Review: JT Soar Fest 2024 at the Old Cold Store

I was immensely pleased to hear that JT Soar were putting on a festival this year. A real success story and grass roots DIY legends over the years, they've done so much for so many people in Nottingham and elsewhere, bringing international bands to our little corner of Sneinton.

I was also surprised it's been going 15 years. It just doesn't seem that long. I remember going to the venue for the first time and being told it was difficult to find but there might be a few friends outside, which luckily there were. No such problems finding the Vat and Fiddle / Old Cold Store as I used to work at the Vat many moons ago...

DAY ONE

Having bought my ticket ages ago I was pleasantly surprised to be asked to write up the event. Arriving through the match day crowd, the bar was extra busy, but very pleasant and welcoming. Threading my way through to the Old Cold Store I soon saw familiar faces.

An eclectic set of bands the opening act had already started - Softness, a local Notts band. Its was good to see them, post punk thumping, deep rhythmic songs in the best traditions of rock, and roots firmly in punk.

Gimic from Bristol were altogether faster and more manic. Snarling, crashing songs with weird guitars and some great basslines, they hardly paused to take breath. I was very taken with their stage presence.

Marcel Wave were new to me, with droning seemingly disinterested vocals they reminded me of the mighty Prolapse, but with a solo singer and the presence of Misty's Big Adventure. Weaving worlds of interest out of nothing: pure, mesmerising doom pop.

To contrast this, Good News were on next from Sheffield, and one I'd seen supporting Stuart Pearce (of which more later) and had been mightily impressed. An amazing sound that defied categorisation, but fell into the anti-folk/indie/experimental area. Delighting in percussion-heavy tunes with seemingly random inclusion of extra drums, cow bells, maracas and clarinet? Obscuring and obtuse, their songs were nevertheless, political but not party. They were clearly comfortable to experiment and came across with confidence and exuberance. I'll be interested to see what they do next.

Indie punk garage stalwarts, Milky Wimpshake, a band name I still struggle with when excitedly drunk, were on next. With Jo guesting as bassist for holidaying Christine, they were as entertaining, witty, tender and emotional as ever. Pete's rendition of True Love Will Find You In The End still brings a lump to my throat and I got a bit misty eyed.

All the way from Falmouth, Holiday Ghosts made light (or dark and spooky) of their name and Halloween. With quite a garage rock sound they certainly set feet tapping.

Next, Foyer Red had a wonderful slightly squeaky dual vocals with snappy tunes; listening back to them this week, they were really great: I was particularly taken with Plumbers Unite! from the album Yarn the Hours Away. Definitely odd, but curiously enticing.

I have UT on the old Blast First records compilation: nothing short of total war, that was a CD I bought because AC Temple were on it. I was very excited to finally see them, and I wasn't disappointed. New Yorkers, having played with everyone of importance, they were one of my highlights of the evening. Old and new stuff, they were great to chat to before and after the set, discussing music and the etiquette of photography, especially as we all get a bit older. They seemed to like my photos anyway and were great to talk with.

Lung Leg from Glasgow were a visual delight, though they had a few technical problems to start with. Once that was sorted they were a stunning musical delight, jangly 90s indie pop and riot grrrl
sensibilities. They also presented a fringe film screening on Sunday morning: Since Yesterday - the untold story of Scottish girl bands.

Headliners Swell Maps C21 completed Saturday's line up, with Jowe Head leading a supergroup. You just had to be there. I remember years ago my housemate banging on about them and at last, I was there watching them and taking it all in. Brilliant. Even turning a broken string into an performance before asking to borrow a guitar which was quickly procured. Encouraged back on stage for an encore, this wasn't a gig, it was an event.

DAY TWO

Sunday morning and I woke up too late to attend the film screening. Alcoholic shenanigans? Really? On a Saturday night? I found out from fellow attendee David that his father had, as a young boy, travelled on his grandfather's cart when he used to buy fruit and veg from a certain John Soar of JT Soar. Mentioning the venue brought both a generational connection and happy memories for them both. Amazing things like this happen through live music.

Stuart Pearce is always a joy to see and hear, and they were on fine form today, high kicking, jumping and swinging the microphone around at every opportunity.

They are still developing and matured their sound, less Fall, more politics and rhythm. And what a sound! Relentless and loud.

Are you a member of the union yet?

What a delightful surprise Jeuce were. A duo – just drums and a slice of beautiful insanity through song: songs about getting drunk and partying and more alcohol. They were incredible. It was so difficult to get a photo of Jen as she deserted the stage and took over the floor in the shadows, dodging and diving around.

Jer Reid and Raymond MacDonald were equally experimental, but in a completely different sphere. Taking the much maligned saxophone to new levels, making the most out of the various noises you can get from it, most of which saxophone players probably never considered. Backed by equally unique guitar playing, this was a stream of noise, although what seemed to be improvisation and randomness but, as with the best musicians, was structured in a way you never imagined it. Impressive.

One half of Rattle, Katie, admitted that if it hadn't been for JT Soar they would probably have played bass or something. Long time favourites and a continuing presence with JT Soar, this drumming duo, keep pushing the horizons of what two drummers can do together.

I remembered at some point there was a question of how to pronounce the name Geo and one that wasn't resolved as far as I remember; nevertheless, this Dutch group made the audience very happy. Quirky and experimental.

Cowtown are absolute favourites of the indie garage power punk scene. a relentless smashing of tunes, I was at the front, dancing away with members of Milky Wimpshake, with our matching pom pom tiaras. There's no way the feeling of a Cowtown gig can really be expressed in words, but I managed a deliberate blur of colours in a few photos which got close. An energetic and relentless smashing of pop song after pop song. Why aren't they massive?

Tyvek were a Detroit guitar-based indie garage group making a rare return to the UK. Quick paced and intense lyrics, semi-spoken / shouted, named after a polythene fibre, they are equally durable and versatile.

Ah The Nightingales, alternatively abbreviated as The 'Gales. Long-standing West Midlands punk, post punk noise merchants, centred on founder and singer Robert Lloyd enjoying a resurgence, or as they later said, a support band to Stewart Lee's film King Rocker, one of the best music documentaries I've watched. Pausing only intermittently between songs, The 'Gales are always interesting, difficult to categorise, entertaining and great to listen to.

A fitting end to the weekend's live music. DJs on both days kept everyone happy and I ended the evening playing a Nightingales kazoo along to Dexy's Midnight Runners' Geno. Probably the only instrument I can play competently...

Here's to next year!

JT Soar Fest took place at the Old Cold Store on 2nd-3rd November 2024. There are even more photos to look at here.