Festival Review: Beat The Streets 2024

Serena Jasmine at Rock City
After first witnessing Serena Jasmine live at Hockley Hustle, I knew I wanted to see her again. Both her placement on The Carousel’s stage at Hockley Hustle and on the main stage of Rock City for Beat The Streets were as a result of the Young Creative Awards, which she won with her song Rerooting. This song featured in her Beat The Streets set, alongside tracks such as Sincerity and The Game from her EP of the same name. The new, unreleased songs that she debuted also went down well with the crowd, including one where she played guitar while singing and another which was dreamy and atmospheric enough for the listener to get lost in on an early Sunday afternoon in Rock City. Gemma Cockrell

Beans on Toast at Rock City
Honorary Nottingham legend Beans on Toast followed Serena Jasmine, with the venue noticeably filling up in the latter half of her set. The mastermind behind Nottingham’s very own Foolhardy Folk Festival, which he hosts in collaboration with DHP, Beans was the only artist on the lineup who wasn’t native to Nottingham but the city really has adopted him as one of our own, so that was hardly noticeable. Beans has a unique way of combining humour and light-heartedness with serious topics such as climate change and the homelessness crisis, which fitted in perfectly with the theme of Beat The Streets, with all of the money from ticket sales and drinks going directly to Framework. “Drink irresponsibly!” said Beans, and I’m sure many of us did. He was the perfect act for Beat The Streets. Gemma Cockrell

Cam Mannix at Rock City
I had never seen Cam Mannix perform before, but when I interviewed Dean Jackson back in August, he told me that Cam was one of the artists from Nottingham who he has his eye on. That was enough to convince me to check him out - Dean knows his stuff, after all. When introducing Cam to the stage, he once again referred to him as his “favourite Nottingham artist,” an incredibly bold statement and one that Cam now had to live up to. But he didn’t succumb to the pressure; instead, he lived up to the hype that Dean had created. Joined by a full band behind him, Cam provided a thirty-minute set of tight, well-rehearsed indie-rock tunes. If you haven’t had the opportunity to catch him live yet, then he will be headlining Rough Trade on 11 May - we’ll see you there. Gemma Cockrell

Alfie Sharp at Rock City Beta
Having interviewed Alfie Sharp a few weeks ago, it’s safe to say I had high expectations going into his set at Rock City Beta. Arriving straight from Cam Mannix’s set on the main stage, the smaller room was already packed with people waiting to see Alfie perform - even if his request for some house light so he could see us all wasn’t met. Starting off with two songs from his upcoming EP, Wasted and All or Nothing, before playing his first ever single Nostalgia which was released back in 2019, Alfie’s vocals shone throughout and I can only begin to imagine how excellent they will be when he performs his EP in full at the launch show, which is taking place on 13 March at Peggy’s Skylight. Gemma Cockrell

THePETEBOX at Rock City
Even though he now resides in London, THePETEBOX refers to Nottingham as his “stomping ground” and it was clear he was happy to be back, particularly since his brother (CJ Mirra’s Maze) and childhood best friend (Panchiko) were on the same lineup. He brought a set of covers to the Rock City main stage, complete with his own beat box spin. From an XXXtentacion mash-up to the version of Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) that he performed on The Voice UK last year, Pete got everyone in the building moving thanks to his high energy and infectious beats. What Pete does is incredibly impressive; he admitted to having lacked confidence in the past but now he is proving to himself that he “can do this'' - and I can confirm he definitely can. Gemma Cockrell

Girlband at Rock City
The fact that Girlband are such an established live act, with little to no presence on streaming services, blows me away every time I see them perform. Beat The Streets was no different; the trio performed for 45 minutes (longer than some bands who have full albums out) on the Rock City main stage, proving why they are able to tour the UK without any officially released songs. They remind me of The Last Dinner Party in the sense that they have cut their teeth performing live, establishing a dedicated fan base who are eagerly awaiting studio versions of songs like 21st Century Suffragette, which they already know all the words to despite them currently being unreleased. Make sure you catch them on 18 May at Rescue Rooms as part of their upcoming headline tour, because once they do release their upcoming single Not Like The Rest at the end of this month, tickets are going to be hard to come by. Gemma Cockrell

Chloe Rodgers at Red Room
Perhaps the softest, quietest act I saw all day was Chloe Rodgers, upstairs in Rescue Rooms’ Red Room. Accompanied by one bandmate on guitar, and playing guitar herself, Chloe’s performance was stunning in its simplicity. Unfortunately, some members at the back of the crowd, nearer to the bar, were talking loudly throughout most of the set, which was a shame as I think Chloe’s talent would have shone brighter had the room been quieter. But although you wouldn’t have been able to hear a pin drop, her set was still highly enjoyable, and was a welcome moment of introspection and relaxation in between some of the higher energy acts I’d seen earlier in the afternoon. Gemma Cockrell

The Cost of Loving at Rescue Rooms
The final act I saw at Beat The Streets (I had to get a train home, don’t judge me for leaving early) was The Cost of Loving at Rescue Rooms. After their name initially drew me to them, I was even more eager to see them perform after interviewing them a few weeks ago, and they provided the perfect, upbeat end to my evening. While a lot of the artists I had seen used guitar as their core instrument, synths and keys were The Cost of Loving’s driving force, and Rescue Rooms suited them very well as a venue. Performing their singles Remorse Code and Esports Player as well as previewing some new unreleased songs, I’m looking forward to seeing what The Cost of Loving have coming up later this year. Gemma Cockrell

Vandal Savage at The Bodega
The DC comic character Vandal Savage is older than human civilisation and the Nottingham hip hop artist of the same name gave us the kind of wisdom and knowledge his namesake probably gained. Appearing alongside DJ Landlord at The Bodega on a Sunday afternoon is not the easiest time slot but the smooth bass, beats and loops certainly helped to give a great performance. As a former homeless person, Vandal Savage was able to explain the important work of Beat The Streets charity and his thirty minutes of fame on the day ended far too soon. Bassey

Jimmy Rocket at The Bodega
Jimmy Rocket was next up at The Bodega, a close collaborator of Vandal Savage and in fact the two of them joined forces at the end of this set. Once again accompanied by the genius DJ Landlord, Jimmy Rocket performed against an almost lazy jazzy background of tracks, perfect for the occasion and his interaction with the crowd was appreciated by everyone. Bassey

Set In Motion at Rough Trade
An alternative indie rock band with BBC Introducing all over them, what’s not to like? Set In Motion played to a packed room at Rough Trade and they loved every minute of it. Having just released their debut single Break Free, this event was perfect timing for the four-piece rock band and the lads were given a great reception from the Rough Trade crowd. Bassey

Bored Marsh at Rough Trade
Bored Marsh, whose name is a play on Nottingham’s very own Broadmarsh Shopping Centre, are a band that I am sure will go far. Haunting vocals, guitar riffs popping up all over the place, bomb shelter bass playing and the steadiest of rock steady drumming. This band was a perfect fit for the Rough Trade fans, I don’t recall the room this packed for a very long time. Catch these guys now! Bassey

Bad Milk Blood Robot at Red Room
The Red Room at Rescue Rooms is easily overlooked but if you missed this performance by Bad Milk Blood Robot, then you really did let yourself down. With a double A side single just out and a fan base known as The Herd, this was everything I hoped for. They play loud - really loud - chaos rock, with a hard partying approach to their music. Did I mention they were loud? Drums, bass, guitar, synth and vocals were all tight; it was a faultless performance. Keep an eye out for this band in 2024. Bassey

Penny Moon at The Bodega
Pop-rock band Penny Moon were the ones to officially kick things off at The Bodega, providing a dreamy, moody, yet punchy start to the day. These guys have been on my radar since I first heard Slow Down, their wistful, powerhouse track released in May of last year. It’s impossible not to think of Wolf Alice as you listen to these guys; the soft, bedroom-indie-rock influences float gently through the ethereal vocals. The band alternated dramatically between lighter-than-air instrumentals and full-force guitar rhythms, preparing the crowd for every facet of musical experience they would encounter throughout their day at Beat The Streets. Maddie Dinnage

Davoli at Rock City Beta
I was initially drawn to Davoli after seeing his name on the bill, purely because I hadn’t heard of him before. The set came at a perfect time for the artist, as his aptly-named, debut album Notes For a New Year was released just a few days prior, giving him the perfect chance to test out his new tracks in front of a packed audience in Rock City’s Beta venue. Aided by a talented band of musicians, Davoli delivered a vibrant snapshot of his songwriting abilities, infusing his lyrics with full-bodied narratives, and overlaying them with jangly guitar melodies.
Maddie Dinnage

Midnight Rodeo at Rock City
I’ve been an avid listener of Midnight Rodeo since they released The Big Melt in 2022, but I have never had the pleasure of seeing them perform live. Though they only have four tracks available on streaming platforms, their personal brand of psychedelic-pop has garnered them an impressive fanbase. It is no surprise then that they’d attracted quite the crowd for their set on the Rock City main stage. With layers of dreamy synths, twangy guitars, and sugary-sweet vocals, Midnight Rodeo delivered a kaleidoscopic performance which is equal parts liberating and hypnotic. With their groove-infused rhythms, they transported the Nottingham punters to the sun-drenched lands of the free - just what we needed in the final week of a never ending January. These guys have the potential to become one of Nottingham’s biggest breakout acts; I am looking forward to hearing what they put out next… Maddie Dinnage

These Wicked Rivers at Rock City
Admittedly, I was dragged along to this one. My Beat The Streets partner is a huge fan of traditional rock-and-roll, so These Wicked Rivers’s set on the Rock City main stage was a non-negotiable must-see. Thank goodness for that! Frontman John Hartwell’s vocals have him bordering on Deity-status, meanwhile lead guitarist Arran Day nabs himself the title as the best guitarist I’ve seen live. His shredding found new heights and nuances over the duration of their 45-minute set, before imploding into sheer oblivion with the final track. These guys don’t just look and sound like rock-stars, but they are true to the main ethos of rock-and-roll - they create music which is deeply emotional and meaningful. They maintain the perfect balance between technical mastery and lyrical profoundness, resulting in a live performance which feels more like a spiritual ascension. What started as a compromise between me and a friend ended with a firm new fan for These Wicked Rivers. I’m looking forward to seeing how they top this legendary performance at their Rough Trade gig on 1 March. Maddie Dinnage

Bexx at Rock City Beta
Despite plenty of tough competition, the Beta room at Rock City was packed out for Nottingham’s favourite synth-pop princess, Bexx. Coming off the back of several successful Sofar Sounds performances across the country, it’s an acoustic performance today which really enables the strength of Bexx’s voice and the charm of her songwriting to take centre stage. With the set drawing heavily from her debut EP SUCKER released last year, it seems the tales of hapless romance have struck a chord with those in attendance, as the crowd loudly belt out the words to I’m Disgusting and Stupid. “If anybody recorded that, can you send it to me so I can watch it on replay forever?” Bexx asks, clearly taken aback by the crowd reaction to the songs. But the best moments are saved for last as early single Hard To Love becomes a beautiful moment of vulnerability with its new stripped-back arrangement, before SUCKER highlight Bad For Each Other delivers a triumphant climax to the set. An artist who just keeps getting better and the scary thing is - Bexx is only just getting started. Karl Blakesley

ROB.GREEN at Rock City Beta
It’s that time of day. Beta is packed wall-to-wall and a crowd of people are standing in the doorway trying to get even the smallest glimpse of what’s happening on the stage. The words “’Ay-up Nottingham!” are then greeted by loud cheers as Rob Green’s infectious smile beams from the stage. His performances at these inner-city festivals in Nottingham have become the stuff of local legend at this point, with everyone desperate to get involved and absorb the positive energy in the room. And that they do, as the pop-up choir made up of (possibly tipsy at this point) punters loudly assist on Sleeping On My Own, I’ll Be Around and Headstrong. “I’ve been doing my tax return this morning, I needed this today!” states a clearly overwhelmed Rob. However, it is a technical mishap that accidentally creates the most magical moment of the set, as the PA system unexpectedly cuts out midway through Rob’s medley finale. Not phased and taking it all in stride, he continues acapella with the crowd emphatically taking the lead on the likes of Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive and Aloe Blacc’s I Need A Dollar, before the power is then back up and running for the final few mash-ups. Another incredible performance from Rob and the perfect advert for his Notts headline show this March. Karl Blakesley

The Publics at Rescue Rooms
Into the evening and the Rescue Rooms stage is boasting a strong line-up of the county’s fastest rising indie bands, starting with Mansfield’s The Publics. Channelling the palpable energy of early Arctic Monkeys, their set is filled with blistering riffs, big choruses and some of the biggest mosh pits of the day. No more so than during the inescapably catchy finale of Karen’s Song, with the Rescue Rooms crowd belting out the “Na Na, Na Na Na Na” refrain and clapping along in unison. With one of their guitarists then jumping into the crowd and getting everyone to sit on the floor, the place erupts in joyous euphoria. “We sold out Bodega back in December and have this room booked for later this year.” Based on that electric performance, I think they’ll have no problem selling that out either. Karl Blakesley

The Chase at Rescue Rooms
The day has been filled with some incredible performances but arguably none were more riotous than the one from St. Anns-hailing indie-ska outfit, The Chase. With Everton Manager and Notts music superfan Sean Dyche in attendance, the band blitzed through the likes of Bonzo Bonanza, La La La and a cover of The Specials’ Ghost Town, with the packed crowd fully taking the opportunity to have a good ol’ knees-up. Before long, it soon turns into complete carnage as the bombastic Trumpet causes chaotic scenes at the front of the stage, with flat-capped keyboard player James jumping into the audience for a spot of crowd-surfing at the end. With a full UK headline tour coming up in April, word is about to get out about The Chase - catch them in the small venues while you still can. Karl Blakesley

Beat The Streets took place on Sunday 28 January 2024