess and I’m very excited. Here’s my recommendations:
Aeroplane Flies High: Shake off your Sunday hangover at 1pm at Soup Kitchen with Aeroplane Flies High. Named after a Smashing Pumpkins boxset but closer musically to Nirvana and Blood Red Shoes. Expect grungy, distorted guitars and a whole load of fun.
Caitlin recommends:
Bonsoir, I’m Caitlin. Here’s my top 5 to check out over the weekend. If you see me come say hi!
Antlez: My good friends and fellow Northerners, Antlez, are a five-piece that punches out an abundance of pop riffs and lyrics that will be ringing around your head all weekend. It’s really melodic stuff, all wrapped up in a (sort of) Geordie twang. I advise coming to see them play songs from this year’s impressive self-titled EP. You’ll also know who to look out for later, as they collectively drink more than any other band I know. You won’t believe it until you see it.
Antlez are a fierce and fun way to start the weekend (honest, they’ve got great crack!)
Theo: Having first seen Theo in a sweaty little basement from my first Carefully Planned experience, my mind was instantly blown. Loop on top of loop to create a mind melting, tit-kicking energy that I can’t say I’ve seen matched on many occasions. If you like big riffs broken down by intense drums and general math rockyness then you’re golden. Theo is a supercharged one-man army, and a must see on Sunday night.
Nope: A psychedelic dual drumming extravaganza. Their LP ‘Walker’ has been one of my favourites this year. With members from That Fucking Tank, Hookworms and Mucky Sailor all collaborating together, you can’t expect anything less than ear-bleeding, in your face shit hotness, right?…
I’ve seen these guys a few times this summer, their show promises to be a highlight of your weekend.
Woahnows: Recently signed to label Big Scary Monsters which has released work from Tall Ships, CP favourites Crash of Rhinos and this year’s headliner Tellison. Expect incredibly catchy, pop/punk music that you can scream at the top of your lungs. With lots of guitar noise and great lyrical hooks, anticipate nothing but complete head bouncing, off the wall energy. Basically, its gunna be the tits don’t miss out!
Space-blood: If you know me, you’ll know I love all things weird and wonderful. Without giving much away I strongly advise checking them out.
ARGGH GO AND SEE SAMOANS TOO, IF YOU LIKE CHINO MORENO IN HIS TEAM SLEEP DAYS YOULL LIKE THESE GUYS.
Enjoy your weekend Errrrrybody!
Mike recommends:
How to pick a top 5 from such a diverse pool of over 120 interesting acts? It’s difficult. And pretty ridiculous to be frank. I mean, like many, I don’t want to miss a beat for a split second during the festival. I’ll will be running back and forth trying to cram in as much excitement as my skeletal vessel will accommodate for the full duration. No time to rest. So, recommending a top 5 feels too restrictive – really, I would feel more comfortable with recommending (at least) a top 25. But, anyway, the five below are the five I’m sticking with, have a listen…
Radstewart:
Cliché alert: “They wear their influences on their sleeves” – like us all I suppose, but perhaps not as singularly as some. Why does it matter though? Radstewart do sound like Pavement, undeniable, but they’re bloody good and are a bit of fresh air to be honest. There aren’t many bands I come across these days that get me excited purely on smart songwriting and melodic hooks.
Remember Remember:
World’s apart from the above. Remember Remember take over from where Tortoise left. Well, I mean, theres a vibraphone chiming away. You can definitely hear the neo-classical references as well Philip Glass, Steve Reich et al. I’m expecting an epic performance from them.
The Drink:
I came across The Drink when sat round a camp fire near Coniston water, Cumbria earlier this year, when they intercepted hours of (mainly) dirge playing on 6 music with a pure shard of light. The song played was Microsleep. It’s pulsating verse riffs and meandering nature really resonated with me at the time. Can’t wait to hear it at the festival. Couldn’t find a recorded version of this to embed, so here it is live:
Nitkowski
The Math-Hardcore-post-post-something movement that Nitkowski are (probably) connected with is a fascinating one really. I’m talking about bands such as Charlottefield, Honey Ride Me A Goat, Bullet Union, Joeyfat, Bilge Pump, Poino etc. The use of irregular and constantly changing time signatures is as disorientating as it is awe-inspiring when performed so precisely. It’s really brainy stuff to be fair which is almost closer to Jazz that rock I suppose. Distorted, heavy, dissonant Jazz with some tormented (often vegan) soul screaming painfully all over it. It’s more than just screaming though, it’s gut wrenching and ribcage shaking. And best listened to live.
Deafkid
These guys are probably the ones that will get me closest to dancing all weekend. I’m usually a static, hands in pockets, shadowy gig-goer I suppose, but sometimes when the conditions are right and band is as exciting as Deafkid that all goes out the window. It’s not just the grooves though. Deafkid pack some serious hooks into their jams. Listen:
Also: Doe, Hail! the Planes, Conquering Animal Sound, a.P.A.t.T, Venkman… (sorry – couldn’t resist)
Nick recommends:
Hi, I’m Nick and here’s my pick of the festival.
Doe:
