Rattrap
Origin: South West
For fans of: Classic rock, funk-rock, upbeat covers, feel-good festival sets
Latest release: All The Same – out 6th February 2026
If you’ve spent any time around local festivals, pub gigs or summer outdoor stages, chances are you’ve already stumbled into a Rattrap set and left with your voice hoarse and your feet sore.
We are here for their high-energy performances and a sound that expertly combines rock, funk and crowd-pleasing classics. Rattrap have become one of the South West’s most reliably brilliant live acts. Their shows are pure atmosphere: rhythm, melody, dancing, sweat and that “everyone is mates now” feeling that only the best gigs create.
And with their new single All The Same dropping on 6th February, 2026, now is the perfect time to get them on your radar if you haven’t already.
Cole Stacey
Origin: Devon
For fans of: Peter Gabriel, Ben Howard, Jake Xerxes Fussell
Latest release: Postcards From Lost Places (2025)
“A magnificent sound.” – Patrick Kielty, BBC Radio 5 Live
“He is incredible.” – Times Radio
“Breathtaking, that incredible voice.” – TradFolk
Few artists are carrying the flame of modern folk quite like Cole Stacey. His debut solo album Postcards From Lost Places entered the UK Album Charts at #57 and the Official Folk Charts at #20, a brilliant achievement for a record rooted in forgotten word and centuries-old stories reimagined through a contemporary, lyrical lens.
A veteran of iconic spaces…The Royal Albert Hall, Westfalenhalle Arena, castles in Gdansk, Glastonbury stage, Cole is no stranger to transforming rooms. His live shows are intimate and emotionally direct, often blurring the lines between folk and an ambient 80s pop influence.
Between European tours with Midge Ure and performances with India Electric Company, Cole is continuing a run of solo concerts in uniquely atmospheric spaces into 2026 including a date at The Beehive, Honiton in February. He’s also just released new merch on Bandcamp for fans wanting a piece of the journey.
Casey-Rae Perry
Origin: Exeter
For fans of: Phoebe Bridgers, Searows, Jeff Buckley, Paramore, Billie Eilish
Latest release: All The Times (May 2025)
Next gig: Clatters Events, 12Bar – 18th December 2025
Casey-Rae Perry is one of those artists who stops you in your tracks. Intimate, melancholic and entirely her own, her music leans into raw storytelling and instrumentals, crafted through open guitar tunings (C, D or custom) that give her songs a haunting, deeply personal feel.
Her single All The Times, a heartbreak anthem perfectly suited for winterm echoes themes of lost relationships and the ache of looking back. Thoughtful, honest and lyrically exposed, it’s the kind of track that hits home for anyone who’s lived through their own “break-up season.”
Drawing inspiration from artists like Searows, Jeff Buckley and Phoebe Bridgers, Casey-Rae shapes an immersive sound built on emotional clarity and unfiltered vulnerability. She’s currently working toward recording her first full album in 2026.
Catch her before the next chapter lands. And if you’re in Exeter on the 18th December, don’t miss her live at 12Bar.
Land of the Giants
Origin: Plymouth
For fans of: Ska, funk-rock, reggae, brass-driven grooves
Latest playlist feature: “The Drop” — Involving Music’s SW Sounds Playlist in December
If you want energy, Land of the Giants are the band to beat. Formed in Plymouth back in 2009, their “mongrel” blend of funk, rock, reggae, ska, blues and dub has made them festival icons across the UK for more than 15 years.
Unskippable soulful vocals, a brilliant brass section and rhythms built to lift whole fields off the ground, LOTG are the kind of band that turn a normal night into a full-body workout.
Their track “The Drop” from the 013 EP No Pressure made it onto our South West Sounds December playlist – a perfect example of their slow-burning build, expert crescendos and irresistible groove.
They’ve got a run of South West shows over Christmas and into the New Year, so if you’ve never experienced them live, now is the time. Trust us: these gigs go off.
The Ultra Violets
Origin: Cornwall
For fans of: Indie pop/rock, modern rock with 70s flair
Latest BBC Introducing play: “Right From The Start”
The Ultra Violets are fast becoming one of Cornwall’s standout indie acts. Big choruses, fuzzy guitars and enough swagger to headline their own summer, this band have the makings of a national breakthrough.
With festival sets at Boardmasters, support slots for McFly at the Eden Project and The Libertines in France, plus airplay on BBC Radio Wales and Radio X, they’re already carving a serious path.
Their sound blends indie pop, retro rock and contemporary anthem energy — the kind that fills a room and stays lodged in your head for days.
Tracks like ROMANCE and HONEYPIE have already done the rounds online, and their recent BBC Introducing play for “Right From The Start” is further proof that these guys are getting louder.
If you like your indie colourful, catchy and loud, The Ultra Violets are the ones to watch.
