Bushstock 2019 pulled it out of the bag with a plethora of the best in new music before we finished the day with our unofficial headliner Clean Cut Kid.

Finally it was time for the long awaited all day multi-venue festival, Bushstock 2019. It never really feels like festival season has started until we get to jog-run around Shepherd’s Bush to catch our favourite bands’ short 30 minute sets. 

2pm Naomi Kimpenu was first on our list and what a way to start the day. The London based singer-songwriter brought her elegantly soft vocals and intricate piano melodies to The Courtyard stage at K West Hotel. She held herself with such a calm stature, you could tell she was comfortable up on that stage. It was during ‘Only’ where it was as if you could almost hear a pin drop; all eyes were transfixed on Naomi and no one dared turned away for fear of missing a single note. 

Speeding over to The Defector’s Weld, London based indie rockers Paulo Post Future were in full swing; jangly guitar, tight drums and killer bass lines embraced the crowd as they nodded their heads in time, eyes focused on the quintet. What’s fantastic about a venue like The Defector’s Weld is how it showcases the level of energy artists and bands are giving during their set – for acts with intense vigor, they appear as if they should be on a stage 10 times the size and those with low levels just manage to fill it. Today, Paulo Post Futures managed to hit the middle ground of both extremes at Bushstock; you could tell they were still a bit nervous, but it was this very nervousness that transitioned into an obvious passion for what they do. 

LION was next up at The Defector’s Weld with her fierce rock attitude. Having already supported the likes of Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats and an upcoming support slot for Band of Horses, LION is no stranger to translating her record into a live setting. She oozed confidence on stage as she played her latest single ‘Second Hand’, but there was a cool suave to her performance too. Sadly, we had to cut the gig short in order to dash over to the Sindercombe Social to catch On Video’s set.

4pm Waiting in anticipation for On Video, we were instantly in awe of the London based garage rock band as they launched into their song ‘Past Tense’. Rapid upbeat drums, flawless guitar solos and powerful vocals filled the tiny venue, as the foursome gave off an energy similar to the likes of Spring King and VANT in their stage presence; a brash finesse of passion and effortless talent.

Due to set time delays at The Courtyard stage, we were surprised to catch the end of MarthaGunn’s set when we expected Mosa Wild and what a pleasant surprise it was. Rich guitar licks, titillating fusions of bass and drums and Abi Woodman’s encapsulating vocals spun the crowd into a frenzy of dancing, singing and clapping. We were gutted to only catch the end of their set, but felt lucky all the same to see their modern take on 70s rock in live form. 

Traipsing to The Defector’s Weld to shield ourselves from the oncoming rain and a little defeated by the closure of The Courtyard stage due to technical issues, Yoke Lore succeeded in lifting spirits. The American singer-songwriter leapt onto the stage with a spring in his step, cheering at the crowd giving off an instant warmth with his presence and setting the tone for his live performance. Juxtaposing loud and intrinsic drums set to a bed of soothing vocals and comforting guitar melodies, Yoke Lore has a knack creating a soundscape that shouldn’t work but does, particularly present in tracks like ‘Goodpain’. Yoke Lore put his all into the 30 minute slot; sweat dripping down his face and thrashing about on the stage.

With a quick switcharoo of instruments, Marsicans clambered onto the stage launching straight into ‘Your Eyes’. Twinkly, upbeat melodies transitioning into edgier rock sounds showcased the vast ability within the four-piece to not only write quality tunes, but also songs that can be impressive live. Grinning from ear-to-ear throughout and interacting with one another jokily, it was clear they were friends just having a good time – this energy was certainly infectious, so much so we found ourselves nodding and grinning along with them. ‘Too Good’ was the absolute highlight; opening with four part harmonies of “You got me caught in a dream, stuck in a world where to all seems too good, too good to believe” and every person watching was caught hook, line and sinker in The Defector’s Weld. Marsicans are meant for big things in the future and we’re looking forward to watching them get there.

Clean Cut Kid became the unofficial headliner to finish the day due to the technical issues over on The Courtyard stage.  The Liverpudlians threw raw passion and vibrancy into their slot on The Defector’s Weld’s tiny stage; Mike Hall’s sweet, serene vocals danced on top of the edgier, methodic guitar riffs. What we loved about watching this band live was how much they enjoyed playing with each other on stage – constantly smiling, sneaking glances to each other and just clearly having a great time. This was truly prevalent during ‘Evelyn’, a song Mike wrote for bandmate/wife Evelyn Halls, and they managed to capture the attention of every single person in the room – it was remarkable to witness.

Bushstock is well known for being the festival to highlight the best in new music and gives artists a platform to showcase their talent.  Each artist had a glint of passion and love for music in their eyes and there wasn’t a single disappointing set. Apart from the unexpected technical issues causing delays in showcases and the unfortunate closure of one stage, Bushstock 2019 is one of those all dayers that pushes festival season into full swing perfectly. With each year entrancing it’s audience in its uniqueness in finding some proper diamonds in the rough (of which this year is no different), Bushstock deserves hats to be tipped — what another great year.