Interview: Strugglefest 2015

There has been a real growth in the popularity of DIY punk music in recent years. This is undoubtedly down to the hard work from everyone within the scene, from labels to bands to the venues that host their shows, everyone plays their part. One of the most prominent DIY labels in the UK is Glasgow based Struggletown Records. The brainchild of Steven Hill, he started the label in 2011 as a way to release music he loved and thats pretty much how it has been since.

Operating on a not for profit basis, Steven has continually released some of the most exciting bands from Scotland and further afield. Alongside releasing great music, Struggletown holds a monthly show at Bloc, showcasing tonnes of bands over the last 50 shows. After noticing the lack of a proper all dayer in Glasgow, Steven came up with Strugglefest and 2015 sees it return for its second year after a highly successful debut.

Strugglefest 2015 takes place this weekend in Glasgow. The line up is full of exciting bands from across the country who all have one thing in common – they are all pretty fantastic. For £12.00 OTD, you get to see 10 of the best bands in the DIY scene right now such as Bear Arms, Carson Wells, Slowlight and Cøllege all while supporting one of the best independent labels in the country.

We asked Struggletown Records founder Steven Hill about why he started Strugglefest and who he is looking forward to catching at the all dayer.

AH: Hey Steven, so what made you want to start Strugglefest last year?
Steven: I started up Strugglefest for a few reasons, mainly because our friends in Prevenge were coming over from Montreal on tour and as the first band who were cool enough to put our logo on a vinyl release I wanted to make sure their show was as cool as possible. There was also a bit of a gap in the listings for a fest of this type. We get a lot of great all-dayers in Glasgow but the type of band we put on tend to play cool indie fests in other cities all the time, and after 3 years of shows I figured Struggletown was the best candidate to step up. I plan to make it yearly thing. I want it to be as inclusive as possible so 16+ is the age restriction and the door price is as low as it can be with every penny going to the bands.

Brilliant! You’ve got a really strong line up this year, is there anyone in particular you are looking forward to seeing? Apart from Slowlight for obvious reasons!
I’d say Cøllege are a good one to check out for sure. Their indie post punk shows them to be very talented and engaging for sure. Carson Wells are always amazing and we’re very pleased to have our good friends Bear Arms as headliners!

Strugglefest 2015 takes place tomorrow (October 10th) at Audio in Glasgow. Tickets can be purchased here.