Fives: Fizzy Blood’s Top 5 Picks for Reading & Leeds Festival 2018

This weekend’s Reading and Leeds Festival plays host a wide breadth of bands and artists from around the world. However, alongside the plethora of household names and familiar groups, there is a wealth of up-and-coming names playing across all three days.

In years gone by, names such as Twin Atlantic, Pulled Apart By Horses, Lonely The Brave, and Twenty One Pilots have been tucked away on the line-up, only to return to the festival higher up on the bill. In short, stages like the Festival Republic and BBC Music Introducing is home to those who could become the “next big thing”.

Amongst those gracing the smaller stages at Reading and Leeds Festival this weekend are Fizzy Blood. With the latter site serving as a hometown show for the quintet, their appearance comes ahead of the release of their third EP, ‘Pink Magic’, on September 14th. It sees them come into their own with the title track and ‘CFO’ bursting with hook-laden confidence. While ‘Strangers’ and ‘Illusion’ showcase Fizzy Blood‘s expansive, textured sound.

As they prepare to sub-headline the BBC Music Introducing this weekend, we spoke to Fizzy Blood drummer Jake Greenway on his five top tips to watch at this year’s Reading and Leeds Festival.

The Blinders

I saw these guys play The Brudenell [in Leeds] a year or so back and was a big fan from the first track. I kept an eye on them and their releases ever since and I’m really looking forward to catching em again, plus, they’re on straight after us so we’ve really got no excuse…

Where & When: BBC Music Introducing – 7:30pm Friday (Reading Festival) / 7:10pm Saturday (Leeds Festival) / Festival Republic – 10:15pm Thursday (Leeds Festival)

Household Dogs

Household Dogs are really good friends of ours, and I couldn’t be happier for them to be playing Reading & Leeds. They’re an amazing live band and Declan Newcombe, the singer, will pull some moves like you’ve never seen before, In fact, I guarantee it.

Where & When: BBC Music Introducing – 12:00pm Friday (Leeds Festival) / 11:10am Sunday (Reading Festival)

Shame

Shame are one of best live bands to come out of the UK over the past couple of years, with a great album behind them too. They’re also one of the most exciting bands I’ve seen play Jools Holland too. The way Charlie Steam put his energy across to the audience is unrivalled, I’m sure you have heard of them and are going to see them, but if you haven’t, get down.

Where & When: Main Stage – 2:30pm Friday (Leeds Festival) / 2:55pm Sunday (Reading Festival)

Husky Loops

These are probably our collective favourite, so I know we’ll all be checking these out for sure. No one sounds like these guys and I just love how eclectic their tunes can get, some really cool and more experimental stuff going on with these lot and they constantly keep me on my toes, especially with new single ‘Daft’, I can’t wait to see em.

Where & When: Festival Republic – 12:00pm Friday (Leeds Festival) / Sunday (Reading Festival)

Marsicans

The pop kings of Leeds, seeing them sell out Church was amazing and they really deserved it. I love watching them play and they put on a proper good show of wall to wall bangers!

Where & When: BBC Radio 1 – 12:50pm Friday (Leeds Festival) / 1:20pm Sunday (Reading Festival)