Author: Sarah Williams

Top 5 Worst Things About Punk Rock Festivals

We’re missing out on festivals in 2020… so here’s a list of the things we WON’T miss!

Article by Sarah Williams.

Memories of festivals passed have been popping up on our social media timelines lately, reminding us of all the fun we’re missing out on in 2020. This year of cancelled live music and ultra-distanced friendships can be tough when we’re reminded of the good times, but punk rock festivals aren’t all hugs, bands and blazing sunshine, are they?

Let’s consider some of the stuff we won’t be missing out on.

Ten years ago: absolutely haggard at Download 2010.

Dickheads

Being with your friends in a big, sunny field is glorious… but you’re rarely able to completely escape the sea of dickheads that exists outside of your social bubble. This varies depending on the festival, but dickheads exist everywhere.

Continue reading “Top 5 Worst Things About Punk Rock Festivals”

Podcast: Punk Rock Radio – Round #2

Episode two of our Punk Rock Radio show is now online, featuring a lot of angry banter plus new tunes from Swayze, Jealous, Neurotic Fiction, Screaming Toenail and more.

On this week’s podcast I got really damn angry about the UK government, coronavirus, sexism and racism, and I argued with trolls on the internet. I thought: where better to let out that rage than on a public music forum, where will respond and/or care?

I enjoyed the new radio podcast format massively for Round #1, so I thought I’d try it again. I’ve played some bangers and done my best to give you some solo banter – I’ve talked a lot more on this episode and I will not be the slightest bit offended if you skip ahead to the juicy punk rock tunes.

Subscribe to the Shout Louder podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Soundcloud or any of your favourite podcast platforms. Alternatively, hit play right here:

Continue reading “Podcast: Punk Rock Radio – Round #2”

Interview: Stonethrower on Legacies and Lockdown

Scottish post-hardcore band Stonethrower have just put out an enthralling new album. We discuss their creative inspiration and the punk scene at large.

Interview by Sarah Williams.

I was chuffed to see a fresh album from Scottish ecossemo peddlers Stonethrower released earlier in July. They’re doing a digital-only release for the time being, with all proceeds going to Conroy’s Basement / Rad Apples in Dundee and Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights. Legacies as an instant winner for fans of post-hardcore or old-school emo, packed with

We spoke to the band to get an insight into the latest release, and on how coronavirus has impacted them.

How would you sum up [the band] for someone who’s just discovering you?

  • Ross: Yikes, I’m normally pretty bad at this part, but let’s give it a bash: ‘punk music made by people who don’t listen to all that much punk anymore’.
  • Ken: Haha! Punchy, pulsating post-hardcore? It’s probably post-something. I actually don’t really know. Maybe Cal’s got a better answer…
  • Cal: The music is pretty aggressive but don’t let that put you off, we’re really OK guys. 
Continue reading “Interview: Stonethrower on Legacies and Lockdown”

Podcast: Punk Rock Radio – Round #1

Listen to our fresh new radio show: an hour of punk rock and chat. Featuring Hightime, Sunliner, Modern Shakes, Cigar, Link 80, Not on Tour and many more.

I’ve taken a bit of a hiatus with our regular Shout Louder Podcast activity – largely to do laziness! After weeks of coronavirus lockdown, I thought it was time to share some new music with you, albeit in a different format to usual.

Rather than my usual offbeat interview-style, I’ve compiled a radio show of new punk rock releases, with a few older favourites thrown in. I’ve talked my usual absolute nonsense between songs for you listening pleasure.

Listen below or subscribe on Soundcloud / any decent podcast platform for an hour of upbeat tunes.

Continue reading “Podcast: Punk Rock Radio – Round #1”

Punk Rock Tour Tales #8: Matty from Roughneck Riot

Matty Roughneck gives us is favourite memories (and lack of memories) of life on tour in the Euro DIY punk scene.

Punk Rock Tour Tales is a new Shout Louder feature, where we interview bands about their tour stories. Read them all here.

Before the coronacoaster got rolling, Warrington’s folks-punks Roughneck Riot were booked to make a highly anticipated return to the live circuit. After nearly 15 years of touring, earning themselves a reputation as one of the riotous bands the UK punk scene has to offer, they took a one-year hiatus in 2019 to recoup some energy.

We took some time out to speak to Matty about his favourite road stories, including many that he’s forgotten.

Of the touring you’ve done, what’s been your favourite so far?  

Pretty tough question for a couple of reasons. There’s been so many tours, with good and bad parts to them that it’s hard to say what was the best. They also seem to blend into one big tour in my head and a lot of the memories have been blurred by the finest beverages and such from across the mainland.

Continue reading “Punk Rock Tour Tales #8: Matty from Roughneck Riot”

Punk Rock and Mindful Hope

Mark McConville reflects on the importance of punk rock in uncertain times, and its power to mentally uplift us.

Written by Mark McConville. Cover photo by Cold Front Photography.

Punk rock can save us from the mundanity of life. It can aid us in silencing the demons at large who thrust their voices in our heads.

They say punk is a lifestyle, one which only some can endure. That’s not true, as punk is a universal genre of music and culture, instilled in the framework of this breaking planet. To be truthful, punk is needed more than ever in these unprecedented times where animosity is overthrowing human affection. People are changing, they’re frightened, which is understandable, but love has been undermined by stupidity and panic.

Punk rock isn’t a cure, nor is it a foundation to lay problems upon. What it does is create collaborations amongst musicians and writers, even in virtual terms. It also has the charm to build friendships and conversations.  

Continue reading “Punk Rock and Mindful Hope”

Punk Rock Tour Tales #7: Max Kaspar of CHRISTMAS and Subkultura Booking

We speak to Max from longstanding German hardcore punks CHRISTMAS about their experiences on the road.


Punk Rock Tour Tales is a new Shout Louder feature, where we interview bands about their tour stories. Read them all here.

Christmas are an unstoppable German punk act who’ve survived thirteen releases in ten years, 500 gigs across 13 countries and 14 worn-out former band members.

Earlier this year, Christmas released their latest full-lengths Hot Nights In Saint Vandal, with the help of Kidnap Music and TNSrecords. We thought it would be a great time to quiz Max Kaspar (who’s also part of the team at EU booking agency Subkultura Booking) about his time on the road.

Of the touring you’ve done, what’s been your favourite so far?

A pretty big thing was our last tour, Spain in October. Totally relaxed routing, well-attended shows, brilliant atmosphere in the audience and delicious food. The people loved us, we loved them!

Continue reading “Punk Rock Tour Tales #7: Max Kaspar of CHRISTMAS and Subkultura Booking”

Podcast: COVID-19 Drunkcast with Josh Sumner from Fair Do’s [S3 E4]

Enjoy this special extra-shambolic episode of the Shout Louder podcast, to bring light to your locked-down lives.

In an effort to bring some light to your locked-down lives, we’ve recorded an absolute shambling train wreck of a podcast for your entertainment.

Josh plays bass in Fair Do’s, takes excellent live music photographs under the moniker Cold Front Photography, and is an integral part of the Shout Louder operation behind the scenes. He’s also not usually allowed near microphones for reasons that will become immediately obvious.

Full of in jokes and with almost no relevance to music whatsoever, we run the verbal gamut of mental health, technology, hygiene, elephants and shitting in salad bowls.

We hope that this bonus episode will bring some relief from the lockdown, the coughing and daily enforced viewings of Boris Johnson’s droopy mug. Apologies in advance for everything you’re about to hear.

Continue reading “Podcast: COVID-19 Drunkcast with Josh Sumner from Fair Do’s [S3 E4]”

Volunteers: The Unsung Heroes of Manchester Punk Fest

Manchester Punk Festival is a large multi-venue festival taking place in April each year. Remaining fervently DIY, it is staffed by a dedicated volunteers who come back every year. As part of that group, Sarah endeavoured to find out what makes MPF’s volunteer team so special. 

Article by Sarah Williams, originally written for the Manchester Punk Festival 2020 programme. 

The heart of DIY is a willingness to dedicate your time and energy for the love of punk. While MPF is run by a collective, there’s a supportive group of volunteers working behind the scenes at the event: packing and selling merchandise, running the stages, looking after the bands, wrist-banding and making sure that you’re having the best festival possible.

“The volunteers are such a crucial part of this weekend, we wouldn’t be able to do it without them,” says Kaz Hinsley, who helps to head up the volunteer team. “Each and every person that helps in some way really does make the weekend run more smoothly.”

Volunteering at MPF is unlike volunteering at any other event. Everyone pitches in a few hours, with a big grin on their face, proud to be helping the festival run without a hitch. It’s a stark contrast to commercial festivals, where volunteering can mean struggling through a six hour shift on a comedown, covered in glitter and mud, doing the bare minimum to earn yourself a ticket. MPF’s volunteers are all keen to see that the festival operates at the highest standard possible. Continue reading “Volunteers: The Unsung Heroes of Manchester Punk Fest”

Follow Your Dreams’ Manchester Punk Fest Interview

Enjoy this in-depth interview with Manchester hardcore genre-smashers Follow Your Dreams, originally to be included in the Manchester Punk Festival program.

Article by Sarah Williams. Cover photo by Hold My Pint.

Sadly, this year’s Manchester Punk Fest has fallen victim to the COVID-19 catastrophe. Before then, Shout Louder had been working to write this year’s MPF program, including a series of band interviews. Rather than waste everyone’s hard work, we decided to post the interviews for your enjoyment here (plus keep an eye on Ear Nutrition for an excellent interview with Shai Hulud).

To start, I had an excellent chat with Manchester genre-benders Follow Your Dreams. Evolved from old-school ska-core band Rising Strike, with TNSrecords‘ behind-the-scenes legend Kaz Hinsley providing vocals, Follow Your Dreams and one of the greatest up-and-coming bands in the UK punk scene right now. Be sure to check out their new full-length record The Half Life of Teaspoons out on TNSrecords now.

We spoke to guitarist / vocalist / all-round awesome dude, Tom Houseman, ahead of MPF. Continue reading “Follow Your Dreams’ Manchester Punk Fest Interview”