Heard It Here First - #44 CloseUp Festival Special

Welcome back to her day here first. The podcast where we put the spotlight on the art as you need to know, before everyone helps us. And today's episode is a really, really special one. We've teamed up with Close Up Festival to bring you an inside look at one of the most exciting grassroots festivals, championing new music right now. Across this episode we'll be diving into the story behind the festival with founder Sam Tucker, and hearing directly from some of the incredible artists on this year's lineup, so impellably wise, only real, and there's a e-sau. If you're into discovering your next favourite band before they blow up, you're in the right place. Let's get into it. Alright, so before we get into the artists, because there are a lot of good ones on this lineup, we wanted to actually understand the festival itself. Like, how does something like Close Up Festival even start? And what makes it different from everything else that's out there right now? So we caught up with the founder, Sam Tucker, to talk about where the idea came from, how it's grown, and what this year's looking like. It's like conversation. So for the first question, for anyone just discovering like Close Up Festival 3 this episode, what is Close Up Festival in your own words? Ooh, that's great. That's a great first question. I think to be honest, it's kind of, this whole thing is just sort of snowballed out of control, where like it started off where like, for me, it's like, oh, like, I'm going to be like, for the, I suppose, the party line. It's like, it's the sort of biggest of it. It's our biggest yearly event. It's our biggest yearly party. It's kind of all Close Up Roads lead to our festival, and that comes with the artists that we book or often artists that I've wanted to book for a really long time, and that perhaps we haven't been able to because they have their own headline shows. So suddenly doing a festival means it's slightly different. So they're kind of like, I guess really it's just the biggest thing we do. But it's kind of come from, I started in Winchester where I grew up in a fairly reputable but very small venue called The Railway Inn, which is always in like the MVT Save Us Now list. It doesn't bone well, but I've got a close up festival started. But no, it started there. I was at university in Port Smith, and I was doing events management, and I was like, always like, love discovering new music, and I was like, this kind of like, I was always at gigs, and I was always kind of starting to get within like the local hampsha scene, I guess, but one of that phrase, which is kind of like Sad Hansen and Port Smith really are the two main touring stops. But I was really early on, I was like, I'm just going to try and put a festival on because they taught me how to do it at university, and they definitely didn't teach me how to do it. And it was, it was all right. It was all right. It was a bit of a car crash, but it was enough for me to go, oh, I actually want to do this. Like, I want to do this, why I want my life and career to be as like, I want to be book an artist. I think probably booking that festival since I'm the most embarrassing emails, I can't even look back at them to like some of the biggest agents in the world trying to get the 1975 to play 150 cat festivals in Winchester. But it's kind of, yeah, and it's kind of just snowboard, so it started out there, and then I kind of realized quite early on that like London is such a sense piece for this kind of thing, and just there's 10 million people in London, maybe that's that. That's probably 10 million people in London, and there isn't in all these other places, and London scene, a bit like Manchester, like two fairs, the two cities that you were saying you're from here are like Liverpool Manchester London, I think, a generally clued into things before cities. Yeah. And so started there, and then last year with some COVID number fudging was our 10th anniversary, which is kind of crazy, makes me feel really old as well. But yeah, kind of, for me, it's always just been the thing that like I've always wanted to do, and like when we've come up a lot of shows, we've got a lot of like partners, we work with Pretty Green and Dorke on like other events, which gives us access to like some of those artists that we might not otherwise get, but with the festival it's like it's all close up, it's like it's all curated purely by myself, and like a couple of people that help us out on the team, and it's all basically just like, how do I give myself the best three days? It's to be honest, how it's kind of, is it how do I, how can I see as many artists as I want to within three days? And that's kind of how it starts really. Love it. And was there a moment or like a gap in the scene that made you think this festival needs to exist? You know what, I wish I could say that I had that much like forward thinking, I think at the time, I think actually weirdly now I do think that. I think at the time, it was a bit headless chicken as an approach, but now I very much think that like if you look at like May, as like a month, first week, if you got your sound cities and like you're in the live at Leeds, previously, and then you've got focus wells, and then you've got the greatest scape, and then you've got neighborhood, and you've got all these and Dr. Doc, which big shout out those guys, we love those guys. But there's not a London one. There was wide awake festivals, which is a little bit different, but there isn't really like a metropolitan London festival in this window. So we kind of certainly when I did realise that about four or five years ago, it's kind of tried to become that and try and have like will often a lot of the artists that like are playing the greatest gate will also stay, even if they're international artists will often stay and then come and do close up festival that we can after or for example, some of our line up this year, we're playing close up festival in the Friday and then Dr. Doc on the Saturday and Sunday. So I think slowly, slowly it's becoming hopefully the sort of London stop of those May festivals. It's interesting because it's kind of in one venue, but we do sort of take it over and have like different rooms and different spaces and like a pop up bar and DJ sets outside and things like this, like really that's kind of the difficult thing is trying to differentiate it from just like a gig. But ultimately because of like conversations like this with people like yourselves and the sort of network of people we're trying to build around it, I think it's slowly getting there, I think. But yeah, definitely, definitely can't say I planned that. Was there like a specific artist show or like experience that you've had that pushed you to start it? Was there like an artist you thought, I've got a book you one day? I actually got this, this is a good story actually because this is this is probably probably the most like confirmation I've had that we should do it was my first ever gig was I don't see a band called, do you know the band little comments? Yes. Yeah, like one of my favourite bands ever, right? I'd like the first ever gig and the first illegal strong bow and the first toe of a split if I had that as a little comments of the join as well as like 15 and the join is in South Hanson is like it's the play, it's the deaf Institute of South Hanson. And you know what I mean? It's like it's the place where it goes to their first gig. And I put little and yeah, and we saw little comments and that was one of my first gigs that I've ever been to and I was like kind of caught the fever a bit for it all then and I put this on Instagram actually like I spent eight years reaching out to their agents to try and book them like and I've met them a few times along the way and like helped out a couple of them in some of their other bits but as I have to get this band on this festival like this is this is this is my nub worth and basically for the 10 year anniversary last year I managed to get little comments to headline the festival and it was it was amazing. It sold out super quickly but for me it was more importantly to be honest than those things it was just like I was like I write we booked the artist like the first band of everyone to see is the most like full circle moment and and yeah it's it's weird because it's like you don't really I was thinking like God like 15 years later like what my 14 15 year old self would have thought having been able to actually pull that off because it was that like it's just crazy it was the most full circle moment it was such a great day and I think that was the like that was the like wow we actually did it moment I think which is probably compared to some of the other people we have all is like that's a mental we did it but like it's like just like for a very personal level that just felt like the most full circle thing yet to be honest and they sell like me like I said so many emails to people just like hey and then eventually like no it's crazy though isn't it because you don't realize like it's I think music's such an interesting one because it's like I get that there's like booking agents or record labels for example that have been around certainly longer than the 12 years close up has been around so like it probably takes takes a bit of time to kind of get like I get like if I get why they wouldn't necessarily trust the 21 year old kid that never put a gig on before like I have a time I used to be like as mental as if they're not letting me put this gig on and then like actually now I'm like oh I kind of get it but it is mad and it's like guess same for you as well it's it's like suddenly you're just like your 50 episodes in and you're like when did this all happen yeah it's crazy and now we're building up to episode 15 and a couple of weeks and I'm just like what they're like it's time stamp sure I can be I basically use close up festivals like the time stamp for my life but where I lived that year when I was up to and suddenly yeah now we're 11 years which is crazy no it is it's mad and how important is it to you like spotlight in emerging eyes as well as the bigger names I mean it's I think that it's it's a bit of a cliche isn't it to be like oh we love new music and like I actually think what you and I both do it probably is the actual truth of loving new music it's like for us it's I think there's a gen a general issue in the music industry that is like if you look at the look at the major festivals are like you and I would attend your trucks your why not and any all of them to be honest ever even you're reading and leads like every festival there is a genuine issue that I think that there aren't enough headlines so you end up seeing the same things over again which like it's great sometimes I love those bands that get to see once every two years and it's no shade on any of those like major festivals but they find themselves in a like almost like a non curated trap where it's like cool what we've got this person's doing six to the other festival so they're in we'll get them on this one as well and yeah for me the spotlight is both on on new music but also just like trying to build a bit more of a can I be like an emphasis structural help in the building of an infrastructure that allows artists to like develop and grow because for us it's like lots of the artists that play the festival or artists that we've maybe put on before or or certainly seen live before and you're like oh great I love this artist I really want to put them on the show and it doesn't necessarily come from a place of being like We're gonna save the day. It's just like luck My taste is just very and where I work and what close up is is kind of within the sort of 100 to a thousand cap space So generally it is just more emerging artists But I do think there is a wider scale problem that like does need to be addressed that like If you want to go I think if you go to some of these festivals you basically and I do at the time this again It's no shape. It's that I go and see the same sort of 15 artists that I will maybe go and see other events or other festivals And it's like the close up I really try and make it like I think we finally got to a position like in the in the promoting and festival marketplace where God I guess I'm not such a dick, but like I feel like we have maybe are a bit of a taste maker Or certainly try like that my goal as much as as wanted to platform new music is wanting to build a brand that is a Taste maker that actually means that those new artists can play for close up and it it means something like it's almost Less to do necessarily would just be like we love spotlight new music is more about which we which we just inherently do It's more about like building something's curated and different and doesn't just feel the same like with our line up This year for example, it's kind of interesting. It's like the Friday night is like Somewhere between Indian electronic with home counties and this is a fever and girl group like they're kind of in the they're kind of Electronic then the Saturday is like purely electronic like Jim Fila cost is is off on tour with the streets this summer and Just for fun of playing underground club shows around Europe and monks are purely a DJ acting many many ways and Then the Sunday is like proper indeed. It's like pale blue eyes and only real and sandhouse and it's like That's our sort of stretch of genres kind of tied into one but for me it's like I don't want Three days that feel the same. I want like the party people to come on the Friday and Saturday and the indie heads to come on the Sunday Like and maybe even cross over but it's it's more about I guess the curation of something that doesn't feel the same as everything else And within that hopefully building a sort of culture and cultivating an audience that is inherently new music fans anyway Is that's the spaces that we work and I think but um it is interesting isn't it? I mean, I'm sure you go to like loads of festivals right here. It's like I feel I'm not gonna Shade any bands but there's probably a 10 bands that you and I could list that we've probably seen five times at festivals in the last five years Having you and I never met probably before this Yeah, there's the same but you know, I mean because it's this is like a sister drop off and it's crazy to me Yeah, and then there's always those like a backup emergency acts that always just seem to appear not in the name is what the 1975 Always seem to appear and I'm like oh I I sort of think that like Yeah, I think a lot I think I know why it happens and there's like ecosystems that are in place to enable Uh Enable certain companies to have more success than other success, but it is Feels very short term gained to me, but it feels like what what we're gonna do in 10 years when like we can't see cassavian anymore I mean like what we Above from rejoice, but like you know, I mean, I what we can do like when two door cinema club can't do the 22nd and a half anniversary of their debut album like what happens Like what do we do because there isn't there's a big gap now yeah I mean there is gonna be so many more exciting artists coming up and we have been chatting to some of the artists on your lineup Which has been really exciting what excites you most about this group of acts specifically? Um, you know what like I said like it's a little bit We're not dissimilar to the to the last answer where we like for me the group of Trying to build something that like coherently sits together that almost like takes the audience I guess without something super pretentious like on a bit of a journey like your night starts here and it ends here Yeah, it's all about that for us like I think Like I said the Friday Been lucky enough to work with home counties for various different shows for a long time right as I headliners And it's live and trying to get them to do this for a while and it's like they are one of the best life fans I ever see like it's like the six of them. There's cowbells. There's chaos. It's exactly it's exactly what I want to see live and then Jim with the That day in particular Jim and today is probably the most like alternative left field we've ever gone as let's say it as a festival It's probably it's probably it's the least indie day. There's ever been a close up festival and that excites me a lot because it's it's different and that every I It's it's a lot of artists that we've maybe platformed before in slightly different ways But all being together is just like a really that feels like quite a big step for us that Saturday in terms of like what the future of the festival will be And Jim with the I don't know if you've seen him live But it's like last time I saw him live I went to the Lou and I heard someone in the toilet go this guy's like fucking prince And it was the most I was like oh my god. He is like prince And so just watching him live is just an absolute delight and then the Sunday. I think is is kind of like very much Like pale blue eyes. I we I managed to make a swim deep and we had the pleasure of having pale blue eyes on a tour support a couple years ago And I was just like wow this band are like just completely musically amazing Like you can just tell that like everything is effortless there. So like genuinely creative and a in a scene that isn't always that creative But yeah, I saw my it's I'm excited about how it all fits together like I think I kind of what I've said before it's like to me It's like I like all these artists and I'm sure between us we've probably seen lots of them live But it's like it's how the day moves is how you watch people go on this journey of sobriety It's a non sobriety and how and how you kind of like my I feel like we've done a good job if like the room Get incrementally busier every single point throughout the day like if everyone's having a good time Then I'm as happy with the artist as anyone but I think it's a lot of experience. You're trying to create Yeah, and I mean obviously like audience has always feel like different things at festivals you could go away with like more than a brand new band you could go away thinking they were it's going to some art although you're going to be Do you know what do you want some what do you want someone to feel when they leave close up festival I think that there is always like we sort of touched on the start really like an element of new musical discovery right where it's like I want someone to come and find a new favorite band. I think that is Probably again sounds a little bit cliche, but like ultimately like there's loads of people like Also, the pale blue eyes last London show was like 700 people 800 people came to see them So whereas the slow country their last one show is 150 people came to see them And so if of the cohort of people that enjoy pale blue eyes enjoy the slow country Then I think we've done our job right like and I think that's that's kind of what it's about and again That's why I keep like hot going back to that like the curation of it all means so much to us because like we try and have it so So people will find their the sort of the line is really is that people find at least one new band A day that they like and also got to see a band that they love in an intimate space than they've previously been out to see them Right, it's like because for me I didn't know about what you think but like my Even if I name some my favorite bands my favorite gigs are theirs. I never the ones Well, I was at the back of 50,000 people The one front of 300 people, do you know what I mean? Yeah that combination of like I want people to feel like they've seen their favorite artist in a in a unique Different space, but I also want everyone to come away and be like oh, you know what I didn't know about that band or I'd heard that band's name They're really great. Let's go and check them out like it's it's somewhere between those two things is what I'm constantly trying to make And what has been like the biggest challenge so far in building this festival from the ground up Interesting question. I think Well that Covid was pretty wild That was that was which is on whichever one says but that was like we had We booked and announced and then took down two close-up festivals throughout that entire process Which was a lot and as a promoting company and like a independent promoting company as well Not one that like it's basically just myself and a couple of people who will give me some of their time To run this entire company and so That in itself is a big challenge But I think the reputation thing, you know, I think that at the start Like I said, I think it takes a while for people to give people because ultimately I think when I when I manage a band If I in a previous life have been an agent for a band. It's like they're like a like a child to me Like I love them. I care. I want them to do all the right things and I think it took time for people to realize that this was maybe the right thing to do and I think that it's there's no I used to tell myself that you can't shortcut this like you just have to keep going until you get The point where your reputation is good and I don't get to decide when that is like it is I wish I would have decided it was about 2016 otherwise, but unfortunately I think it's taken It just takes time to establish yourself So I think at the start that was one of the biggest challenges another kind of classic challenge is Is the cost of everything goes up like in the last four years as every person who releases his podcast I can attest it's It's just crazy. It's things like it's little things you don't think about it's the The cost of delivery of the back line which is now increased because oil is going through the roof or it's the But the artists probably cost their show cost more now because of it cost more to get a TM and it costs more to Higher a van and it costs more for petrol to come to the show And so all of it is trying to make it work the biggest challenge when I make it work and keep it like affordable and reasonably priced It's kind of why we do like we do like really cheap tier one tickets That's something like 12 pound 50 for the whole day and then they kind of get higher and that is because I want to keep it accessible and people to be able to come but being able to do that in a In a world where the cost is especially land and man honestly it's crazy. It's like trying to get I get something that I really think is a worthwhile thing at a reasonable price is one of the challenges. But I think that we do quite well to keep it accessible. I don't think we've ever had a ticket that's been more than 20 pounds when a lot of the artists, the headline of themselves, their shows probably cost around that, but I take it too. So I try and keep it to like, well, you're gonna see five acts and it's gonna be the same price as the one act you saw last time basically. So I guess like, yeah, finance, the world is the biggest problem with the types of it. - Yeah. - It's not a challenge. - What is the world's problem? - Yeah, if everything falls apart, well. - Yeah, they have no world. - Everyone's fault. - And like, when you started close at festival, what was the long-term vision you had for it and what do you think you've achieved that now? - The little comments thing was definitely a big one. And like, and what that represented really, which was being held because ultimately, I think that anyone that does this, and I bet I'm from the wonderful artists that you've spoken to before as well that we were chatting about earlier. Like, we do it because we love these artists, right? Like, that's like ultimately like, and so like, when I got to have the full circle moment of the first band I ever saw live played the festival, that felt like a really big one. But I think sort of overall, overall, it's just that I'm never really satisfied with it. Like, even then, I was like thinking like, "God, well now I've got to beat this next year." And it was every year, it gets the end of the festival. And I go, "God, that was low to fun. How am I going to do better?" And that's kind of like one of the constant, it's never wanting to start. It's always wanting to try and do something more immersive, do something more interesting, do something more unique, have a line up that isn't playing every other festival. It's kind of just constantly striving towards that, really, I think is, I never really thought about it until you just asked that question, but that's probably why. - We always play a little quick fight round with everyone on the year. So I'm gonna do like close up quick fire. - Wow, let's do it. - So one artist on the line up this year that people can't miss. - Monks. - Love it. Dream had liner and this could be realistic or unrealistic. - The 1975, but you're not allowed to be angry after your earlier comment. - Okay. - Together. - One word to describe this year's festival. - Kiotte. - Love. - And if people are on the fence about buying a ticket, what would you say to them to convince them to come? - It's Banco de Weekend and you can see 20 bands for less than 40 pounds. I think that's a great use of your three days of a Banco de Weekend. - Would you buy a ticket if I, would you buy something that I've worked on you? - Yeah. - Make it a tagline of the festival. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. I heard it here first, quote. (laughing) - Oh well, thank you so much to take you some time to speak to us today. - Thank you so much, honestly, and like, big up everything you do, I think it's awesome. And it's, yeah, it's lovely to have a chat with you as well. - Big thank you to Sam Tucker for that. I feel like that kind of sums it up perfectly. It's very much about discovery and giving out is a proper platform early on. And I think you can really see that in the line up this year. So, we went and spoke to a few of the artists playing just to get a feel for where they're at, what the festival means to them and what you can expect if you're heading down. First up, we've got pale blue eyes. - Just to start off with, how are we feeling about playing close up festival to 2026 this year? - We're really excited, actually. I think it's our only London gig that we're doing this year. So, for us, it's like a lovely way to get to do that on a really cool line up. So, yeah, we're buzzing for it. - Yeah, and where does this fit into your journey right now, like the journey you want as a band? - I mean, at the moment, we're kind of, we put an album out last year, like this time last year. We've been gigging and touring quite a lot since then. We did quite a lot in Europe at the end of last year. And then this year is a bit more kind of chilled for us. We're sort of doing bits and bobs. And then in May, I think that's kind of our month where we're doing lots of little festival bits in Paris, London, trying to think what other ones, a couple of other ones as well. And I think, yeah, it's just part of us enjoying, enjoying the fact that we're at a point where we've had three albums out and we can pick the songs that we enjoy playing the most live. And it's kind of just fun. There's no kind of pressure on it. So, it's a nice time, isn't it? - We released an archive album, which is kind of like the best of the tracks that didn't quite make it onto the first three albums for whatever reason, like we ran out of space, whatever. And I don't think we'll have played any of those at any of the London gigs. So we're aiming to play a few of those tracks from that record as well. But yeah, like Lou says, I think it probably will be our only London show potentially this year unless anything comes up. So to get back to playing in London, it'll be rad. - Yeah, and you've just touched on it a little bit then, but what can people expect from your set? What kind of energy you bring in? - Like we often speak to people after shows and they kind of like say, oh, you should put this one back in yourself. I think we've pretty much managed to do that all but one because there's one song that none of us actually like at all but people always ask for. So other than like one tune, I think we just, like Lou says, I think we're just gonna play the ones that we get the most out of live and hopefully, yeah, the requests that people have made will play as well. - Yeah, and is there a specific moment in your first of all sets that most excite you? - Like personally, it's that nervous energy of just before you're gonna go on stage and you think you're gonna forget absolutely everything that you're about to play. And for me, like I always think I'm gonna forget my lyrics. So that like kind of 10, 15 seconds before you go on stage is so like nerve-wracking and like there's loads of energy. But I think once you're kind of locked into the set, it just feels like home playing live. And we get a lot of joy out of trying to like get the set order right, so it flows and it feels like you can kind of take people on a bit of a journey as well. 'Cause there's nothing worse than like being shocked out of it or like, so yeah, we try and I guess the first bit and then when we know we're like safely in the journey of the set. - So you've strapped in. - Yeah. - And what kind of crowd do you think suits your music the best at a festival? - It is like, I notice probably like really cheesy and obvious answer, but like if the audience are into it as well and they're like up for it and willing to kind of like get to the front and get involved, we do absolutely feed off that. I think any band, whether it's like first or slow music, if the audience is engaged, which like we're lucky to have like, you know, have had experiences of people being into it. I think, yeah, people are generally up for it, aren't they? And that kind of, we feed off that. - Yeah. And if you've got a favorite moment you've seen in the crowd at a festival? - I've got quite a funny memory from the end of last year where we like, we'd just been playing all around Europe. So we'd been playing to a lot of new people that didn't know our music. And obviously that was like an amazing experience and it was very varied. And then we got back to the UK in the week later we were playing in Southampton. And I think it was actually, it was the same promoter who this festival is. So it was like coming back to somewhere where we'd played a couple of times before. And we have this, for whatever reason in Southampton we seem to have a really lovely crowd that will come out to our gigs and they've always been like sold out and stuff. And anyway, we went up these stairs, this like top of this venue. And I remember those just the guy just running up and down the venue like in the middle of the crowd, just losing it and like just kind of bouncing from side side and then everyone, and then like this little. - He just pulled the rest of the audience in. And sometimes it only takes for like one person to like ignite that thing, doesn't it? - Yeah, it was a lot of fun. - But you're just thinking this is so much fun. - It's really right. It's always like that Southampton port with like all around that South Coast like Brighton. Yeah, it's like, don't know, yeah, they just go a bit crazy. - It was a. - Don't know what's in the water, but. - Yeah, I remember just thinking, like I could see a group of people at the front like getting a round of shots and then like doing shots. - It's like good for them. - Finding each other up, you know? - Really lovely. I remember it was a really good vibe. It was a really chaotic gig as well. I just remember like you just piled onto the stage and had to set up really quickly and then suddenly we were playing. - Oh, it's carnage, but it was like in a good way. Like sometimes those again like that thing about like energy and like prepping yourself, you prep yourself all you want and then you turn up in the room like everyone's up for it. And it's like it feels like it's about to, something's about to, you know happen. You feed off that energy. Yeah, that was a good one, that. - Yeah. - Well, such an amazing story. I love that one. Who else on the close up festival line are you excited to see? - There's loads of new stuff that we, be honest, like will be the first time, especially on our day on the Sunday that I won't have seen before. So for us to get there early and taking as much of that lineup as we can because I don't think we're anywhere the day before. So the whole of that Sunday, I'm looking forward to. - Yeah, I think, 'cause I know that I think home counties are playing aren't they? - It's a different day. - Friday. - Yeah, so we might, they're fun. - I love that band, I think they're great. We played with them last year in France. And yeah, if we were there, we'd be going to that. But I don't think we can get there until Sunday 'cause we are gonna be in France until Friday. - Yeah. - But yeah, I think home counties are brilliant band. And then, Yeah, like Max, there's a lot of this stuff is new music to, you know, it's relatively new stuff so we're like excited to it's the best way of discovering stuff just being at something like this. Yeah, definitely. And in your opinion, what makes a great festival set? Like to watch. Either to watch or to be part of. To be part of, I don't know, really. Just like, I kind of think like if you've got a little place to kind of chill out momentarily before, that's quite nice. But I don't know, we've never, like, we've only ever really had like really fun experiences of playing festivals and that's almost always because like the people organising it totally get it and it's always like there's a bit of a spread put on and like the audience are up for it. So I guess it's like, um, everyone being present and being you know, not necessarily on their phones is always quite nice if people like engaging without being on their phones. Yeah, I like a bit of chaos in a festival set. I like to see, if I'm going to see a band, I love to see a bit of chaos. Yeah, a bit of like positive chaos is good. Yeah, and we always play a little quick fire round on this podcast. So I'm going to try and do quick fire, but no one ever answers them quickly, so don't worry. But we're going to do quick fire festival edition. So we'll just, we'll just get into it if it goes wrong, it goes wrong, it doesn't matter. So dream festival to play Iceland airwaves. Crank in the house, but we've already played it, but I'd play crank in house again. Pre-move it. Mavira. Daytime slot are a late night slot. Late night. Festival chaos are a control set. Hey, it's festival chaos. And one song of yours that you think is the pinnacle for festival season. Dr. Pong. Maybe all our history is quite. Our history. Of the back of motionless, we go into our history and I'm quite. Motionless, motionless our history combo. Love it. And finally just to close off this episode, why should someone come down and watch your set at close-up this year? Because you can get lost, hopefully in our music for a little half an hour, 40 minutes. Just get lost in it, put your phone away, have a nice time, hopefully you'll go away like singing some of the songs and I don't know really, just enjoy it. Yeah, I think it's a good vibe. Re-invigorated. Yeah. Bob, well thank you so much for taking some time to speak to me today guys. Nice one, thank you. Thanks to you, Guster. Chat. All right, next stop, keeping that energy going. We caught up with only real. Just to start off with, how are you feeling about close-up festival this year and playing it? Yeah, feeling good about it. It should be a good show, it's a good line up and I've played at that venue quite a lot and it's great, great sound and just to kind of get a good vibe going. So yeah, looking forward to it. Bob, where does this festival slot fit into your journey right now? I suppose I've got a bit of an interesting journey in that I started, I kind of started my artist project like 15 years ago and did it for maybe six years or so and then I had a 10 year break and then that's kind of like where we're at now. So it's kind of at the beginning of stage two I guess, if that's, I mean it's a bit of a clinical way to put it but um. What can people expect from your set this time round? I think like play a mixture of the songs from 10 years ago and then some of the newer ones, indie, guitarry but also kind of a little bit of other stuff thrown in, hard to describe your own music isn't it? Is there a specific moment in your set that you're most excited for or a specific moment in any festival set that you've done that you're excited about? I would have said, because I mean since I've brought back this artist project I've only done like two gigs so and I was kind of at one of those gigs which was at Colors was expecting the old songs to be the kind of ones that would go down best but actually it was really lovely to see that people were really into the new ones as well which kind of gave me a real boost as well because it's nice to you know feel like you're not just kind of like annoying people when you do the new ones. And what kind of crowd do you think had suit your music best at a festival? I mean I don't know about the sort of specific people but I guess it's sort of maybe music that fits quite well as the sun's going down it's sort of quite a lot of it's quite sunny and summery feel good in that way um so yeah kind of like end of the day beginning of the night territory of a festival. And do you feed off the audience when you perform in live or are you one of those artists that stays in their own little world? What are you performing? Yeah I do I think I definitely do feed off it yeah sometimes I sort of well I'm sort of referring to when I used to do this more I used to sometimes I'd kind of think I was going to try something different out and be a bit more elute for something like that but I think something about it just find kind of intoxicating and end up being quite interactive with people. Yeah and is there anyone else on the line that you're really excited to see whilst you do the? All the bands really um pay all blue eyes they're playing on there that I really like I've ever seen them. I yeah so I mean all I think all the bands were great really from from what I saw. And what in in your opinion what makes a great festival set either as a fan watching in the crowd or being the artist on stage? That's a good question because it is obviously quite different to another type of gig. The stuff that you are either expecting to be that into or even expecting to see and you just sort of find yourself through like the group you're with going to it or just overhearing it or just maybe it's just near where where you happen to be at that point and kind of falling into a gig like or an act you know maybe it's something like this maybe it's more like if someone's going to see one of the artists and then it kind of takes the expectation and pressure off their experience for the other artists. So I think it just sort of I don't know it's like anything's anything's a bonus then isn't it? You're not going into it because also on the flip side of that I've seen loads of gigs which I've been really excited about even even from artists that I really like and I've really liked live or sometimes that's actually the worst isn't it when you really like a gig and it's sort of really important to you so you then want to go next time that band's playing but because it's just like a different venue or different circumstances or you've had a different amount of drinks or whatever it might be it just doesn't quite hit in the same way because you've got that expectation. So I guess the concept of a festival kind of removes that in a lot of ways. But we always play a little quick fire round with these interviews so we're going to play a quick fire festival edition. I say this to everyone and to them as quick as you can nobody ever does so don't worry about it. Okay. Right so the first one is dream festival you'd love to play. You said fast something in France because they always had great experiences there any French festival. Love it. Daytime slot or late night slot. Daytime slot. Festival chaos or a controlled set. Control set. Fab and one song of yours that you think either old or new is the pinnacle of festival. Cadillac go. Love it. And just to finish off with why should someone come and watch your set at close up this year? I could say I could I could say because the music's good but that's obviously subjective and up to them and it's going to mean less going from me so I guess more objectively quite interesting to see someone that did it like 15 years ago and has come back and has a completely different perspective and outlook and kind of has found a like strength and bravery to return to it after having sort of left it for various reasons. So I guess for those reasons would be something like I could say. Well thank you so much for taking some time to speak to me today. Thank you very much. And then finally we spoke to Lizzie Esau. How are you feeling about close up festival and playing it this year? Really good I think it's like one of the first festivals of the year so it's a good little start to the festival. Yeah I think it's really fun. And where does this festival slot fit into your journey right now? It's all a bit between things like I've just released yeah just really spent 30 pay a little while ago now and I'm working on like all my new stuff that's coming like this year next year so it feels like it's right in the middle of like a new sort of phase which is good. It's exciting to like try new things out. And what can people expect from your set this year? What kind of energy you're going to bring? Definitely it's definitely always high energy I think especially like especially during a festival, there are really many things that I can't say. really like to kind of do, yeah just keep it like all quite high energy, you know, something really fun. Yeah, I think it's going to be really fun. I think that's what I want to bring to, yeah, it's like Maytime, you know, it's getting really sunny. So I think just sunny vibes. Bob, and do you approach your festival set differently to like a headlighting show or do you like approach it the same? I think differently, I think I probably do a bit differently, like I say, kind of like I just want to keep it really positive and just like good vibes to feel like you just and you also just want to show like the stuff that's maybe most instant because maybe a lot of people over there who haven't ever heard of you and yeah, pick something that gives like the best first impression or like something that someone would be able to like latch onto you a bit more instantly or maybe like sing along to without really knowing it. So I definitely think about it a little bit differently, like when it's a headlighting show, kind of maybe expect people might know a bit more. So yeah, I think it is different to me, yeah. Yeah, and what kind of crowd do you think suits your music best at a festival? Do you want to really beat one? Do you want them jumping dancing along? What's best? Yeah, I think I like, I like the crowd that's going to move. Like, I like people looking at like being on it with me, you know? Yeah, definitely maybe like slightly like, I don't know, a wilder crowd, like maybe later one in the day. Yeah, that I'm going to like really just want to have a really good time. And do you feed off the audience at festivals or are you like solely in your own world and just stay in that world? No, I think I definitely feed off the audience, definitely. I think I try maybe if it's a quieter crowd or I try, then we're like, okay, just go in your own world and just enjoy it, you know? But I think at like a festival, when you can see loads of people maybe don't know who you are and then you see them getting into it and like, you know, dancing along and stuff, then it feels really nice and it really kind of spurs you on even more. So I definitely feed off that, definitely. And is there anyone else on the close-up line up this year that you're excited to see personally? Oh, like all of them are really excited. We played the Sunday, I'm fairly sure, I'm fairly Sunday. Pailbly eyes, I'm sure they're playing the Sunday and I'm really excited to see them. So yeah, but there's loads of people. I wish I lived in London so I could see more of it, but I mean, Newcastle, so I'm going to try and catch a few more days a bit though because there's like really cool people on. So I'll definitely for our day, I'm going to be there the whole time just watching everyone. I love it. And what makes a great festival set in your opinion, either as a fan or as the artist on stage? Fun, generally, like I think, yeah, showing, I think for us, I like to kind of show maybe our more popular stuff or like upbeat stuff or something, you feel like sort of like I said before, people can maybe have a good time with even if they don't know it. Um, yeah, I don't know. I think, and just, I like to just have a bit of fun, a festival. That's what I want if I'm at a festival, everyone's there just like have a really good time. So yeah, something that's fun, a bit bit carefree, you know? Yeah, and have you got a favorite set, like a favorite festival set that you've played or a special memory you've got from a festival season? Hmm. Yeah, I mean, I just love, I love festivals so much. It's like my favorite time of year, I think. In terms of like going to a festival, I think my favorite moment is always when you like just arrives. Like the feeling when you just arrives and you like set up and you just like go for your first explore. And it's like, oh my god, everyone's really excited. Um, but I think a favorite memory of like playing with probably the, we did truck festival um, couple of years ago and we're going to be back this year as well, which is good. Um, but we like really late for it because it was like a crash and it was like crazy traffic and we would just stood still for hours now as we were like crying like we're not going to make it. I made it like literally with like a minute to spare or something, it was ridiculous. And I wasn't dressed. It was like my worst nightmare. Like, and nothing was ready and we just had to go on and because I didn't, I couldn't overthink any of it and I just went on with what I was wearing and like it was just turned out to be one of my favorite sets ever and it was just wouldn't even, you didn't second guess it. Do you know what I mean? He just went on and we're like full of adrenaline. Yeah. And so that was really good. So I kind of like being a bit caught off guard as well, like not overthink and what I'm doing. It's quite fun. We always play a little quick fire section on this podcast and I say this to everybody and to them as quick as you can because that's the whole point but nobody ever does so don't worry about it. Okay. But we're going to do it festival edition. So that's that. Right. So the first one is dream festival to play. Glastonbury. We did play it, but I won't play again. And then daytime slot or late night slot. See, I thought I was going to be faster. I'm just not. Oh, dear. Oh, Christ. Night time. I don't know why. And then festival chaos or a controlled set festival chaos. Yeah. And then one song of yours that you think is the pinnacle for festival season. Or I'm going to say maybe day in the life. Yeah. Love it. And then just to wrap up this episode, why should someone come down early and catch your set clothes up close up festival this year? I don't know. No, I think we're just going to have a good time. Like, I don't know. There's new songs that we're doing. So it's going to be previews of stuff that's new, which is going to be really fun. And I'm just excited to just, yeah, new energy, new outfits. It's going to be really fun. Yeah. If you want little surprises, come along. You know? Yeah. I don't know. Love it. Well, thank you so much for taking some time to speak to me today. Yeah. I feel like that's a pretty good snapshot of what close up festival is all about right now. You are, it's different sounds and that feeling of catching something early. That was our close up festival special with Sam Tucker plus pale blue eyes, only real and Lizzie Esau. Massive thank you to everyone involved for being part of this. And honestly, if this episode is anything to go by, this year's close up festival is not one to miss. If you've discovered a new favourite artist from this episode, that's exactly what we're here for. Don't forget to follow her to here first for more interviews, more discoveries and more of the next wave of art is coming through. We'll see you in the next one.