Landlubber Music Festival 2022

Landlubber Music Festival, Barnsley, 9th April 2022

A brand new grassroots festival emerged from the depths of the pandemic during April. Situated in the fantastic Birdwell Venue, just off the M1 at Barnsley, this event was Quality (with a capital ‘Q’) from start to finish. The venue, recently refurbished, has outstanding sound and lighting, with live screens throughout the venue, so you never need to miss a thing!

Looking down the programme of artists, you just knew this would be a fantastic day! Opening act, Canadians In Space, were hilarious! They would have benefitted from being further down the list for a greater audience, but they were playing more than one gig that day. Do check them out: tremendous musicians, but their songs are laden with a good old Yorkshire sense of philosophy, leaving the audience with some fantastic earworms that might get you slung out of the supermarket if you were singing them aloud!

Huddersfield Alternative Grime Rock band were also moving on to another gig, this time in Mamchester. Loud, energetic and with a conscience, these guys were in complete contrast to the previous act, a real selling point for future events: a broad selection of genres.

In contrast again came 15-year old Dan Ottewell-Naish, a young man so clearly inspired by The Levellers. What a talent he is! Great songs. Great guitar playing. Huge stage confidence! A really humble young man off stage. Lovely to see!

The wonderfully named Frank Grimes and The Disasters (a Simpsons reference) continued the diversity with their Punk/Pop/Rock set, reminiscent of bands such as Green Day, The Offspring and Smashing Pumpkins.

Warsop’s Caution Horses played a great set, even though they were a man down, followed by more Warsop talent, the very funny and entertaining Star Botherers.

The final 4 bands of the day can all be found in the same circuits. Firstly, the wonderful Celtic Punk Black Water County, filling the stage with that wonderful penny whistle sound that makes you want to swing a pint and jump up and down!

Following on, came Sheffield new favourites, Shanghai Treason, described as ‘Yorkshire Flatcap Punks.’ Their front man, vocalist Sam Christie, was largely responsible for the whole event , so he fully deserved all the accolades that day!

Penultimate performers were the raucous Roughneck Riot, from Warrington. They filled the stage with energy and angst and Punkish excitement!

The Barstool Preachers gave a phenomenal performance of Ska and Punk to close the day. Their frontman, TJ McFaull, strides the stage and delivers with passion and vehemence the band’s tirades against the injustices within society.

This was a day with a social conscience. A day full of top music, with musicians of all ages having their say and entertaining a welcoming crowd.

All credit to Sam Christie of The Gig Cartel and his team at The Birdwell for putting on one hell of a show! Bring on the next one!