FINAL LINE-UP
We’re delighted to unveil another 34 new artists who are joining the bill for Future Now 2024. The vast majority of these artists have been picked from the ranks of exciting talent on Merseyside, as we provide you with the chance to see the headliners of the future.
Joining headliners Everything Everything (Birkenhead Town Hall) and Nubiyan Twist (FY Garden) on the Saturday are a host of exciting artists. Armed with a refined sound and an urgent live show, slacker punks alright (okay) are primed for a set on the outside FY Garden stage, where they will be joined by the Scalifornia Soul of Mel Bowen And The Original Series. Performing inside in the Future Yard Live Room, Flower Show (formerly Lovecraft) bring a dash of melancholic dark pop to proceedings, alongside Two Tonne Machete‘s Amyl and the Sniffers-meets-the-Yeah Yeah Yeahs punk vibe.
Also performing in the FY Live Room is Chiedu Oraka, the only non-local artist in this final addition. Also known as ‘The Black Yorkshireman’, Oraka defies genres with his blend of honesty and raw social poetry. Raised on North Hull Estate, Oraka’s lyrical abilities create an in-depth memoir of the Northern Black experience.
Completing the outdoor FY Garden performers on Saturday are Danelia and Slower; and inside, Cothel, Tender Claws and Hunky Dory all contribute to the non-stop energy of the FY Live Room stage.
Across both days of the festival, our newest stage, Joy, will be chock-full of artists that will be familiar to you – either right now or very soon. Running from 1pm to 7pm on both days, this stage will introduce you to some of the region’s best emerging talent, featuring a number of artists also on our Propeller artist mentorship programme. Joy is the new home of Open Door Charity, in the old Treasury Annexe building on Cleveland Street, just off Hamilton Square.
On Saturday at Joy, the cosmic sounds of Novelty Island will fill up the room, adding a dose of psychedelic whimsy to proceedings; and Str^nge, no strangers to Future Yard (sorry), bring their own theatrical noir rock to round off the run on this day. Also joining them are Spilt Milk Society, Finnlay K, Steel., News From Neptune and Helen Maw.
Sunday’s roll call at Joy features Future Yard favourites Don’t Ask Me What My Social Security Number Is – no two of their performances are never the same, but we recommend you don’t miss whatever they get up to. And The Montagues‘ guitar-driven punch rounds things off at Joy on Sunday, after Bright Town, Good Guys With Guns, Thalia’s Grace, Shaun Curtis and Maddie Lara have all entertained you royally.
Elsewhere on Sunday, we’ve got yet more great music on offer across the three other stages. The neo-soul sounds of Casino open the Town Hall stage on Sunday, whilst Liverpool’s DIY pop provocateur Claire Welles is another highlight in the Live Room, joined by more Future Yard faves in Smallman Bigcar, Songs About Concrete and Cheery.
Outside in the FY Garden, genre-hopping quartet Paint Me In Colour fit perfectly in to a joyously eclectic bill, which is opened up by Samya O’Grady‘s multicultural tapestry of sound and emotion. This bill is completed by Pink Footage, BLCK UTAH and Drew Friel, serving as the perfect warm up to She Drew The Gun‘s outdoor headline set.
Read our Artist Spotlight for details on the artists who have already been announced.
Elsewhere, the festival will feature an exhibition of screen printed gig posters from across the world in the form of Onomatoposter. The exhibition will take over the Make Hamilton space across both days, which also serves as the festival box office, wristband exchange, merch centre and chillout space. With DJs providing ambience throughout both days, you’ll find yourself revisiting Make Hamilton and the Onomatoposter exhibition throughout – and you might even fancy taking home a memento of your weekend in the form of one of the screen prints, or some of our festival merch.
Full stage times and running orders will be released soon. And keep your eyes peeled for further additions!