Truck Festival 2019 announces first wave of acts
From 25–28 July, Truck Festival will return to Hill Farm in Steventon, Oxfordshire, for the 22nd edition of the UK’s longest-running small festival.
This year Truck will welcome local legends Foals back to Hill Farm, 12 years on from their last appearance at the festival where they played a show in the Barn that has “gone down in Truck folklore”, according to organiser Matt Harrap.
Harrap comments: “We’re extremely excited to announce our first wave of artists for this year’s show. Returning hometown heroes Foals is the icing on the cake – we’re over the moon to have them for their first Oxfordshire show in five years and their first at Truck since pre-[2008 album] Antidotes. Having artists of the calibre of Two Door Cinema Club and Wolf Alice also coming to headline the event after many years of asking is truly humbling and their sets will no doubt live long in the memory.”
Last year Truck opened its doors for the first ever time on the Thursday, with Peace treating early punters to an electric performance on the Market Stage. This time round, firm festival favourites Slaves will be headlining the opening night, with Wolf Alice headlining on Friday and Foals Saturday.
“With ticket sales well ahead of this time last year, we really recommend not hanging around”
Closing Truck Festival are indie giants Two Door Cinema Club – who, like Foals and Slaves, have previously played the festival – and now return for a headline performance.
Also performing are pop-punk royalty You Me At Six, recent Brit nominees Idles, indie-pop singer Kate Nash, south London five-piece Shame and indie veterans the Futureheads.
As ever, the festival also welcomes a host of local bands. “We have brilliant up and coming local talent such as Lacuna Common and Self Help,” explains Harrap. “Mix in the likes of You Me at Six, Nothing But Thieves and Shame and […] we’ve got a real party. With ticket sales well ahead of this time last year, we really recommend not hanging around!”
The first wave of acts for Truck Festival 2019, which takes place from 26 to 28 July 2019, can be viewed in full on the Truck Festival website.
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The New Bosses 2017: round two
After shining the spotlight on (in no particular order) our first four New Bosses – Anna-Sophie Mertens, Zoe Swindells, Ryan Penty and Andrés Guanipa – last month, the next instalment of IQ’s New Bosses 2017 features three more live music industry leaders of the future.
Read on to get to know CAA’s Summer Marshall, Truck Festival’s Matt Harrap and AEG Presents’ Connie Shao…
Summer Marshall
Agent, CAA (UK)
Age: 30
Summer is based in CAA’s London office, where she has been instrumental in strategically building the international touring profiles of such artists as Sam Smith, who has headlined arenas around the world, including a massive sold-out Australian tour. Summer is active in a number of industry collectives, including the UK Music Futures Group, and is a member of the BRIT Awards voting academy.
Do you think you were always destined for a career in music?
While I once daydreamed of being a professional skydiver, I followed my passion for music. I love being an agent. And some might argue it’s just as thrilling.
Who do you turn to for advice?
I am fortunate to work with an inspirational group of colleagues. Emma Banks, Mike Greek and Paul Wilson, in particular, are three exceptionally wise and wonderful people.
And as a New Boss, what advice would you give anyone who wanted to follow the agency route into the business?
Humanise your approach. We are all in this together to support the artist.
As a New Boss, is there any practice that you would like to change, or introduce, to improve the way the business is done?
I would encourage everyone to make more phone calls. Establishing a personal connection goes a long way in building and sustaining a relationship. Plus, one call can be more effective and efficient than a string of emails.
If you had to choose one highlight from your career, so far, what would it be?
Being part of writing Sam Smith’s extraordinary story.
Matt Harrap
Event manager, Truck Festival (UK)
Age: 26
While studying at the University of Portsmouth, Matt and some friends set-up a club night that showcased new acts and local talent. During this period he was approached by the founder of Southsea Fest and asked to help run the event’s social channels. This in turn led to an internship at Count of Ten, which by year two saw him elevated to the position of event manager at Truck Festival at the age of just 23.
What advice would you give to anyone hoping to find a career in the live music business?
It’s nowhere near as glamorous as people tell you. You have to be prepared to really work hard. You need conviction in what you believe in – but, most importantly, you need to be willing to listen to feedback from those attending events.
What’s your proudest achievement to date?
It’s pretty lame, but every year at Truck watching the audience go crazy. It makes me feel very proud of what we as a team have done.
And what about the challenges?
Tight budgets and artist exclusivity. I’ve learned you have to be creative to make budgets last, and in selecting artists you believe the audience will love.
Who do you turn to for advice?
I’ve been really lucky to work with great people since the age of 18, including my old bosses from Count Of Ten, people I used to run nights with at university, the whole team that work on Truck and the wider team at Broadwick Live, who have a vast experience of running awesome events.
As a New Boss, is there any practice that you would like to change or introduce, to improve the way the business is done?
Remove red tape; it completely stifles creativity.
Connie Shao
Promoter, AEG Presents (CN)
Age: 27
While studying at the University of Southern California, Connie worked as college promoter, programming and producing concerts for 15,000 undergraduate students while also working an internship at Epitaph Records. Post-uni, she landed a job at ICM, working in domestic and international bookings, then in 2014 moved to Shanghai to join the Asia-Pacific office of AEG Presents.
What are your language skills like?
I grew up speaking both English and Chinese; however, I have a lot more to learn in Chinese reading and writing.
What are the biggest challenges about working in Asia?
There’s not a one-size-fits-all approach to touring in Asia – it’s a fine balance between establishing consistency across the region while maintaining the unique distinctions of each market. Putting on a 12-date tour means working in 12 vastly different countries, 12 currencies, 12 ticketing companies and so on.
What do you see yourself doing in five years’ time?
I’d love to continue expanding and developing the Asia touring region – we’re starting to see tours go to more markets, also new markets, and doing record-breaking ticket sales. There’s also great potential for global festival brands to launch with a tailored approach in many Asian markets.
As a New Boss, is there any practice that you would like to change or introduce, to improve the way the business is done?
I would encourage artists to maintain a presence in Asia beyond the touring cycle. It’s so important to develop and nurture the fan base in these markets, which touch half the world’s population.
The remaining three New Bosses will be profiled in future editions of IQ’s Index newsletter. Alternatively, read the feature in full now in the digital edition of IQ 73:
“Changes in the industry” force BSTK cancellation
Boutique British festival Brownstock is to close after 12 years.
Brownstock (BSTK), which had been held at Morris Farm in Chelmsford, Essex – close to the V Festival site – since 2005, was programmed by IME Music and promoted by London-based Count of Ten, which last month sold its Y Not and Truck Festivals to the Global group.
No line-up had yet been announced for the 2017 festival. Tinie Tempah, Mark Ronson and Kelis headlined in 2016.
“After 12 years of incredible music, amazing people and the best memories, it is with heavy hearts that we have made the difficult decision to shut the farm gates and no longer hold BSTK Festival,” festival management said today.
“Due to changes in the industry we can no longer deliver the event we set out to create”
“Due to changes in the industry we can no longer deliver the event we set out to create and that we feel you deserve.
“We will cherish the memories you have all helped us create, as we hope you will too. We will always be proud of what you all helped us to create and the cultural influence in the local area, without your support there wouldn’t have been a festival.”
Ticketholders for BSTK 2017 will be refunded.
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