Falling on the same night of the 2024 BRIT awards, Wunderhorse took to the stage last Saturday to rapturous applause. The legendary 700-year-old pub announced the secret set just hours before the group were scheduled to perform, causing fans to scramble to purchase last-minute tickets. Fronted by singer-songwriter Jacob Slater, his distinctive rough and ready vocals and razor-sharp lyricism are hard to shake off. Slater’s gritty on-stage persona is reminiscent of blistering American garage bands, causing him to launch into a series of rage-fuelled outbursts, only to lose him again in a 90s psychedelic fog.

The Hertfordshire-born musician had made the decision to exit his old band Dead Pretties in 2017, a path that would eventually lead him to form his next project Wunderhorse, releasing their debut, critically-acclaimed album ‘Cub‘ in October 2022, a beautiful yet bloodied catalogue of teenage misadventure. The past two years have seen Slater build up a fair amount of mileage, having scored not only glowing album reviews and international recognition, but rather ironically his first ever acting role as Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook in Danny Boyle’s tv miniseries Pistol.

A multifaceted writer and instrumentalist, Slater has also curated his own separate solo project, releasing his first ever record ‘Pinky, I Love You‘ in August 2023, another deeply personal and tender account of youth driven by a rousing, prog-rock sound. On February 5, the band announced they will be performing at Isle of Wight, TRNSMT, Boardmasters and Reading and Leeds festival this summer.

As of last weekend, they also shared they will be headlining Dot To Dot Festival in May alongside Irish electronic duo Jockstrap, and Brighton’s The Great Escape festival accompanied by other major acts such as Faye Webster and SOFTPLAY. Great Escape Fest is known for showcasing the biggest and brightest up and coming artists from around the country, with over 150 acts set to take part in different venues across the city.

Wunderhorse took to Instagram last month to lift the lid on new music, revealing they are currently in the process of recording their sophomore album, simply commenting: “Back on the road in March, new music in tow”. The four-piece will be supporting English singer-songwriter Declan McKenna on his 2024 UK tour this month, kicking things off at Cardiff University’s Student Union on March 23. You can purchase tickets here.

Boardmasters has dubbed Sam Fender one of the most-requested artists ever for the festival, and his appearance has been a topic of rampant speculation among fans. Joining other headlining acts Stormzy, Chase & Status, and Becky Hill, Fender is poised to fill the Saturday night headline slot.

This marks Fender’s third appearance at Boardmasters, a festival he first graced in 2014 at just 19 years old, playing on The View stage. Reflecting on his humble beginnings, Fender shared on social media, “I played in a little trailer, tiny stage at the bottom. It was almost off the cliff edge. I played Boardmasters more than any other festival, and now I’m going to headline it.”

The announcement comes hot on the heels of Fender’s collaboration with Noah Kahan on the single ‘Homesick’ and the release of his soulful track ‘Iris’ from the Jackdaw soundtrack. With his 2021 album ‘Seventeen Going Under’ still making waves, fans eagerly anticipate news about his third album.

Fender’s rise to headliner status is a testament to his skyrocketing success, marked by sell-out stadium shows, acclaim at major festivals across the UK and Europe, and two BRIT awards along with an Ivor Novello award. His 2021 release built upon the breakthrough success of his debut album, ‘Hypersonic Missiles,’ solidifying his status as one of Britain’s most celebrated musicians.

Newly joining Fender on the diverse Boardmasters 2024 lineup are other notable acts such as Courteeners, celebrating 15 years since their debut album ‘St. Jude,’ Declan McKenna with new album ‘What Happened to the Beach?’ on the horizon, electronic music duo Overmono, ‘Foundations’ vocalist Kate Nash, Cornwall’s own Wunderhorse, Irish indie rockers NewDad, and Scottish singer-songwriter Calum Bowie.

In addition to its stellar musical lineup, Boardmasters offers a plethora of activities and events, including surfing competitions, skateboarding exhibitions, and immersive art installations. With pre-sale tickets already available, fans are urged to secure their spots early. Last year’s sold out edition featured headliners Lorde, Liam Gallagher, and Florence + The Machine, drawing a crowd of 150,000 festival attendees.

With Sam Fender at the helm as the final headliner, Boardmasters 2024 promises to be “five sun-drenched days of surf, sounds & soul”, with a mix of established and emerging talents gracing the stages. From surf competitions to diverse music acts, the festival offers something for everyone. Secure your tickets here to ensure you don’t miss out on the excitement.

The anticipation is particularly high for Jamie T, who organisers claim is “one of the most requested headliners in Truck Festival history.” Alongside this, Wet Leg, the Brit Award-winning “Best New Artist” of 2023, will be making their UK festival headline debut. Meanwhile, the Thursday night slot is reserved for the energetic and politically charged IDLES, who are expected to showcase tracks from their upcoming album ‘TANGK,’ set to be released on February 16, read more about ‘TANGK’ here. The festival’s grand finale will be brought by The Streets, alias Mike Skinner, who released the critically acclaimed album ‘The Darker The Shadow, The Brighter The Light’ last year.

The diverse lineup also includes renowned acts such as The Kooks, Declan McKenna, Yard Act, Holly Humberstone, The Magic Gang, and English Teacher, along with emerging talents like Willie J Healey. Sea Girls, Black Honey, Peace, The Snuts, Sundara Karma, with many more set to grace the stages at Hill Farm. The Magic Gang’s presence in the Truck 2024 lineup has sparked speculation, given their recent breakup announcement and plans for a farewell tour. Despite confirming their final show, it remains unclear if the band will perform at the festival.

Truck Festival’s Head Of Marketing, Sam Harris, expressed his enthusiasm for the lineup, stating, “Truck 2024 is a landmark year for us, and we can’t wait to see everyone there!” Harris added, “Whether it’s discovering new favourites, diving into mosh-pits, or enjoying the amazing comedy and family entertainment on offer – Truck 2024 promises to be a special weekend.”

A ticket pre-sale is scheduled for 18:00 GMT on Thursday (January 25) with general sales opening at 10:00 on Friday (January 26). Tickets start at £140 for the weekend, with an early-bird option priced at £175, allowing entry on Thursday to catch the electrifying performance by IDLES. Both pay-in-full and payment plan options are available. Tickets can be purchased on the official festival website via this link.

Truck Festival, conceived by brothers Robin and Joe Bennett in 1998, has come a long way from its humble beginnings with an actual truck as the stage. More acts are expected to be announced in the coming weeks, building on the success of last year’s headliners Royal Blood, Alt-J, Two Door Cinema Club, and The Wombats. For more information and to secure your spot at what promises to be “the ultimate summer party,” visit Truck Festival’s official website.

The 24-year-old shared the news on his Instagram, which has a following of over 549,000. He said: “UK & Ireland, I can finally tell you all that I’m coming back next year. Pre-sale begins Wednesday 11th October at 9am. General on sale starts Friday 13th October. Pre-order WHTTB? (What Happened To The Beach) from my official store before 3pm on Tuesday 10th October to get pre-sale access. See you there, more dates soon.. X.”  

Fans of the singer were delighted with the announcement. One person said: “Just heard confetti cannons go off in my back garden”, whilst another person commented: “Can’t wait to finally hear roaring crowds in Manchester, live!”  

McKenna’s new album is set to be released on 9 February and will be this third studio album after Zeros and What Do You Think About The Car, which was released in 2017. Previous hits from the two records include “Humongous”, “The Kids Don’t Wanna Come Home”, “Beautiful Faces” and his breakout track “Brazil”, which has been certified Platinum in the UK for selling over 600,000 copies.  

“Brazil” gained traction across the world following its lyrical maturity. The song criticized FIFA for awarding the FIFA World Cup to Brazil in 2014 despite the poverty that has affected the nation. The track, which has since become a staple in McKenna’s discography, peaked on various charts across the globe – peaking at number 45 on the Japan Hot 100 and number 56 on the UK Singles chart.  

Last month, McKenna released his new single “Nothing Works”. The track has over 685,000 streams on Spotify, making it a smash hit. Listen to “Nothing Works”, below.  

McKenna, who leans into genres such as glam rock and alt-rock, will perform 14 shows across the UK beginning in March next year. Tickets for the tour can be found here.  

Tour Dates  
23.03.24 – Uni Great Hall – Cardiff  
24.03 – UEA – Norwich  
25.03 – O2 City Hall – Newcastle  
27.03 – O2 Academy – Glasgow  
29.03 – O2 Academy – Sheffield  
01.04 – Ulster Hall – Belfast  
02.04 – 3Olympia Theatre – Dublin  
05.04 – O2 Apollo – Manchester  
08.04 – De Montfort Hall – Leicester  
09.04 – Beacon – Bristol  
10.04 – The Halls – Wolverhampton  
12.04 – Alexandra Palace – London 
13.04 – Centre – Brighton  
14.04 – O2 Academy – Bournemouth  

Beginning Monday, October 2nd, BBC Radio 1 hosts Rickie, Melvin and Charlie will air a new Live Lounge every Monday to Thursday throughout the month. Each performance will take place at 12pm. The Radio 1 trio announced the details of the new live lounge month, along with the line-up on air during their morning show on September 5.

Rickie, Melvin and Charlie are the new hosts of Radio 1’s iconic Live Lounge (Monday – Thursday, 10.30am – 1pm)!

Big up @RickieHW @Melvinodoom & @charliehedges. We know you’ll smash it! pic.twitter.com/0xze7rtyHW

— BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra & Asian Network Press Office (@BBCRadio1PR) April 20, 2021

  Yungblud shared a post on Twitter. He said “just wait you see what we got planned”

just wait till you see what we got planned@bbcradio1 #liveloungemonth pic.twitter.com/NlAjB3cNuv

— YUNGBLUD is a lowlife (@yungblud) September 5, 2023

Radio 1’s Live Lounge will be graced with the presence of some of the world’s most popular artists, performing both their own musical pieces as well as unexpected covers. We will have the pleasure of Olivia Dean’s performance, whose album Messy has been nominated for a Mercury Prize Award 2023.

Listeners of Radio 1 and BBC Sounds can tune in live to all performances from Live Lounge Month. They will also be able to view the performances on-demand on Radio 1’s BBC iPlayer and YouTube channels.

Olivia Rodrigo, whose new album GUTS  launches September 8, visited London and popped into the Radio 1 studio with host Melvin Odoom to make a very hot announcement. Melvin spoke to Olivia and said, “We are so excited to have you here today, because the real reason you’re in the studio right now is because you have a massive announcement, right?”

Olivia made here live lounge performance official and told the Radio 1 listeners in retort to Melvin “I’m so excited to announce, “I’m going to be kicking off Radio 1’s live lounge month 2023 and it’s going to be October. I’m very excited, I’m filming it in LA, and it’s going to be a ball.”

BBC Radio 1, invites listeners to test their expertise, in what they say is their “Ultimate Live Lounge Quiz.” Preparing listeners for an extravaganza of bejewelled performances for this coming October.

Below you can see the full line-up list for the Live Lounge Month 2023.

Artist Performance Date’s

Olivia Rodrigo –  Mon 2nd October
Troye Sivan  – Tues 3rd October
Jorja Smith  – Weds 4th October
Madison Beer  – Thurs 5th October
Declan McKenna –  Mon 9th October
Leigh-Anne –  Tues 10th October
Royal Blood –  Weds 11th October
Dominic Fike – Thurs 12th October
Holly Humberstone – Tues 17th October
YUNGBLUD – Weds 18th October
Becky Hill – Thurs 19th October
Usher – Mon 23rd October
Jax Jones – Weds 25th October
Doja Cat – Thurs 26th October

And one of his helpers includes singer-songwriter Declan McKenna, who’s donated his very own single to the charity. The track is called “Elephant“. If you want to hear it, you can follow the link in the tweet down below. You can pay what you like but there’s a £1.99 price tag included. Environmentalists can be assured that at least £1.30 of their purchase will go to Eno’s charity. Unfortunately, they’ve added a bit of a deadline as well, with the track being available only until May 6^th, so best be quick if you’re interested in hearing it.

A new tune “Elephant” is available from bandcamp for the next 2 weeks only, all proceeds go to @earthpercentorg
pay what you like
VvvVvvVhttps://t.co/8JnADL4z2f pic.twitter.com/ZEGFzkAACP

— Declan mckenna (@DeclanMcKenna) April 22, 2022

According to NME, the track takes McKenna’s previous music in a more “industrial“ direction, but there are similarities to his 2020 album Zeroes with all the allusions to dystopian themes.

As for EarthPercent, Eno’s charity was created back in 2021 and states its goal as “to offer simple and innovative ways for businesses and artists to donate to the most impactful organisations addressing the climate emergency“.

McKenna’s not the only artist to help out. Other well-known names on Eno’s charity playlist include Jarvis Cocker and his group JARV IS…., Coldplay and Anna Calvi. Artists have been donating previously unreleased songs, live versions of songs and collaborations with other artists, so there are a lot of things that fans might find worthwhile.

McKenna’s got a few live dates coming up as well, including an appearance at this year’s Glastonbury festival (more of which you can read about here). He’ll also be headlining at the Royal Albert Hall on May 2^nd, with artists CMAT and Alfie Templeman involved in the backing band. You can look for tickets at this link, as well as see his UK and Ireland tour dates down below.

Declan McKenna UK and Ireland Tour Dates

01/05/2022 – Assembly Hall – Worthing
02/05 – Royal Albert Hall – London
04/05 – O2 Academy – Liverpool
05/05 – Albert Hall – Manchester
06/05 – Albert Hall – Manchester
07/05 – Empire – Coventry
09/05 – Rock City – Nottingham
10/05 – University Asylum – Hull
12/05 – Olympia Theatre – Dublin
13/05 – Cyprus Avenue – Cork
22-26/06 – Glastonbury – Worthy Farm
15/07 – Finsbury Park – London
22/07 – Tramlines – Sheffield
23/07 – Standon Calling – Hertfordshire
30/07 – Kendall Calling – Lowther Deer Park
13/08 – Boardmasters Festival – Cornwall
27/08 – Victorious Festival – Southsea, Portsmouth

So excited to announce that I’ll be playing the Royal Albert Hall in London on 2 May 2022!!

It’s for one night only & I’ll be joined by a bunch of friends…

Presale starts this Wednesday at 9am: https://t.co/o4cx1Pwxa7

LET’S GO!!!
x pic.twitter.com/2PvCDV1p4m

— Declan mckenna (@DeclanMcKenna) November 22, 2021

Declan Benedict McKenna is an English singer, songwriter, music producer, and political activist whose musical journey began with his self-released December 2014 debut single “Brazil”. The single is a protest song against both Fifa and the Fifa World Cup that was held in Brazil in 2014. At the time of penning the single, McKenna felt that the issue of poverty was ignored in Brazil when the Fifa World Cup was held there.

McKenna went on to win the Glastonbury Festival’s Emerging Talent Competition in 2015 and released his debut album What Do You Think About The Car? in 2017. The singer’s much-awaited second studio album Zeros was not released until September 4th 2020 following multiple delays, due to the Covid 19 Pandemic.

The singer’s announcement follows the release, of his live film from his Brixton Academy September concert date. The film was released on November 18th and was available for free viewing on the musician’s Vevo site. McKenna’s Zeros tour named after his second studio album was rescheduled in September when he tested positive for Covid 19 for the second time and had to reschedule his Manchester tour dates. The musician has added his Liverpool, Nottingham and Manchester dates to the beginning of his rescheduled tour dates in May.

Rescheduled shows in Liverpool, Nottingham and Manchester have been added to the front of our tour next year. For those who can’t make the new dates please head to point of purchase for returns etc, so excited to finish this tour off properly, thanks for your patience xx pic.twitter.com/tjK8TSRztA — Declan mckenna (@DeclanMcKenna) September 29, 2021

The singer will perform his Royal Albert Hall date on Bank Holiday on May 2nd, he has promised that the show will be huge and that he will be performing with friends. There were no further details announced in respect as to whom the singer’s friends will be. In expressing his delight to be performing at the Royal Albert Hall McKenna said “To be playing at the Royal Albert Hall is a dream come true, I’m bringing along some special guests and gearing up for what will be a completely unique night”

The remainder of McKenna’s rescheduled tour will continue after his Royal Albert date and will see him performing in Liverpool on May 4th. The musician will also be performing in Europe following his last date in Ireland on May 14th and will be seen for his first European date in France on May 16th and end the European leg of his tour in Poland on May 29th.

The singer’s recently announced collaboration with Sam Fender has been firmly placed on hold due to both Artists being busy with their own musical world’s. The duo performed McKenna’s hit single “Brazil” on August 28th during the Leeds Festival. The singer has now urged their followers to watch this space, as they are still set to release their collaboration in the future. Pre-sale tickets for McKenna’s Royal Albert Hall date go on sale on November 24th at 09.00 am.

Listen to Declan McKenna’s album Zeros here

See the UK and European Tour dates for Declan McKenna’s rescheduled Tour below and purchase tickets here

02/05/22 Royal Albert Hall- London
04/05 O2 Academy- Liverpool
05/05 Albert Hall- Manchester
06/05 Albert Hall- Manchester
09/05 Rock City- Nottingham
22/05 Olympia Theater, Dublin- Ireland
13/05 Cyprus Avenue, Cork- Ireland
16/05 Stereolux, Nantes- France
18/05 La Trabendo, Paris- France
19/05 Le Grand Mix, Tourcouring- France
20/05 Trix, Antwerp- Belgium
22/05 Maassilo, Rotterdam- The Netherlands
23/05 Melkweg, Amsterdam- The Netherlands
24/05 Mojo, Hamburg- Germany
25/05 LUXOR, Cologne- Germany
27/05 Columbia Theater, Berlin- Germany
28/05 Roxy, Prague- Czech Republic
29/05 Progress, Warsaw- Poland

McKenna has rescheduled four dates: one in Liverpool, two in Manchester and one in Nottingham, and has confirmed that these will now take place ahead of his rescheduled European tour that commences in May 2022.

Rescheduled shows in Liverpool, Nottingham and Manchester have been added to the front of our tour next year. For those who can’t make the new dates please head to point of purchase for returns etc, so excited to finish this tour off properly, thanks for your patience xx pic.twitter.com/tjK8TSRztA

— Declan mckenna (@DeclanMcKenna) September 29, 2021

The “Zeros” tour was initially announced in July of 2020; however, it sadly suffered the same fate as every prospective tour at the time and was postponed in February of 2021, with McKenna originally planning for the tour to run from March to May of 2021. McKenna finally embarked on the tour in August of this year, kicking off the run of shows with a performance at Junction in Cambridge.

On September 6^th, prior to the gig at Liverpool’s O2 Academy, McKenna announced via social media that one of his band members had tested positive for COVID-19, and consequently, the next two shows had to be cancelled. The tour resumed on September 9^th at the O2 Academy in Leicester, however, McKenna informed fans on September 13^th that he himself had tested positive, stating: “Although I had covid just 2 months ago, and it is largely advised not to take tests for 90 days after having covid due to potential for false positives, it’s been standard procedure among my whole team to test very regularly in the interest of safety, and one of the tests that I took has come up as positive.”

Much to the relief of fans who had booked tickets for the remainder of the tour, McKenna announced that he had tested negative on September 16^th, and was able to proceed with his show at the UEA campus in Norwich.

In other recent news, Declan McKenna has teased a possible musical collaboration with fellow UK artist Sam Fender, with McKenna telling NME in a video interview at Reading Festival; “Sam Fender and I will get in the studio at some point”. Fender joined McKenna on stage at Leeds Festival for a performance of McKenna’s hit song “Brazil”, making the prospect of a creative collaboration between the two seem even more likely.

As mentioned previously, Declan McKenna’s rescheduled tour dates will take place ahead of his EU tour in May 2022, the first of which being the Liverpool show at the O2 Academy on May 4^th. The rescheduled tour dates are listed down below. Tickets for the EU tour can be purchased here, along with any remaining tickets for the next few shows of his current UK tour.

04/05/2022- O2 Academy- Liverpool
05/05- Albert Hall- Manchester
06/05- Albert Hall- Manchester
09/05- Rock City, Nottingham

In a recent interview with NME he shared the importance of the Festival and live performances where his latest album Zeros had a chance to be played live. “’Zeros’ is fucking intense. But finally seeing it come to life has been like, ‘Wow, this is really what it’s all about!’” – the artist commented. 

Asked about his recent single “My House” which is more mellow compared to the latest album, McKenna replied: “I definitely been looking to produce more stuff myself, more intimate sound”.

“I think that maybe some of the records that I’ve made have missed is a little bit of my character in terms of production” he added asked about the next album.

“Having creative control has always been important to me in different ways,” said McKenna. “I feel like that’s all a new record can be, a learning curve. I find that with each new record I’m learning more and dipping my toes into new things.”

At Leeds Festival last Saturday, the 28th, Mckenna was joined on stage by Sam Feder for the performance of “Brasil”. Last year he and Fender had been talking about collaboration. Asked about any development in that matter he replied: “No… we’ve both been doing all sorts of shit! Today marks the first time I’ll have seen him in two years. We’ll still get in that studio at some point, though.”

See the performance of Declan McKenna and Sam Fender below.

SAM FENDER PERFORMING WITH DECLAN MCKENNA!! pic.twitter.com/aTzJ9kNpIi

— Sam Fender Updates (@FenderUpdates) August 28, 2021

Declan McKenna also used the Reading and Leeds Vaccine initiative for the festival-goers and received his second jab after finishing his set. With ‘vaccine busses’ available at the sites, the musician said: “I’ve got two days off so I thought yeah, get it done now”.

and I feel fine today, although I’m sure my arm would hurt less if sam would’ve refrained from punching it https://t.co/lvAjkNkm12

— Declan mckenna (@DeclanMcKenna) August 29, 2021

“Being nomadic in some description you just wanna seize the opportunity when it arises,” he explained. “It’s a nice reminder, especially as a young person you lose track of these things” he commented on the pop-up clinics

‘Climate Live’ is an exclusive series of live music concerts that is scheduled to run from April 24th to October 16th 2021. Organised and announced by a collection of music artists and activists – including Declan McKenna – the concerts will take place across 43 countries. Mckenna’s recent performance was the first in this international series, with Groove Armada, Milky Chance, and many more also set to perform in the coming months.

The motivation and aims of ‘Climate Live’ were explained in a statement: “Led by members of Friday for Future youth climate groups, who organise the school strikes started by Greta Thunberg and supported by Music Declares Emergency, Greenpeace and many more, ‘Climate Live’ is bringing artists, activists and young people from across the world together through music to unite in the fight for climate justice and the race to safeguard the future of the planet.”

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A post shared by Climate Live (@climatelive2021)

Often wrestling with the crises of modernity, Mckenna’s music represents the attitudes, aspirations, and bugbears of Gen-Z; a generation that refuses to subscribe to the notion that: “That’s just the way it is”. Whilst the song sends a different message, the overtly political sentiment of ‘British Bombs‘ was a fitting accompaniment to the ‘Climate Live’ concert.

Discussing the track back in 2019 with NME, Mckenna said, “I think too often it’s implied that matters in the world are too complex to not end up with war, or to not possess and sell weapons, and I just think it is pure bullshit. Not only do we still engage in wars far away from our homes, which settle nothing and fuel extremism in the aftermath, we sell weapons to other countries full well knowing where they end up. I wanted to write a song that was outright against war, in any form.”

Two years on and in an equally defiant manner, the 22-year-old has recently discussed the political motivations for his ‘Climate Live’ performance: “The question I’d ask world leaders is what disaster are we waiting for? There’s so much reason and so much cause to change the way we’re doing things right now and why wait? Why wait to act on this? We really are already seeing the impacts of climate change, of temperatures rising all around the world. We are already seeing the impact of pollution, the impact of all of this stuff for many years now – why wait? Why wait to do something massive?”

Assured and eloquent, the role that McKenna will play in the lives of a generation of teenagers and young adults is likely to stretch far beyond music. The role that he has already played in setting up the ‘Climate Live’ concerts is simply an indicator for what is about to come.

Watch Declan Mckenna’s performance of ‘British Bombs’ for ‘Climate Live’ below: