Sound City Review 
Words by Olivia Beard
‘Indie is so back’ is a saying I’ve been saying a lot recently. It’s hard not to when the indie scene is the best it’s been in the last 20 years, and this year’s addition of Liverpool’s Sound City had some of the hottest and most talked about indie bands and artists entering the stage. Joined by the likes of KEO, Jalen Ngonda, Gurriers and Kate Nash, this year’s line-up proved it’s the festival to be at for some of the best new music, all across ten iconic venues and one packed weekend.
Photos by Olivia Beard
SATURDAY
Saturday saw some of the best names in the current indie rock scene take to the stage. Headlined by KEO and joined by Irish Grudge rockers, Gurriers and Leeds’ The North, every stage was filled with new talent.
Opening up the Shipping Forecast stage was ‘FLETCHER FLETCHER’, whose mix of powerful vocals and moody guitar riffs made for a great opening act. With a unique sound and some great harmonies, their song ‘Jet black’ was the highlight of the set and was a great showcase of musicianship, definitely being an act to look out for.
Next up at Tunnel was MYER, whose angelic vocals filled the venue with soulful energy and a wholesome atmosphere, a calming and needed break from the day’s high-energy lineup.
YEE LOI, with just a twenty-minute set (and that’s all that was needed), proved they knew how to bring a show. Their frantic, high-energy paired with their tinny riffs and post-punk sound made for one of the most engaging and interesting sets of the weekend. Composed of sisters Rose and Matilda Farrell and their younger brother Don-Don Farrell, the trio proved that the future of punk rock was in safe hands.
What can I say that hasn’t already been said about the Gurriers? The bands proved themselves as the future of alt/ grunge rock, both with their groundbreaking debut album ‘Come and See’ and their encapsulating live performances. Being my 4th time seeing the band live, they never fail to deliver. The crowds are never still, not even for a second, with both frontman Dan Hoff and bassist Charlie McCarthy joining the crowd for the mosh pit to ‘APPROACHABLE’. After showcasing an incredible new song and teasing a new album, it’s a band that I hope reaches the level of success they deserve,and I cannot wait to see what they have in store next.
Taking to the main stage next was The Kairos. Their last-minute announcement to the lineup was the cherry on top of the already stacked day. Being a hometown show for the Liverpudlian four-piece, they had a lot to live up to after the Gurriers’ afternoon headline slot; however, they did deliver. High-energy, frantic and exhilarating, the band’s music and live performances could be compared to the likes of Kasabian, with frontman Tom Dempsey bringing lots of crowd interaction to the performance. The band brings a good time and would be a great catch at a festival. I could see them playing on the main stage of the Reading Festival very soon…..
You can’t really go anywhere online at the moment without hearing about BLEECH 9:3, and for good reason. With just 4 songs released officially and an EP on the way in a couple of weeks, the Dublin four-piece have quickly proved their talent and incredible musicianship. With the venue at capacity and a line still out the door when I arrived, they were definitely deemed the ‘band to see’ this weekend. Opening with ‘Jacky’, the crowd filled with energy right from the first strum, with a pit opening up straight away. Frontman Barry “Baz” Quinlan feeds off that energy and is a sight himself to witness. Their newest track ‘underrated’ was the best of the set, with it only being realised a couple of weeks ago, the crowd knew and sang every word as the frantic and exhilarating energy spread all throughout the basement of Liverpool’s ‘Tunnel’. With a sold-out headline tour in May, followed by a stacked festival run, and a second headline tour in the autumn, Bleach 9:3 are here to stay and will soon be walking onto some of the biggest stages.
“What does the sign say? I haven’t got my glasses on”. Fresh off the back of their tour with Brit Winners GEESE, Manchester Five-piece West Side Cowboy were Saturday’s Arts Club theatre headliners. There’s a certain ‘buzz’ that surrounds Westside Cowboy, one that I haven’t seen in a while for a new band, and for good reason. The band plays flawlessly together ,as if they’ve been playing together for centuries. Paddy Murphy’s energetic and passionate drum playing intertwines perfectly with the fuzzy guitars and tinny bass, which is all rounded off perfectly with the band’s shared vocals, partially Aoife Anson O’Connell, whose ghostly vocals add a polished finish to their performance. A joyous and intimate performance, the band plays together not only as friends, but with passion and grit, smiling and laughing the whole way through, sharing the performance with the audience rather than playing for them. From meeting in university and forming in drummer Paddy Murphy’s bedroom, to a major UK and EU headline tour in the winter, Westside Cowboy are one of those bands that just stick with you. You’ll be humming the melody to I’ve Never Met Anyone I Thought I Could Really Love (Until I Met You) for days after you see them. It’ll leave you wanting more, and I cannot wait to see what they have coming .
Just across town at the Grand Central stage, Saturday’s headliners KEO brought their emotional lyrics and energetic guitar playing to the main stage. Seeing unprecedented success in the last year, Londoners KEO have quickly solidified themselves as one of the main players in the current indie rock scene, developing a dedicated fanbase and an impactful sound. The set opened with the recognisable and emotionally hard-hitting guitar riff of ‘Hands’, with the audience’s singing of the opening line, ‘Thanks for the words and passing your time,’ filling the main stage. Right from the start, frontman Finn Keogh was the main attraction of the set. It’s hard to take your eyes off him. His energetic, emotional and mesmerising guitar playing is captivating. During the set, the band showcased a new unreleased track: ‘That’s me.’ The track is a mix of the 90’s grunge sound the band is influenced by, along with more modern indie rock, being comparable to the likes of WUNDERHOURSE. After returning to the stage for their much-demanded encore, the band ended their set with their emotional rollercoaster of a track, ‘I Lied Amber’, and if the crowd was loud before, it was even louder now. Nearly the whole crowd was on their shoulders, singing as loudly as they could. The band closed out Saturday night at Sound City to deafening cheers and cries from the audience.
SUNDAY
After the mosh pits, crowd surfs, and energy of Saturday, Sunday at Sound City was a nice and well-deserved relaxing and wholesome end to the weekend. Headlined by Jalen Nonglen and joined by the likes of Brooke Combe and The Lilacs, Sunday saw some of the best Soul and indie pop artists take to the stage.
All the way from Australia, FOOL NELSON was one of the first acts of the day, opening up the Shipping Forecast stage with their wholesome guitar melodies and charismatic stage presence. Being the band’s first time touring outside of Australia, the room was filled with a few dedicated fans who were eager for the band’s UK debut. Their sound can be compared to the sound of many current popular UK indie bands, and would definitely be for those who enjoy the likes of ‘Inhaler’ or ‘Permanent (Joy) ‘. Having more of an indie pop sound, the band had a charismatic and intimate stage presence, sharing their experiences and thoughts of the UK with the audience, which was met with cheers of excitement with the mention of Liverpool football club. With a polished and familiar sound, I can definitely see the band making their impact on the UK scene, with a headline UK and EU tour this month, FOOL NELSON are definitely a band I think we will be seeing again, creeping up those festival line-ups and playing alongside some of your favourite bands.
Opening up the Arts Club loft was the powerful,charismatic (and incredibly cool) Roukaya B. Joined by her pianist Finn, Roukaya was one of the best sets of the weekend, her jazz, soul and R and B influences paired together perfectly with her incredible, angelic and breathtaking vocals. She was mesmerising to watch, and with her wholesome and charismatic stage presence, it made for such a performance. Her debut 2026 EP ‘contROUversy’ translated flawlessly live, and is definitely one you should check out. With Olivia Dean playing Sound City back in 2023, I could definitely see Roukaya B following the same story. She has the talent, music and charisma to make it big, and is an artist you need to watch out for.
Next up on the subject of ‘Woman to watch out for’, is Faye Donna Fransis, who opened up the arts club theatre stage, angelically and flawlessly, once again being one of the best sets of the weekend. Blending together her jazz club vocals with the sounds of contemporary soul and pop, she’s an artist for every occasion, and her set was such a delight to watch on the calming Sunday Afternoon. With a captivating ‘feel good’ stage presence, she played to a room of about 30 but played as if she was playing to a room of 30,000; her angelic vocals filled the arts club, as the audience was captivated by her talent. Definitely a talented and ‘down to earth’ artist to check out, her music is captivating live, and her brilliant stage presence just adds to her already incredible performance.
With it being Sound City’s 19th edition in 2026, it once again proved itself as the place to be for new music and talent. The festival manages to compile together an eclectic,unique and enjoyable mix of artists in one weekend, all while celebrating Liverpool’s incredible independent music venues and rich music history. It’s definitely a festival for any music lover to check out, a great place to find your new favourite band, and it makes for an incredible May bank holiday weekend.
Photos by Olivia Beard