Bingley Music Live 2017 Preview

Every year, the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire throws a cheap and winning festival at Myrtle Park in Bingley, Bingley Music Live. So head for the live music at the start of September, Friday-Sunday, September 1st-3rd:

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1st

Main Stage Manic Street Preachers To headline the first day of Bingley Music Live (QRO photos at a festival), the festival has recruited the quintessentially British (QRO photos in the U.K.) – but also quintessentially Welsh – Manic Street Preachers (QRO live review). Emerging from the U.K. punk scene of the eighties, ‘The Manics’ (QRO photos) shifted to an alternative sound, but still with leftist agitation. They gained unwanted notoriety when co-lyricist and rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards literally disappeared in 1995, but have continued on, never splitting & reforming like so many late greats.

Maxïmo Park There are some bands that make the top ten in Britain, and Americans only wish their national audience was as cool in their taste – case in point, Maxïmo Park (QRO photos at a festival). The English act (QRO live review) has charted in Blighty with all six of their records (most recently with this year’s Risk To Exist – QRO review – 2014’s Too Much Information – QRO review – and 2012’s The National Health – QRO review), earning their status on in the festival food chain in their native country (QRO photos at a U.K. festival).

Also: Twin Atlantic – QRO photos Cabbage

Discovery Stage Tom Grennan The Pale White Dead Pretties Lea Porcelain

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2nd

Main Stage Kaiser Chiefs Leeds’ Kaiser Chiefs (QRO photos at a festival) had an alt-cheek to their 2005 debut Employment, but like other Anglo alt-acts that broke out around then, they’ve declined since then, with the mixed Off With Their Heads (QRO review) and poor Yours Truly, Angry Mob (QRO review). 2012’s Start the Revolution Without Me (QRO review), 2014’s Education, Education, Education & War (QRO review), and last year’s Stay Together (QRO review) aren’t a return to Employment, but do deliver – and they’ve still got a job (QRO live review).

Pete Doherty Great Britain is already well familiar with Pete Doherty. He rose to fame as co-frontman for The Libertines with Carl Barât (QRO live review) and his own Babyshambles. He also became known for his drug, legal, and relationship issues, including a stormy coupledom with Kate Moss (who has since married Jamie Hince of The Kills). He’s had a similar on-again, off-again relationship with the rest of The Libertines, finally reuniting two years ago for Anthems For Doomed Youth. And he’s still one of the most compelling frontmen in England, so catch him solo at Bingley Music Live.

Milburn Even bands from earlier this century/millennium have broken up & reunited, such as Sheffield’s indie-rock Milburn, who ended their run in 2008, only to get back together last year.

Sundara Karma Embrace the art-pop of Reading’s Sundara Karma, who come to Bingley Music Live behind this year’s debut full-length, Youth Is Only Ever Fun In Retrospect.

British Sea Power All hail the navy blue might of British Sea Power (QRO spotlight on). This (yes) British act (QRO live review in the U.K.) is no stranger to land-locked Britain, having played everywhere from sea level to U.K.’s highest pub. While no record can quite match 2003 debut The Decline of British Sea Power, albums such as Do You Like Rock Music? (QRO review), Valhalla Dancehall (QRO review), and this year’s Let the Dancers Inherit the Party (QRO review), they’re epic in all the right ways, and a great fit for a festival anywhere (QRO photos at a festival). So have no “Fear of Drowning” (QRO video), ‘cause “It Ended On an Oily Stage” (QRO video).

Also: Yak Dan Owen Willie J Healey Sifaka

Discovery Stage The Big Moon – QRO photos at a festival Stevie Parker Tigercub Anteros – QRO photos at a festival Fangclub The Old Pink House The Shimmer Band The Harriets

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3rd

Main Stage The Wombats There are some acts that you can’t help but enjoy, and Liverpool’s The Wombats (QRO spotlight on) are one. The infectious electric sound of 2007 debut A Guide To Love, Lose & Desperation and songs such as “Moving To New York” (QRO video) and “Here Comes the Anxiety” (QRO video) was followed-up nicely in 2011 with This Modern Glitch (QRO review), and songs like “Techno Fan” (QRO video) and “Tokyo (Vampires and Wolves)” (QRO video). And in 2015 The Wombats (QRO interview) returned with Glitterbug (QRO review) and pieces such as “This Is Not a Party” (QRO video) and “Emoticons” (QRO video).

Feeder While they’ve never really broken outside of the British home, Wales’ Feeder (QRO live review) have been a consistent hit on the Isles (QRO photos), and now bring their alt-rock back home (QRO photos at an English festival) behind this year’s Arrow.

Soul II Soul During the alt-soul/rap boom of the early nineties, Britain’s best was Soul II Soul, with chart-toppers “Back To Life (However Do You Want Me)” and “Keep On Movin’”, not to mention two Grammys.

Badly Drawn Boy Over a decade & a half ago, Damon Gough, a.k.a. Badly Drawn Boy (QRO photos), was a sleeper hit with his debut The Hour of Bewilderbeast and soundtrack to About a Boy. However, the years haven’t been that kind to the middle-aged Boy (QRO photos), with less impressive records like It’s What I’m Thinking, Pt. 1 – Photographing Snowflakes (QRO review). His Bingley Music Live appearance will be one of his first since his tour celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of Bewilderbeast (QRO live review).

Little Comets From Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Little Comets (QRO photos at a festival) jumped right to the majors, and then right off again, with 2011’s In Search of Elusive Little Comets & their ‘kitchen sink indie’.

Also: High Tyde Krumm Your Illuminations

Discovery Stage The Orielles Muncie Girls Get Inuit Island Neon Waltz Tom Walker Marsicans Able’s Army