This weekend sees the first ever JT Soar festival make an appearance in Nottingham to celebrate 15 years of the greatest DIY venue in the country so we thought we’d hand you over to the man in charge, Phil Booth, to tell you all a bit more about it all and what you can expect at The Old Cold Store in Nottingham…
So, JT Soar Fest, or maybe a I start at JT Soar, for those uninitiated… JT Soar is a recording studio, rehearsal space and music venue with a strong focus on inclusivity, support and accessibility for both artists and punters alike.. To use commonly misused buzzwords to describe our main public facing facet, we’re a grassroots/DIY venue. We moved into the upstairs room at the tail end of 2009, focusing on recording and rehearsals, with our first show on kicking off in 2011, with Minnesota power poppers Real Numbers and Bakewell garage legends The Hipshakes.. I remember it well.. we’ve been putting on shows pretty much none stop since.. all BYOB, all DIY, most (early shows were upstairs) fully accessible, all good fun…
Fast forward to 2024.. 15 years later, and we’re putting on a big ol festival with some of our favourite bands spanning the last 40 years.. both bands we’ve worked with, bands that have inspired us, and a few bands that fit both categories.. From OG post punkers Swell Maps (Currently in 21 form with OG member Jowe Head and members of TV Personalities, Alternative TV, Wolfhounds etc..) and New York No Wavers UT, to Detroit garage punkers Tyvek and Falmouth garagey power poppers Holiday Ghosts we’re trying to span the Garage/New/No Wave/Post Punk/Power Pop/Art pop borders. The two festivals that have been an inspiration for this one are the much missed institution of Indietracks, the standouts for me were the noisier side of their line-up, still pop, but shrouded/obscured by arts and smarts.. so I’ve tried to lean on that.. AND, probably the best festival I’ve ever played/been to, Gonerfest, over in Memphis, the one stage all killer no filler festival of garage/post punk that started this ball rolling, a drunken message or two saying I’m gonna try and do a UK version… and here we are haha..
Everyone has been a dream to work with and folks have been so enthusiastic about the line-up… I’ve not really taken on outside council regarding the line-up, definitely a little selfish, but it looks like it’s paid off.. folks from all over the UK have bought tickets, from Edinburgh to Falmouth via Pembrokeshire, loads of little post punkin pockets have popped up and now we’re down to less than 100 tickets left… We’ve already booked the venue for 1st/2nd Nov 2025 so pop that in your diary for JT SoarFest #2..
We’ve also teamed up with local brewery Neon Raptor to bring you a special DIYPA for the weekend while stocks last!!!
Sat 2nd + Sun 3rd Nov, 2024
2 Days, 1 Stage, Highly curated for maximum good times..
DJS and Comperes TBC
18+ / FREE PA TICKETS
ACCESSIBILITY INFO..
The Vat and Fiddle is a single-story pub on street level.
There are no steps at the entrance of the pub.
There is ramp access to the beer garden at the rear of the pub.
The layout of the pub includes areas which are tucked away if you require quiet and calm – these can be reserved in advance. Day times at the Vat and Fiddle tend to be quieter.
There is an accessible toilet off the rear corridor.
Some doorways are wide, while others may be too narrow for larger wheelchairs. Please ask a member of our team for assistance.
The Old Cold Store is also on ground level and can be accessed via a large internal door, or via a ramp in the beer garden.
SWELL MAPS C21
Short lived but highly influential proto post punk/experimental art punk band from the West Midlands initially active during the mid 70s-early 80s.. Now they’re back!! in supergroup C21 form, led by OG SW guitarist/bassist/songwriter etc Jowe Head, and featuring members of Television Personalities, The Wolfhounds, Alternative TV etc.. Check out their Café Oto recorded LP Polar Regions, or any of the SM catalogue they dig from… can’t wait!
NIGHTINGALES
Long running (79-present) prolific John Peel/Rough Trade/Cherry Red pushed post punk/alt rock outfit from Birmingham… With a rotating line-up around singer/songwriter Robert Lloyd for many years, the now solidified line-up pulls no punches and plays all the goodies.. The subject of Stewart Lee led doc King Rocker back in 2020 and darlings of all the pundits.. “Best live band around at the moment.” “Loud, awkward, exciting act” etc… Can’t wait!!
UT
Forming in New York in the burgeoning No Wave scene of the late 70’s, Ut trailblazed a trio of art rockin post punkin no waving albums amidst moving to the UK, touring with The Fall, Birthday Party etc, then called it a day in the late 80’s.. now they’re back, and I’m so excited to bring them to Notts for the very first time. Essential listening.. as are all of these tbh..
LUNG LEG
Scottish indie/post punk band from the mid 90’s, toured/released a split with The Make-up (Who I saw them with recently, mind blown) amongst a swathe of other records on killer labels such as Piao!, Southern and Kill Rock stars.. Getting back on it.. about ruddy time…
HOLIDAY GHOSTS
JT faves, long time collaborators, and one of the most prolific and hard working beat combos I know, the best the South coast has to offer.. Garage pop with all the smarts/arts/feels/vibes/backgammon skills… 5 albums in, all gold. Recent tours with The Bug Club and Witch and jaunts over to the US for SXSW et al are testament to the hard graft they put in
GEO
New/No Wave/Post punk/funk from Rotterdam, Netherlands. Channelling Lizzy Mercier Descloux instrumentals, This Heat, DNA, all the good stuff, and making something uniquely them. Featuring members of Lewsberg and other stalwarts of the NL scene…
COWTOWN
Old pals still doing all the cool.. Driving hot beats, tight synths, on point guitars and immediate hooks. Set phasers to fun.. Bring your dancing shoes…
MILKY WIMPSHAKE
Indie/garage pop stalwarts hailing from Stoke-on-Trent/Newcastle… 20 years and 8 albums in (The latter of which recorded at JT), still as witty and poignant as ever. Constants of the Indietracks/Pop all-dayers bills for what feels like forever, an institution.
RATTLE
Notts legends, Animal Collective/Thurston Moore/Protomartyr touring partners and all round nice people.. Mesmerising double drum n vox duo bring their unique bent of minimalist post punk, kraut rock and pure rhythm.. go listen to their brace of LPs out on the always ahead of the curve label Upset The Rhythm… NOW..
GOOD NEWS
More great stuff from the Steel City, minimalist post art punk groovin trio that we’ve always wanted… ESG, The Contortions, Kleenex, Lizzy Mercier Descloux, Diseno Corbuseur…. yada yada… I hear all the good stuff mashed into their own tense wirey masterpieces. New LP out in the Autumn on the excellent Bingo Records, can’t wait!
BIG BREAK
Sheffield garagey eggy post punkers featuring members of The Hipshakes, Nai Harvest, Thee Mightees and all the other good stuff… Heavily involved in the DIY hotspot that is Delicious Clam too.. Wrong Speed Records released their semi recent LP, Angel’s Piss, and oh gee do they bring that rekkid to life, one of the best live bands I’ve ever witnessed…
MARCEL WAVE
Two fifths of Cold Pumas and two fifths of Sauna Youth release (soon) a record on Upset The Rhythm and Feel It records.. that’s folks from some of my fave bands releasing a record on two of my fave labels.. I booked them for a JT show without even listening, then once I’d listened to em I immediately booked them for this… Garagey eggy jagged jangle post punk adorned with dirty casio and perfectly delivered sing speak poetry. Love it.
GIMIC
Hardcore post punkin oddballs from the heart of the Bristol punk scene. Absolutely killer demo tape and a couple of solid 7″s under their belt, all gold…… It’s criminal they’ve not played JT yet, this’ll have to do…
SOFFTNESS
Notts heavyweights doing the Eddy Current meets Kraut meets post punk thing better than the rest.. Feat members of Slumb Party, Headcut, Kino Klubb, Bus Stop Madonnas etc..
STUART PEARCE
Prolific art rockin post punkin key splurging jangle kraut monsters, with heaps of witty diatribe to boot. 10/10.
The last handful of tickets for JT Soar fest are available HERE