It’s been another great year for music in the Reading and Wokingham area, both for artists based here and acts visiting local venues and events, as seen in the many and varied tracks we’ve shared with you in the playlist in the last year. Before we bring you the first regular playlist of 2025, we are going to look back at the last twelve months with our annual review, courtesy of a panel of folk involved in the local music scene. Here are 20 great tunes to enjoy!
The Top 20 of 2024 Playlist is on a different link to the usual weekly one. It is at https://bit.ly/RaW2024Top20.
1 Sonic Whip – Spinning Around –
Sonic Whip were the runaway winners in the view of our panel, and if you caught one of the performances of the Dutch power trio last year, you’d understand why! They wowed audiences wherever they appeared, from the Radio Wigwam Awards to headlining the marquee stage at Wokingham Festival to a packed Purple Turtle in Reading. If you haven’t seen them, you don’t have to wonder what the fuss is about, they are back this month at the Purple Turtle on 25th January, so you can experience their high energy rock and blues in person. https://www.facebook.com/SonicWhip
2 Caitlin Lavagna – October –
Caitlin Lavagna was another artist who was a hit at Wokingham Festival, and this powerful and emotional ballad, which she co-wrote with Mark Liam Owens, is a great showcase for her dynamic voice as well as her song-writing talents. We hope to see more of her this year; she’s playing in London on February 2nd if you want to check her out. https://linktr.ee/caitlinlavagna
3 Gemma Rogers – Coming for the Top –
Gemma Rogers featured in last year’s Top 20, and it’s no surprise to see her again as she continued to impress us with her live performances – supporting Paolo Nutini at the Mount at Wasing as well as at 19 Something Festival at The Face Bar – and releasing high quality new material like this track. She’s also back in the area this month, headlining at the Face Bar for Club Velocity in Independent Venue Week on 28th January. https://linktr.ee/gemmarogersmusic
4 Rila’s Edge – Deal –
Rila’s Edge headed our Top 20 of 2023, and we said we looked forward to seeing them progressing. We certainly saw that, as they played a series of great gigs throughout the year, including several festival appearances, notably headlining at Wokingham Festival. They also continued to release great songs, such as this one, and are working on more new material now. https://www.rilasedge.com/
5 Sour Kix – Adore –
Sour Kix are another live act that we hope to see more of in the new year; their energetic fun anthemic pop rock was another highlight of Wokingham Festival. https://www.sourkix.com/
6 In Albion – The Fall –
Another fine single from the theatrical rock band based just down the road in Kingston-Upon-Thames https://allmylinks.com/inalbionband
7 Tom Webber – This Time –
Tom Webber is another of the acts that we’re keeping an eye on for the future, we think he’s going to be really big before too long. This is his latest single and you can see him performing it and other songs he’s co-written at the Face Bar on February 2nd during Independent Venue Week for Club Velocity. https://lnk.to/tomwebber
8 Áine Deane – The Sisterhood –
Áine has supported Sam Smith at the Royal Albert Hall and Hozier on one of his tours, and headlined the marquee stage at Wokingham Festival. www.ainedeanemusic.com
9 Masquerader – Pressure (Holy Trinity Cut) –
Masquerader are based in Reading, and this track is from their 2023 album, Nothing Will Change. Look out for them playing locally later in the year. https:// www.facebook.com/i.am.masquerader
10 Neil Sadler – No Love Left, No More –
Neil has moved to Devon, but he used to run No Machine Studios in Wokingham. This is a fine example of his beautiful guitar sound, classic blues with modern touch. https:// www.neil-sadler.com/
11 One Last Day – It’s A Sin (Don’t Give Up) –
Melodic rock from Berkshire-based One Last Day. We look forward to seeing where things take them in the new year. https://www.onelastday.co.uk
12 Wreckless Eric – Whole Wide World –
A classic track, which we saw Eric performing live at The Face Bar this year, courtesy of the fine folk at Club Velocity. https://www.wrecklesseric.com/
13 The Nations United – Confidence –
This was the third single from this band, and, as it turned out, the final one, and we were lucky to catch them live early in 2024 at the Oakford Social Club. However, the driving force behind it, Darius Zaltash, is now recording and performing under his own name, and we’ll be watching for new music from him! https://www.facebook.com/dariuszaltash
14 Jopy – Head Hunters Pub and Grub –
Jopy is another band we’ve featured more than once, and with good reason. This track is for those with a dark sense of humour, about a pub with a very unusual menu! Again, we look forward to more great things from the band, and see that they are booked for a festival in New York in March! https://linktr.ee/jopymusic
15 Marisa and the Moths – Fake It Till You Make It –
Marisa and the Moths don’t need to fake it, they’ve definitely made it! The album this track is taken from hit number 1 in the Official Rock Charts! https:// www.marisaandthemoths.com/
16 Tom Robinson Band – Power In The Darkness –
Another classic track from the 1970s, the words are as relevant today as they were when they were written, and the performance we saw at the Face Bar in August was as impassioned as ever. https://www.facebook.com/tomrobinsonmusic
17 Puma Theory – Sobering Lights–
Puma Theory have been busy boys in the last year, playing many live shows and releasing three singles, and even running a showcase of local talent early in the year. This was their second single, a great piece of melodic indie rock. https://www.facebook.com/pumatheory
18 Deva St John – Broke –
Yet another long-time favourite of the playlist, and regular presence in the Top 20, Deva St John had a break from performing earlier in the year, but is back again now, performing live and releasing new material. https://www.facebook.com/dayvasaintjohn
19. San Demas – Stay Forever
Riff laden melodic rock from a band who put on a great live show. We managed to catch them three times, at the Purple Turtle, Wokingham Festival and Reading Rising. https:// linktr.ee/sandemas
20 The Mezz – Now I Found You –
Oxford-based The Mezz have played some great shows in Reading, and we know we’ll be seeing more of them in the new year. This is the title track from their EP. https://found.ee/ slYBM
THE PANEL AND THEIR TOP TRACKS OF THE YEAR:
Chris Hillman (White Star Records / Magick Eye Records): Deal by Rila’s Edge Tara Deane (Musician & Promoter at Tara Deane Music): It’s a Sin by One Last Day Dean Nelson (Generation Studio): October by Caitlin Lavagna
John Blaney (Mega Dodo Records / Billywitch Records): Whole Wide World by Wreckless Eric
Roger Dudman (The Walrus and The Carpenter Show on Rock Radio UK): No Love Left, No More by Neil Sadler
Kayleigh Fryer (Kayleigh Fryer Photography): Pressure (Holy Trinity Cut) by Masquerader Andrew Merritt (Andrew Merritt Photography): Spinning Around by Sonic Whip
