This was my second Electromagnetic Field, a beautifully weird biennial festival in the shadow of Eastnor Castle that I frequently find very difficult to explain to people. The best I can usually come up with is “gathering of nerds”, but I worry that sounds a little disparaging.
Maybe a better explanation is that it’s a field full of interesting people sharing their interesting things - in the form of talks, workshops and installations. I tried this year to be a little more comfortable with missing stuff, because there’s frankly far too much to see in just four days.
It’s also one of the friendliest places I’ve ever been. Rarely do I find myself somewhere where I feel I can strike up a conversation with anyone, but I can (and after a couple of beers, do) at EMF.
In 2024, I came away thinking I needed a new side project that I could take and show off this year, and then I did precisely nothing about it. I have this blog now, so I’m committing in writing to having something to share in 2028 - hopefully this’ll keep me in check this time round.
I am knackered (two festivals back-to-back was, in hindsight, a questionable decision), but I’m happy - the world needs more events like this.
Pictured: a giant LED Rubik’s Cube (as crafted by Lex) that I tried and failed to solve several times. I can solve a normal-sized one, honestly.
2000trees Festival is, and has been for years, my favourite place in the world. I’ve been back home from Upcote Farm for a few days now and, as usual, I’m suffering from some major festival blues, so here’s some slightly soppy words about why I love it.
When I first attended back in 2018, I didn’t know a single band on the lineup. In fact, as ridiculous as this sounds now, I didn’t really care for music at all. I went because two of my oldest friends needed a lift. They were going because one of their favourite bands, Enter Shikari, was headlining. I was going because I was someone they knew with a car.
We camped with a relatively big group, mostly comprising my friends’ mates from university. I didn’t know any of them at the time, and they did all know each other, but they welcomed me into their camp with zero hesitation.
Our group chops and changes a bit every year now, but at least some of us have returned to each edition of Trees since. Live music has become the hobby I spend the most time (and money) on, Enter Shikari has become one of my favourite bands too, and that group of random people I met eight years ago have become some of my closest friends.
Trees is special to me for that reason. But I know that in that field of 10,000 people, my experience isn’t even close to being unique. Sure, the music’s good, the location is stunning, but the people there are what makes it - it’s a field full of nice people being nice to each other, and every year it (briefly) restores my hope in humanity.
Pictured: our 2026 cohort, all slightly heat exhausted and delirious.
My Chemical Romance (+ Skunk Anansie)
Wembley Stadium, London - 8 July 2026
Not entirely sure I understood the storyline, but that’s possibly just the heat getting to me. Didn’t detract from an excellent show.
Mantra
The Jolly Brewer, Lincoln - 3 July 2026
I’m not normally one for a tribute band, and I thought a Bring Me The Horizon one was bound to be a bit naff. They very much were not.
MC Devvo
The Jolly Brewer, Lincoln - 20 June 2026
I’m not going to try and explain this one.
Alex James’ Britpop Classical
Lincoln Castle - 18 June 2026
Until quite recently (more on that soon), I used to walk through Lincoln Castle regularly to buy lunch. It’s been a very long time since I’ve stopped to admire what a beautiful place it actually is. And, as it turns out, a pretty great gig venue.
For reasons that I still don’t really understand, I’ve managed to spend most of my life living on Download Festival’s doorstep, and yet this was only the second time I’ve been.
I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of days like these, even if they are, in fact, quite tiring.
Pictured: Linkin Park, a band who managed to organise an entire European tour last year taking place exclusively on days I was already busy.
ALT BLK ERA (+ Saint Agnes)
Rescue Rooms, Nottingham - 30 May 2026
Very cool to see my friends sell out a room like this. Very funny to watch the venue charge them to get back in an hour later.
Fatherson
Band on the Wall, Manchester - 29 May 2026
Fatherson have been a bit quiet for the last couple of years, and I’d resigned myself to the idea that the (excellent) Barrowlands show in 2024 was their swan song. I’m so glad they’ve proven me wrong.
In 2023, I vowed to never go to Slam Dunk again. It’s only been three years, and I’ve failed twice.
A beautiful (and rather warm) start to the festival season. Long may it continue.
Pictured: Malevolence, mainly because it was the best photo I took, and also because Yorkshire.
The Scratch (+ The Wran)
Rescue Rooms, Nottingham - 29 April 2026
🇮🇪
Creeper (+ THE HOWLING)
Rescue Rooms, Nottingham - 19 April 2026
President (+ TheBoyShadow)
Project House, Leeds - 17 April 2026
Missed them at Download last year so very pleased to see them last night. Whoever they are.
Had a slightly last-minute trip to see Saturday Night Live UK in the flesh yesterday. My phone was locked away for the duration (something about them having “better cameras”), so the only proof I can offer is this photo of Television Centre that I took afterwards.
We actually saw the dress rehearsal, which I think is possibly better than seeing the live show - there were a couple of extra bits that didn’t make the broadcast version, and it meant I could still get home at a reasonable time1. The whole operation was insanely impressive, with dozens of crew members dismantling and building sets as the show went on. As a self-confessed infrastructure nerd, I loved watching it unfold.
My friends will attest that I haven’t shut up about SNL UK since it started a few weeks ago. I adore sketch comedy, but I didn’t expect this to work, so I’m over the moon that the show has (for the most part) been pretty good so far. Given the lack of TV sketch comedy commissions in the past decade, pumping millions into this feels like a huge risk to have taken. I think it’s paid off, and I selfishly hope Sky does too - I want another series.
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Of course, this didn’t happen - nearly every train out of St Pancras was cancelled last night. C’est la vie. ↩︎
My friends dragged me on a walk around the Peak District yesterday. I am, it turns out, painfully unfit, and it’s quite a hilly bit of the country (who knew?) so it ended up being a bit of a trial by fire for me. Naturally the solution is either to get fitter, or flatten the Peaks - one of those is probably easier than the other.
This photo was taken just outside Thor’s Cave, about 8km (and one pub) into our walk.
Also, hello, this is my “blog”, I suppose. I think I want it to just be a bit of a record of things I’ve done, for my own sake if nothing else. Like Twitter, only occasionally with more words, always with less bile, and without the expectation that anyone cares. It’ll inevitably mostly be gig photos.