Best of New Colossus 2024
I'm currently recovering from a busy New Colossus Festival and a few folk have asked for rundown of my faves, so here you go.
First of all, this years fest was my absolute favorite and it was great to see so many packed venues appreciating the music. I've been every year to this festival, I love it and long may it continue.
If you don't know what it's all about it's similar to SXSW, or Iceland Airwaves, or a personal favorite of mine back home - The Great Escape in Brighton. Tons of small venues showcasing new and upcoming bands. New Colossus leans towards indie, rock and shoegaze, but there's a smattering of other genres too all in the best small venues in the Lower East Side, NYC.
Here's what I enjoyed the most:
Cucamaras
Possibly the festival highlight for me. Nottingham band taking influences from early Arctic Monkeys, Fontaines DC, Yard Act. As with a lot of these new bands their Spotify list doesn't really do them justice, you have to see them live.
NOBRO
Definitely the most fun set of the week. 4 piece canadian all female punk band, with sing-a-long choruses, crowd surfing and smiles galore. My fave chant: EAT! SLAY! CHARDONNAY!
Reme
Half spanish, half english classic rock, super talented musicians. Sleeves proudly adorned by all their influences, Beatles, Bowie, Queen, Elton John all come through, another fantastic live band.
Scrounge
Two piece, reverse White Stripes formation. Killer riffs and angry vocals. This is an instant classic. Formidable live.
Langkamer
Bristol lads with a drummer / singer. Sound like Pavement, Belle & Sebastian and Teenage Fanclub. Full of catchy melodies and fun lyrics.
O.Wake
I broke my no local band rule for O.Wake, as they play regularly in NYC along with my other local faves Mary Shelley and TVOD. But Im glad I did. They're a little hard to pigeonhole, the new single is quite funky phoenix style indie, great lyrics and songs that veer in all sorts of directions but usually with a great hook.
Slash Need
Certainly won't be a lot of peoples cup of tea, but if they're on a festival you're at this year - GO SEE THEM. Musically they're dark electronica, I would imagine Peaches is a big influence and if you know the belgian dance band GOOSE similar sounding to them. Visually, it's a feast, lead by a fierce lead singer, heavy beats and two gimp-like dancers that get uncomfortably close.
Hotel Mira
Probably the most primed for a main stream audience out of all this list. Radio friendly indie-pop with a very enigmatic lead singer but you can't deny they got tunes and they're good fun live.
Minas
The most intense set of the week. Difficult to categorize again, nearest I can think of is The Prodigy. Welsh rap / industrial noise / metal?? I honestly don't know, but they put on a helluva show. Two of the best heckles came out of this set, 1. "MORE YELLING PLEASE" after a particularly shouty track and 2. "Are YOU OK?" a response to the singer asking us if we're OK after a track which had him pounding the floor and screaming. Terrifying, but super interesting.
Holiday Ghosts
Perhaps the polar opposite to Minas, bright sunny indie, chock full of tunes from Brighton / Falmouth. Hints of a milder Sleater Kinney.
I've done a spotify playlist with these and a few more artists I liked the sound of but didn't get round to watching so check it out .
While I have you my general 2024 new music playlist is taking shape, so give that a follow too and I'll continue to add to it.
