LET THE MUSIC PLAY

Hammer & Tongs Festival, 9th July at Corporation Sheffield

Header shots – Left: Steal the City, Right: Hunted by Elephants 

The modern music scene is suffering; gigs frequently cancelled, stadium tickets prohibitively expensive and, if you need to travel, increased fuel costs and hotel bills, so don’t be afraid to take a risk and listen to new talent playing local to you, for it is surely out there!

Concrete Kingdoms

Check out the bands on Spotify/YouTube. Research their socials. The future of modern music is in everyone’s hands, so if people continue to just go for nostalgia, where will we be as the ‘old ones die off’ one by one?

Hammer & Tongs Festival was an all-day event at Sheffield’s iconic Corporation venue. It promised to be a bargain gig with TEN quality rock bands across the day for the incredible price of just £12 (You do the maths)! Unfortunately, with a couple of days to go, a couple of alterations to the bill were made due to Covid, but top local replacements meant expectations remained high.

There was something for every rock music enthusiast including exciting young talent such as Archy & the Astronauts, Unknown Refuge and Mad Haven which, for a 14+ venue, is a fantastic way to inspire young hopefuls.

Archy & the Astronauts 

Stepping-up to headline was Nottingham-based classic rock trio BlitZ who never fail to deliver that end-of-the-night party feel! Dipping into the breach came local boys, Steal the City, whose incredible energy leaves the venue on a high after every performance.

Steal the City

With equally outstanding performances from Circus 66, Concrete Kingdoms, King Voodoo and Hunted By Elephants, Hammer & Tongs Festival must have been the best value Saturday rock show anywhere! Everyone attending was of the same mind: Hammer & Tongs Festival was a fantastic occasion.

Left: Unknown Refuge, Right: King Voodoo 

The message is loud & clear: don’t be afraid to try something new. They say the music goes on forever; but if we don’t support its growth, as Don McLean predicted, that’ll be The Day The Music Dies.

All bands mentioned in this article can be found on the usual online music platforms. Why not choose one and check them out? It may just brighten your life!

Words and photos by Tina Sherwood at All The Ts Photography 

18th July 2022