Sugarthief played their first gig in the Autumn of 2015. Some three years on, they have 100 odd gigs under their belts, including appearances on the Main Stage at YNOT Festival, Isle of Wight, Truck, Kendall Calling and support slots with The Twang, The Night Cafe, Willie J Healy… Impressive stuff considering three of the band are still teenagers.
Picking up ‘Best Alternative / Indie Act 2018’ at the Inaugural Birmingham Music Awards was an unexpected but welcome surprise for these very down to earth youngsters, but it’s not only in the Midlands that Sugarthief are getting recognition.
With multiple plays on National radio by the likes of Steve Lamacq/Tom Robinson (BBC 6 Music), and Gordon Smart (Radio X), support from iconic brands such as Fred Perry and Pretty Green, as well as national championing by This Feeling (Big in 2019) – it seems the continued growth of unsigned Sugarthief shows no sign of slowing down in 2019.
Gigs in Birmingham are generally sweaty, sold-out affairs, with frenzied fans joyously singing along to catchy choruses and melodic hooks, often culminating in a mass stage invasion. Recent performances to packed houses in London, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham are proof Sugarthief have stamped out a ‘Made in Birmingham’ sound that can be exported and enjoyed anywhere.
The young five-piece document modern teenage experiences via jangly guitars, pop-ridden basslines and hook-laden lyrics, a hint of psych oozing from the keyboards. “All the songs are really about my view of a pretty screwed up world”, says front-man Jordi. “Some people call our sound Indie rock/pop – I’m not sure about that… we just make the music and let others worry about pigeon holes”
Sugarthief Links: Website | Facebook | Spotify
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2015 was a defining year for humanity; the blue and gold dress crisis, self-driving cars, Instagram becoming bigger than Twitter, and Josh Hyde being employed to decorate the kitchen of a certain Penny Handford. It was during this flirtation with painting that fate intended Josh to cross paths with Penny’s son, Harry. Josh was a guitar marvel, Harry had written a few songs about his feelings and before they knew it Spilt Milk Society had been born. They quickly established themselves as part of the thriving Birmingham music scene and gained attention from BBC Introducing; doing live sessions for WM and Shropshire whilst gaining airtime on Radio 1, Radio 2 and Radio 6 Music. Further afield the milky boys have since been hand picked by Steve Lamacq to play on the BBC Introducing stage at the Great Escape Festival and have supported the likes of Superfood, Fickle Friends, Tender and Marsicans.
BBC Introducing’s Adam Crowther called Spilt Milk Society “the most exciting band we’ve championed years” and said that “they have a bold, energetic and instantly lovable sound to their music”. Fred Perry Sub Culture called them “one of Birmingham’s brightest future bands”.
The end of 2017 saw Spilt Milk hit a million streams on Spotify - a number that has now grown to over 3 million - and the band had now settled into a new home in Liverpool to focus purely on music. 2018 came around and they took a 6 month break to reorganise and spend time writing following the signing of their first contract with Believe Digital UK. With bigger production, a clearer direction and fan base averaging at 150,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, Spilt Milk Society are set to release three singles in the coming months. The first, Turtleneck Boy, is to be complemented by a clothing range, named ‘TURTS’, and music video. October 2018 will see their first UK Tour accompanying Turtleneck Boy’s release.
Other projects they have completed during their break include Harry’s solo outlet strawberry milkshake, Josh’s Toxteth project, Freddie’s Boy, Yowstra, Rob’s nun, and an E.P featuring songs they’ve collaborated on with fellow Birmingham bands Sugarthief and Violet.
Spilt Milk Society Links: Soundcloud | Facebook | Twitter
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Birmingham-based alternative pop outfit The Arosa is the exciting emerging band that combine British flair with British panache. Flaming guitars, machine-gun drums, and highly infectious chorus'.