Steve Hunting

Maybe ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’, but Blake and McGinley's pure pop-craft just gets better and better.

Strange Days' visionary sophomore Sheffield festival showcases the UK's very best alt-indie, writes Steve Hunting.

Sheffield's annual electronic music festival falls victim to funding and production cost issues – but organisers say it will return in 2024.

The veteran songwriter, producer and performer tells us about his involvement in the Music Venue Trust's United By Music campaign and his upcoming Sheffield gig as part of it.

With two cinematic, cross-genre EPs under his belt, Sheffield's Tom Jarvis tells us about his inspirations, self-imposed creative rules – and how the band name is "a bit metal".

Following last year's musical extravaganza, Strange Days announce 2023's line-up and it's sensational, featuring Personal Trainer, Sister Wives, Erol Alkan, The Murder Capital and many more.

The Music Venues Trust's Own Our Venues campaign confirmed first phase purchases of gig spaces around the UK last month – a positive step for a beleaguered and battered industry.

Whilst Brexit-based visa restrictions currently make EU touring financially unviable for many up-and-coming bands, planned US visa increases now threaten access to the American live music circuit.

Sky rocketing costs and rising inflation are resulting in poor ticket sales, cancelled tours and pulled gigs. Now Then explains why.

Recent industry representations to the House of Lords have warned that touring Europe has become unfeasible for UK musicians.

Taking place at venues across Sheffield, Strange Days’ triumphant one-day extravaganza had Prima Queen, Modern Woman and Everything Everything in between.

Margo Cilker has enriched the canon of Americana with superb debut Pohorylle. We caught up with the Oregon singer-songwriter to talk Bilbao shopkeepers, Scandinavia and plans for a follow-up.

Strange Days' Float Along Festival spans various venues across the city on 24 September, including The Leadmill. Buy a ticket for 100% satisfaction.

Optimism and opportunity for UK bands in Europe post-Covid continues to be thwarted by the on-going shadow of Brexit touring restrictions. Two years on, and the UK government continues to do nothing.

Set up in just three weeks, United For Ukraine collects and transports essential clothing, goods and medical supplies to Ukrainian refugees in Poland and beyond.

I Am A Cliché is an emotional bio-doc of Poly Styrene, the original trailblazing germ-free adolescent.

We spoke to the art rock veterans formerly known as British Sea Power, who have emerged from a productive lockdown better than ever.

"I will continue to push for legislative solutions to make sure that music makers in the UK receive a fairer share of streaming revenues,” says MP Kevin Brennan.

Negotiations have removed the need for additional visas, but unviable restrictions for British artists touring Europe are still in place.

We speak to Laura-Mary Carter, one half of guitar-shredding duo Blood Red Shoes, about her new alt-country EP, Town Called Nothing.