Each week, there are 10 great acts in our playlist, all with a connection to Reading or Wokingham. As always, we have a wide variety of musical styles, but we think they’re all worth a listen, and we hope you find something new to enjoy as well as maybe getting out to experience the thrill of live music. This week, we’ve got three new entries from acts who will be performing at Wokingham Festival this year.
1. Selina and the Howlin Dogs – Gemima –
Selina and the Howlin Dogs have been delighting audiences with their original blues rock for some time now, with appearances at festivals including several at Wokingham Festival. They are back on the main stage again this year, and one of the songs we’re looking forward to seeing performed live is this brand new release, Gemima, which was originally written by band member Alan Burgin forty years ago! This timeless piece of rock and roll is the second track from their forthcoming album, “Third Time Lucky”. https://www.facebook.com/SelinaandtheHowlinDogs
2. Bonnie and the Jets – Naked –
Wokingham Festival has been developing an international flavour in recent years, with Focus and Sonic Whip from the Netherlands. This year, already featuring in the playlist is Leonie Jakobi (from Germany, though living Liverpool) and, flying in from Oslo, Norway, we have Bonnie and the Jets bringing their brand of upbeat blues rock. This recent number reminds us that whoever we are and whatever we do, we all came into the world the same way. https://www.facebook.com/bonnieandthejetsmusic
3. EBB – No One’s Child –
EBB were voted Best New Band by the readers of Prog Magazine for 2024, and they’ve just been announced as an addition to the Monday line-up at Wokingham Festival. This newly released track from their live album recorded just down the road in Southampton will give you a flavour of what to expect, though it doesn’t convey the full theatricality of their performance – find them on youtube or come along to the Festival to experience that! https://www.ebbband.com/
4. Leonie Jakobi – The Life My Parents Had –
We’ve featured Leonie Jakobi before, after we saw her on a road trip to Southampton, and we’re delighted at the prospect of seeing her perform again soon, on the Marquee stage at Wokingham Festival on Monday 25th August. This is a lovely upbeat track as Leonie muses on what she has in life and how it compares with what her parents had. https://www.facebook.com/ leoniejakobi
5. Cold July – In My Head –
Cold July hail from Guildford, where they formed at ACM just last year, and their sophisticated sounds belies their young age. This is their second single, which showcases their three part harmonies and rich production, and the intelligent lyrics examine a situation where something is at once too close and too far. They just played at Limitless in Basingstoke, and we look forward to seeing them on the Marquee stage at Wokingham Festival on Saturday 23rd August. https://www.instagram.com/ coldjulyband/
6. One Eyed Man – Breakfast in Bed –
Stuart Hutton is the One Eyed Man, born and bred in Berkshire before travelling all over the globe gaining many experiences which have been the inspiration for his musical output. This is one of his original compositions about falling in love and the joy of getting to know someone new. We saw him on the Marquee stage at Wokingham Festival four years ago, at Wokingham and at Are You Listening? Festival two years ago and this year we will be seeing him grace the main stage on Saturday 23rd August. https://oneeyedmanofficial.com/
7. Josh Roberts – Caught Up –
Josh Roberts is from Maidenhead, and we caught him performing recently at Milk as part of Are You Listening Festival in Reading in May. This is his latest single, released just last month, drawing on the experience of dealing with a relationship that ends. Josh made his Glastonbury debut last year, and we look forward to seeing him on the main stage at Wokingham Festival this year, on 24th August! https://www.instagram.com/_joshrobertsmusic/
8. Bone-Idle – Stones –
Reading-based Bone-Idle have been going for four years now, and we saw them at Wokingham Festival last year, and at a couple of venues around town, and they’ve since played at Guilfest and were back in Reading for a great set supporting Sonic Whip just last week at the Purple Turtle. This year they’re returning to Wokingham Festival and we’re looking forward to seeing how they’ve developed when they hit the Marquee stage on 23rd August! This is their upbeat recent single. https:// www.instagram.com/bone_idleuk/
9. Tasia – Never Give Up –
Tasia is based in London, but is originally from Wokingham and is returning with her band to grace the Marquee stage on Sunday 24th August. This is her latest single, reflecting on the challenges she faced developing as an artist and how she grew in the process of overcoming them. The track showcases her vocal versatility and has a great production with many layers of sound expressing strength and sensitivity. https://www.instagram.com/officialtasia/
10. The Dead Can Wait – Paranoia –
Reading-based The Dead Can Wait share their rhythm section with The Room, and their bass player is stage manager and MC for Wokingham Festival, so there should not be too many surprises for them when they headline on the Marquee stage on Monday August 25th. This is their second single, from their very-well-received debut album, In Lumine. They have a Classic Rock sound, but with a modern sensibility. https://thedeadcanwait.band/
You can listen to all the songs featured in our Spotify playlist at https://bit.ly/rawsoundstoday
