Hello! A cheeky two-dayer to bring you now, in two parts – at long last (this should definitely have been out about a month ago – apologies).

The second JT Soar Fest delivered a great mix of post punk, garage and art rock to the Old Cold Store, Nottingham!

Having been (and frankly, still is) uncharted territory, my appreciation for these areas of alternative music intensified over the course of the weekend, and I generally enjoyed all acts involved in one way or another.

Without further ado, here’s the recap of day one of this lovely DIY music weekender!

TV Crime

First up on the day was locally based pubby rockers TV Crime.

Combining garage rock influences with power pop sensibilities, their natural energy and use of three guitars left ample room for deeper riffs.

Melodic vocals share short tales of messy romance, along with pub and football shenanigans. A splendid start to the fest, that set the tone nicely.

Virvon Varvon

Next were Virvon Varvon, up from London. Complete with positively boisterous attitude and banter, this poppy garage punk troupe combined duelling, yelling vocals with catchy, pop-inspired hooks.

One of the faster bands at JT Soar Fest in terms of drum tempo, the band members came together, having previously been a part of Black Time, Wake Up Dead, Candy Highway and The Jazz Tune.

The Plan

When I saw a band called The Plan from Essex on the billing, I imagined a stripped-down punk outfit – but I was happy to have been wrong, as the variety of acts and styles showcased continued.

Featuring synth keys – a frequent element of such post punk arrangements – The Plan performed an eclectic set ranging from dreamy and mellow, to jagged and turbulent.

This was another group notably made up of members from other bands, this time including Private Trousers, Subway Sect and Wetdog.

Jeuce

Two-piece Jeuce were a late stand-in for Es, who unfortunately had to pull out due to illness.

Featuring – to my pleasant surprise – the fest’s esteemed compere, Jeuce proved that garage punk doesn’t necessarily need guitars to captivate a live audience.

Amidst rapid, almost samba-like drums, vocals screamed about misfortune and dissatisfaction regarding everyday life, with a hint of humour.

Big Break

More garage punk tunes followed, accompanied by synth, initiated by Big Break from Sheffield.

This was one of the few bands I did my audio-facing due diligence on, during the morning prior. Their stuff combines hardcore and new wave elements, with songs often being under two minutes.

Inspired by the likes of Devo and Negative Approach, the group sustained highly charged energy throughout.

Grazia

Keeping up the pace were another London-based act in Grazia.

The duo brought new wave-inspired tunes to Notts that lyrically explored an array of messy antics.

While entrenched in poppy paradigms, Grazia’s sound – like some of the best new wave stuff from the ’80s – does not compromise on guitar riffs that wouldn’t look out of place on a punk record.

Stuart Pearce

Next were another late stand-in, this time for Water Machine, who were unable to make it down from Glasgow. This was local act Stuart Pearce – of course, named after the ex-Forest player.

They brought a very enjoyable set that began with a rendition of The Who’s Baba O’Riley that – as you’ll hear in the footage compilation at the end of this article – got me singing along insufferably.

From here, the group blazed through a repertoire inspired further by 60s and 70s rock.

The Monochrome Set

Headlining day one of JT Soar Fest #2 was post punk stalwarts The Monochrome Set, whose beginnings spawned from playing with Adam and the Ants, and influenced the likes of The Smiths.

Bid Seshadri and co’s accomplished status was clear to see and hear, as the band classily blazed through a set of jangly and fast-paced tunes.

I will always remember being blown away by the drum patterns on show, in particular. Indeed, a worthy headliner and an awesome conclusion to the first day of the weekend.

Closing Remarks

Also worth mentioning is the sweet homemade programmes that were put together by Phil Booth and the team, which were a lovely touch that deviated from the perpetually online landscape we, at large, find ourselves in.

All in all, this was a cracking first day that exceeded my expectations when it came to the bands on show. More coverage from day two to follow.

Thanks for reading. Up the Posh, and up the Punx 🤘