Sunday
The Fratellis
They’re probably your da’s favourite band, and with good reason too — Jon, Baz and Mince Fratelli know how to put on a show. The Glasgwegian band took to the mainstage early on Sunday afternoon, possibly in an attempt to rouse the hungover troops into enjoying the third and final day of the festival. A personal highlight ‘We Need Medicine’ from the band’s 2013 studio album by the same name was matched only by ‘Chelsea Dagger’, the defining release from 2006’s Costello Music. Just like The Pigeons, The Fratellis will be back in Sheffield in September, playing hits from new album Half Drunk Under The Full Moon at the O2 Academy on the same day that The Vaccines are playing The Leadmill. Just don’t look at your bank account at this point, is my main advice. You’re welcome.
Ed Cosens
After releasing his debut album Fortunes Favour back in April this year, singer-songwriter Ed Cosens took to T’Other stage on Sunday afternoon, accompanied by Reverend & the Makers bandmate and Milburn frontman, Joe Carnall. Despite self-deprecatingly asking who’d heard his new record, and then saying ‘about ten of you, then’, he naturally took to being in the limelight. As we wrote back at the time of release, the record is peppered full of homages to fellow Sheffield acts such as Suck It And See era Arctic Monkeys, as well as 60s era Beatles. It’s a solid offering, and one we’re looking forward to hearing live again later this year.
Sheafs
Taking to the stage after 16 months of no gigs, Sheffield act Sheafs played a great set comprised of songs from their debut EP, Vox Pop, which was released in March 2020 as well as other fan favourites from their array of singles. Momentary confusion occurred after a young fan appeared to suffer stage fright after being invited on stage, but the Sheffield rock’n’rollers recovered from the temporary lull, ending on a triumphant high. The band’s next show is at the Foundry with Slow Readers Club on 25 September, which will no doubt be another great show.
Sundara Karma
Reading indie pop outfit Sundara Karma took to the stage, thanking fans who’d made the difficult call to see them instead of Dizzee Rascal. Call me bonkers, but I opted for the sonic embrace of Oscar Pollock, Ally Baty, Dom Cordell and Haydn Evans because, well, it’s not 2009 anymore. Despite momentary confusion because I genuinely thought ‘She Said’ was a Circa Waves song instead of a Sundara Karma effort, the band played a lively set packed full of bops such as ‘Flame’ and the riot-inducing closer ‘Explore’.
The Big Moon
An overwhelmingly grateful Juliette Jackson thanked fans assembled at the Library stage at twilight on Sunday evening as the festivities came to an end. The Big Moon may have briefly had to turn to YouTube to remember how to play their music, but you’d never have known it as the four-piece comprised of Juliette Jackson, Soph Nathan, Celia Archer and Fern Ford meandered through a saccharine setlist. While Supergrass played the one song that everyone knows on Sarah Nulty’s mainstage, The Big Moon played an array of songs from 2020 effort, Walking Like You Do, released before Covid-19 struck, as well as their debut Love in the 4th Dimension, to a modest and exhausted crowd. While some more ardent fans climbed on shoulders and sang their hearts out, others reclined on the grass and watched as the London outfit perfectly rounded off a weekend that meant so much to so many people.
Tickets for Tramlines Festival 2022 are now available: https://tramlines.org.uk/tickets/
Words by Beth Kirkbride
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