Thomas Truax! @ Cavern
Thursday 9th October
Enigmatic eccentric Thomas Truax not only experiments with style and song structure, he invents and constructs increasingly bizarre instruments to create a truly unique sound allowing him to inhabit a sonic soundscape of his very own.
Support from Exeter’s own The Durds.
Nerina Pallot @ Exeter Phoenix
Thursday 9th October
Nerina Pallot is one of the UK’s most quietly extraordinary singer-songwriters. Across eight albums, she has built a body of work that is deeply honest, musically adventurous, and completely her own. A Brit and Ivor Novello nominee, she’s collaborated with artists as commercial as Kylie Minogue, yet it’s her solo work, fiercely intimate and unflinchingly human, that has earned her a devoted following.
A spellbinding live performer and multi-instrumentalist, Pallot’s shows are never the same twice. Whether she’s behind a piano or switching between guitars, she plays with both precision and freedom, weaving stories and humour through songs that shift seamlessly from heartbreak to hilarity. Her last major London show at the iconic Palladium sold out, a testament to the emotional force of her live performances.
Her haunting cover of Love Will Tear Us Apart introduced her to a new generation of listeners when it featured in the acclaimed TV series Normal People, going viral and reaffirming her gift for reinventing familiar songs with startling emotional clarity.
The All Roads Lead To tour is Pallot at her most raw and direct: one woman, a piano, a guitar, and songs drawn from across her 25 year career. From grassroots venues to beautiful old theatres in towns that don’t often get shows like this, these performances are a celebration of connection, between artist and audience, between songs and the stories that shaped them.
Whether you’ve been with her since Dear Frustrated Superstar or Fires, or you’re only just arriving, all roads lead to here.
The Honey Drops @ 12 Bar Music And Social
Friday 10th October
From the depths of Manchester’s soul circuit emerges The Honey Drops — a band combining vintage soul, Northern soul, jazz-inflected grooves and modern textures. For them, listening to Soul wasn’t enough. Neither was dancing to it or digging records. The Honey Drops came out of an obsession, a will and, to a degree, a need: creating the very songs they’d love to hear on the darkest of dancefloors.
Expect blues infused vocals, warm Hammond organ lines, deep grooves, and moments of pure dancefloor heat.
They cite influences ranging from Otis Redding, The Temptations and Al Green to modern revivalists like Amy Winehouse, Leon Bridges and Jordan Rakei. If you love broken beat, modern soul, or deep grooves, this night is for you.
FFO: Otis Redding, Amy Winehouse, Leon Bridges, Durand Jones & The Indications, Kamasi Washington, Alice Russell, Jungle, Michael Kiwanuka.
Earthtone9 @ Cavern
Friday 10th October
earthtone9 are rightly hailed by those who know as one of the most forward-thinking, clever, musically wise and creatively smart in the history of British metal. Emerging in the late ‘90s as nu-metal was beginning to surge, their more nuanced palette and intelligent approach saw them hailed as something special and excitingly against the grain from the very beginning. Making an album a year between 1998 and 2000 – beginning with their expertly crafted Lo-def(inition) Discord debut, and culminating in 2000’s staggering Arc’tan’gent – it was a workrate as intense as the music was uniformly brilliant. After splitting in 2002 the band made a surprise return in 2013 with the crowdfunded album, IV. Following this they made only occasional appearances in the live arena (including at the ArcTanGent Festival, which purloined its name from their third album!), before once again seeming to disappear on hiatus. Now, 11 years on from their last record, they present In Resonance Nexus, a thrilling work of brains and muscle that not only stokes a fire, but sees the band’s core members – vocalist Karl Middleton and guitarists Owen Packard and Joe Roberts – rediscovering and reconnecting with what makes them so special. In Resonance Nexus is the heaviest, fiercest, most heightened record they have ever made; a startling combination of almost feral intensity and the latter-day songwriting chops they displayed on the IV album.
Chris Payn & The Parade
Saturday 11th October
Chris Payn is a dynamic rock/pop artist whose musical genius shines through his electrifying vocals, multi-instrumental prowess, and unforgettable songs. Hailing from the vibrant music scene of Southern England, Chris has carved out a distinctive niche for himself as a captivating performer. Known for his infectious energy and theatrical live shows, he brings a unique blend of influences, combining the flamboyance of Prince, the eclecticism of David Bowie, and the bombastic style of Meat Loaf. With every performance, Chris creates an electrifying atmosphere that leaves a lasting impression on his audience.
Chris Payn will be tearing through his original material with his exceptional live band ‘The Parade’ bringing a show that you won’t forget!
“Flamboyant and theatrical rock music that oozes panache…” Kerrang! Radio
14 Iced Bears @ Cavern
Saturday 11th October
Neo-psychedelic pop band 14 Iced Bears was formed in South London in mid-1985 by singer/guitarist Rob Sekula, bassist Alan White and drummer Nick Emery. Soon after relocating to the Brighton area, White exited the group, with bassist Dominic Minques and rhythm guitarist Kevin Canham signing on to record their 1986 Frank label debut single “Inside.” Roster changes continued to plague 14 Iced Bears over the course of a series of singles including 1987’s “Balloon Song” and the following year’s “Come Get Me” (the latter an early release on the famed Sarah label), but upon signing to Thunderball to record their self-titled 1988 debut LP, the line-up finally stabilized, with Sekula and Canham joined by bassist and drummer Graham Durrant. The album was a cult favorite both at home and abroad, leading to a brief flirtation with major label Geffen, but nevertheless 14 Iced Bears’ next single, 1989’s “Mother Sleep,” again appeared on Thunderball; the company collapsed in the wake of the following year’s “World I Love,” however, and the group landed with the Borderline imprint for 1991’s Wonder before disbanding.
Swami John Reis (Rocket From The Crypt) @ Cavern
Sunday 12th October
A singer, guitarist, record label owner, and disc jockey, Swami John Reis is known for his prolific work in Hot Snakes, Rocket From The Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, Night Marchers, The Sultans and more!
Swami John Reis is back with his second LP in 8 months. “Time To Let You Down” is a savage blast of junk shoppe punk that kicks all within earshot in the ding ding. This 11 track LP is chock full of fist pumpers, head bumpers, stinky dumpers, meaty thumpers and toe stumpers. The undeniable sonic girth barges at will into lathered ear tubes allowing these barbaric anthems to echo in your hollow domes. Feel the whip crack break skin on the acne scarred backs of our cultural oppressors. The sound is tough. The songs are a bitch. These recordings took place Oct. 2024 and features Swami John Reis on guitar and vocals with contributions from Jason Sinclair (Hot Snakes), Joey Guevara (Swami and the Bed Of Nails), Jacob Turnbloom (Mrs. Magician) and Glen Galloway (Truman’s Water).
SUPPORT: ROWDY ROWDY, the Austin-Scotland punk powerhouse, rips into the scene with their self-titled debut LP on Drunken Sailor Records. Hammered out in three days and cut to repurposed VHS, it’s lo-fi, high-voltage rock ‘n’ roll with a gut-punch edge. Born from Hex Dispensers and Goldie Dawn vets, ROWDY channels Joan Jett and Roky Erickson in a sweaty garage showdown.
PLUS BIG SHIPPING (SEE ARTIST SPOTLIGHT)
