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Rockstars HQ •

A Future Headliner? Chloe Slater’s Tramlines Set Says Yes

Words: Josh Parsonage


Defying veteran competition from Jake Bugg, Chloe Slater packed out Tramlines’ T’Other Stage, claiming the spotlight as Saturday’s standout act.


The Bournemouth-born rock and roll superstar’s brazenly political indie anthems have catapulted her onto festival lineups and magazine covers over the past year, and with short sets as memorable as this one as well as new music on the horizon, Slater is unquestionably one to watch.


True to her unapologetic principles, the...
Rockstars HQ •

Pulp’s Tramlines Takeover Delivers An Unforgettable Homecoming

Words: Josh Parsonage


Pulp’s Tramlines headline set exceeded its hype as the hometown heroes nailed their classics and unearthed deep cuts in a phenomenal tribute to their Steel City roots.


Last night, the returning britpop legends played what was only their fourth hometown show since the turn of the millennium. What made the occasion truly unique was that the festival’s Friday main stage lineup had been personally curated by the band – a full celebration of all things Pulp.


The set kic...
Hard Of Hearing Magazine •

Tracks, 25th July 2025 ft. Fcukers, Silver Gore and more.

Plus essential new releases from Slow Cooked, Folk Bitch Trio, Divorce, Pynch and Slowhandclap.


Fcukers – ‘Play Me’


Exuding the same blasé confidence as those hotties that you just watched the bouncer let skip past the hour-long queue, ‘Play Me’ sees NYC’s Fcukers continue to make ‘cool’ look as effortless as rolling out of bed, slapping on a pair of wraparound sunglasses and snapping a couple of washed out, red-eyed selfies on an obsolete digicam. Arriving off the back of last year’s debu...
Rockstars HQ •

Tramlines Day One Preview

Words: Josh Parsonage


Sheffield’s summer musical celebration kicks off today, led by Steel City legends Pulp, who curated and headline the opening day.


Hillsborough Park is set to be blessed with just Pulp’s fourth hometown performance since the turn of the millennium–an occasion that, if past returns are any guide, ought to promise setlist surprises and special guests.


The main stage lineup for this sunny Yorkshire Friday has been handpicked by the band themselves, with some of Jarvis...
Hard Of Hearing Magazine •

Tracks, 18th July 2025 ft. The Last Dinner Party, TAGABOW, LIPWORMS and more.

This week’s review of essential new releases.


As The Last Dinner Party announce the release of their second album, we also have new releases from They Are Gutting A Body Of Water, Lover’s Skit, The Cindys, Rowan and Friends, Domina, LIPWORMS, DAAY, Opal Mag and Winter McQuinn.


The Last Dinner Party – ‘This is the Killer Speaking’


The Last Dinner Party pick up right where they left off on brand new single ‘This is the Killer Speaking’, announcing with it their second album ‘From The Pyre...
Rockstars HQ •

Fontaines D.C. Are On Top Of The World: Live At Finsbury Park Review

Words: Josh Parsonage


With each decade comes a handful of era-defining bands– artists who, in unison, shape the sounds, styles, and tone by which those years are remembered. Alongside them come the key moments that etch themselves into a generation’s musical psyche: Knebworth, Spike Island, Pulp at Finsbury Park in 1998, and now Fontaines D.C. on that very same soil in 2025.


The Irishmen are at their peak. The eclectic ‘Romance’ is their most successful record by every measure, fuelling a...
Hard Of Hearing Magazine •

Tracks, 11th July 2025, ft. Ebbb, Famous, ashnymph and more.

Essential new releases this week, also featuring Big Huge New Circle, Blue Amber, Restless Taxis, Oral Habit, Midnight Rodeo and Home Counties.


Ebbb – ‘Manners’


In art, balance is something undervalued and even more seldom attained. To avoid pushing too far into one specific shade, elements of others can complement, elevate and transform work into something far greater than if it barrelled on through in a certain direction. Ebbb have consistently shown their ability for coupling the fierce...
Rockstars HQ •

Five Small Artists You Won’t Want To Miss At Tramlines This Year

Words: Josh Parsonage


This summer’s Tramlines Festival lineup is a stomper with each day stacked from morning till late evening, but just who are the unmissable small artists bringing their A-game to Sheffield’s Hillsborough Park.


Chloe Slater


Standout Track  – ‘Fig Tree’


Unapologetically political, undeniably a great time. Having begun producing her cutthroat social commentaries from the comfort of her bedroom, Chloe Slater personifies what it means to be indie. 


Her raw talent r...
Rockstars HQ •

“Glasgow, you’re always on the right side of history”: The Murder Capital Light Up St. Luke’s

Words: Josh Parsonage


On a Saturday night in Glasgow, The Murder Capital transformed the church of St. Luke’s into a temple of rock and roll gumption.


The Irish punk outfit brought their dramatic collection of heavy-hitting, emotionally charged music to a crafted culmination, directing it into the hearts and souls of the crowd. The set was characterised by its deliverance, with frontman James McGovern creating intense moments of connection between band and audience. At times, it felt as th...
Rockstars HQ •

Sunday Works’ Dreamy ‘Turned To Gloss’ Holds Listeners In Trance

Words: Josh Parsonage


With a dream-like sound, Sunday Works channel a meditative emotional mantra– soft, immersive, and hauntingly intimate.  


The track drifts into the stillness and peace of love, evoking a serene emotional space. The New York pop duo craft a bright soundscape, layering it with imagery that echoes the chorus’ proclamation of ‘devotion’. 


‘Turned To Gloss’ opens with a demand of the listener: “Your attention, your attention”. An importance is placed on the song’s messag...
Rockstars HQ •

Stanleys Ignite Glasgow With A Raw Indie Swagger

Words: Josh Parsonage


On a buzzing Saturday in Glasgow, Stanleys served up a feast of unfiltered electricity to a Poetry Club starving for sound.


The Wigan indie-four piece delivered a high-octane performance that only reinforced BBC Radio Manchester’s claim that they are “well on the way to something great”. 


Having formed in their high school days, Stanleys wear their 90s Britpop influences proudly, yet there’s nothing obnoxiously derivative about their sound. Whilst they no doubt cha...
Rockstars HQ •

Pulp Launch Their New Era With Theatrical ‘Spike Island’

Words: Josh Parsonage


Twelve years on from the release of ‘After You’, Pulp are back. And yes, Jarvis Cocker’s witty self-awareness is still gloriously intact.


Pulp have been back on tour since 2023, with fans patiently awaiting any sign of new music. That was until the band announced a new deal with Rough Trade. Now, the Yorkshire pop icons have revealed their eighth album ‘More’ and dropped its rhythmic lead single, ‘Spike Island’. 


‘Spike Island’ stays true to Pulp’s glam-infused DNA...
Rockstars HQ •

Lilo Entrance With A Staggering Authenticity On Their First Visit To Glasgow: Live Review

Words: Josh Parsonage


The London indie-folk duo held The Poetry Club in rapt attention with their harmonious acoustic melodies delivered in heartfelt a manner. 


Christie Gardner and Helen Dixon, accompanied by their exceptionally talented band, cast a captivation upon the Glasgow crowd with their slow-burning opening track, ‘Crash The Car’. The song reels you in before dropping the audience into a spiralling, messy melody that showcases the vast emotional range of the band’s music and the...
Rockstars HQ •

Five Standout Tracks From 2025’s First Quarter

Words: Josh Parsonage


As we hit April fools day, we also mark the end of 2025’s first quarter– a stretch that has already delivered some incredible music. With a new Sam Fender album, a surprise single from Fontaines D.C., and plenty of new kids on the block, the year is off to a thrilling start. Here are five standout releases you need to hear.


‘Extraordinary Wings’ – Heartworms


Jojo Orme, known as Heartworms, has brought an artful intensity to the modern post-punk revival. The hauntin...
Rockstars HQ •

Between Passion And Peril: The Music Of Sound ‘Love Me’ Review

Words: Josh Parsonage


Embodying both allure and danger, Music of Sound are back with mesmerising pop hit ‘Love Me’.


Following the streaming success of their previous effort ‘Cold Weather Man,’ Indian-Welsh pop trio Music of Sound have been busy putting together ‘Love Me’, an energetic yet hypnotic tale of lace and wreckage.


The track unfolds from the perspective of someone deeply loving and devoted: “I can be your sweetest angel / I’ll never break your sweet heart.” Yet, the repeated pl...
Rockstars HQ •

Alexandra Savior Goes From Strength To Strength In Fiery Comeback – ‘Unforgivable’ Review

Words: Josh Parsonage


Scathing imagery hinged upon synths steeped in melancholy weaving a story of betrayal – ladies and gentlemen, Alexandra Savior is back.


It’s been five years since genre-bending Portland-based singer-songwriter Alexandra Savior released her critically acclaimed noir-pop LP ‘The Archer’,  but the wait for new music is finally over. On Friday, she unveiled ‘Unforgivable’, a jazz-influenced track that tells a tale of treachery turned self-empowerment.


‘Unforgivable’ ma...
Rockstars HQ •

A Shift In Tone For Chatten: Fontaines D.C – ‘It’s Amazing To Be Young’ Review

Words: Josh Parsonage


The latest Fontaines D.C. effort ‘It’s Amazing To Be Young’ presents a shift in tone for Grian Chatten but carries the band’s usual gritty underbite alongside it. The Dublin quintet are at their peak, and their exponential growth has showed no sign of losing pace. With the ability to transcend between sound, style, and message Fontaines D.C. Are constantly reinventing themselves in a way which stays true to both their musical vision and worldview.


This latest shift se...
Rockstars HQ •

The Atmospherics of Mania: L’Objectif – ‘Goth Kids’ Review

Words: Josh Parsonage


In a world full of ever-intensifying social conflict, existential doubt is inevitable. This innate human characteristic is poignantly conveyed in ‘Goth Kids’, the new track from Leeds outfit L’objectif.


The song is frontman Saul Kane’s most emotionally complex account yet, and harnesses his internal distress, vocalising it through the music. The band successfully create a disturbed atmospheric around these lyrics, and it feels compulsive to dance along. ‘Goth Kids’ us...
Rockstars HQ •

Unashamedly Political: Chloe Slater – ‘Love Me Please’ Review

Words: Josh Parsonage


‘Love Me Please’ toils with a superficial era of music corporatism and a perceived inadequacy perpetuated through its deep patriarchal core.


Chloe Slater was propelled into exponential fame with 2024 single ’24 Hours’, a track which took aim at the Molly-Mae associated ignorance toward the struggle of working teens. Her pop-infused indie-rock carries an explosive quality that hits home her increasingly relevant political messaging, making her a musical spokesperson fo...
Rockstars HQ •

Riotous Fun: The Libertines Live At The Barrowlands Review

Words: Josh Parsonage


The Libertines hold what can be described as a cult hero status in the UK rock scene, and bygod do they deserve it. The Albion quartet had a Friday night Barrowlands on its knees andpraying for more with their ability to effortlessly create a sense of intimacy being ideal fortheir religiously dedicated following.


There are some bands which can guarantee you a good time, and The Libertines are one ofthem. With a discography that spans from the garage rock stormer of gr...
Rockstars HQ •

Thriving amidst stardom: The Last Dinner Party live in Glasgow Review

Words: Josh Parsonage


There is a collection of rockstars who have within them the ability to completely take ownership of a room, and when The Last Dinner Party performed ‘Beautiful Boy’ in Glasgow, Abigail Morris put herself amongst them.


As a mirrorball illuminated the former theatre, its starstruck attendees collapsed into a collective silence. Morris, standing tall, appeared as if she could’ve been commanding the lightworks into motion as she flawlessly delivered the type of musical s...
Rockstars HQ •

A Harrowing, Yet Cinematic Experience: Fontaines D.C – ‘In The Modern World’ Review

Words: Josh Parsonage


‘In The Modern World’ could soundtrack epics. The encapsulating and spherical nature of the way in which the synths harmonize Conor Deegan’s harrowing backing vocals would be a fitting close to Solaris (1972). Frontman Grian Chatten’s agonising introspection into his own emotional dispositions make for a track which leaves the listener with a whole new personal outlook.


Fontaines D.C. are only days away from the release of their fourth studio album, ‘Romance’. The lea...
Rockstars HQ •

A Beacon Of Light For Scottish Music: Brooke Combe – ‘Dancing At The Edge Of The World’ Review

Words: Josh Parsonage


It is all too often that artists have their creative freedom restricted by major labels who want to force them down paths they see as ‘more marketable’,and escaping this situation can be incredibly difficult.  Brooke Combe’s latest release ‘Dancing At The Edge Of The World’ makes use of her flawlessly balanced vocals to beautifully guide the listener along the knives edge of her own personal experience in this.


The Scottish rockstar radiates a degree of swagger from h...
Rockstars HQ •

Chatten’s Most Deeply Personal Account Yet: Fontaines D.C – ‘Favourite’ Review

Words: Josh Parsonage


Fontaines D.C.’s latest effort is Grian Chatten’s most deeply personal account yet. The track is musically layered in such a way that drives you in circles around Chatten’s youth growing up in County Dublin and the many tales of childhood that have shaped his life and his person, with a clear picture of the emotional scars left visible to the listener.


Chatten opens ‘Favourite’ with a strikingly complex remark: ‘Did you know I could claim the dreamer from the dream?/M...
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