How the Lambrini Girls Evolved from Chaos to Call-to-Action
How the Lambrini Girls Evolved from Chaos to Call-to-Action Having followed their journey for many years, watching the Lambrini Girls perform at the O2 Ritz last week felt like a defining moment. 12 December 2025 By Jessica Blissitt For a first-time follower, their aggressive orchestration and pounding punk riffs could be mistaken for scattered chaos, but if you listen a bit longer you’ll notice the lyricism holds a rightful anger towards social injustices that can make any bystander feel motivated to improve their small piece of the world. When every single person is clamouring for real change, chanting in line with Lunny’s lyrical likeness, it definitely feels unnaturally optimistic. Hopeful, almost. Formed by the formidable duo of vocalist Phoebe Lunny and guitarist Selina Macieira-Boşgelmez, this Brighton-based punk group could be described as a odd-bodied concoction of the Spice Girls, Panic Shack, and Le Tigre. Their following was built on this uncompromising moral clarity, but with the rise of more volatile social powers in recent years has left me doubtful. Could the Lambrini Girl’s classic style of mocking the powers that be, still possess the effectiveness it once did? The set immediately ripped into the classic anthems that cemented their fame over the past two years, like God’s Country and ‘Lads Lads Lads’ that stewed over the systemic and misogynistic rips in british society. The energy on stage was matched only by the crucial crowd collaboration. Lunny consistently instigated the band’s customary call-and-response—a tradition I now recognized in my third review—fueling the back-and-forth energy of the show.From asking queer legends to stand up in ‘Help Me I’m Gay’ to maintaining a sustained rally of call-and-response in ‘Craig David’, the atmosphere transcended a typical punk show. In typical Lambrini Girls’ fashion, the mosh pit transformed into something from a Greek forum, where fans candidly encouraged to yell out about their experiences of harassment in their local music industry, prior to’‘Boys in the Band’ and continually reminded to pick anyone up who fell down during the mosh pit. Although the concert included many beloved traditions I had enjoyed during their Glastonbury sets, the music from their most recent album clearly demonstrated how their political punk had evolved in direct response to the UK’s recent, deepening polarisation. As their fame has grown, the Lambrini Girls appear to embrace their growing influence, spreading essential messages to a larger group, boycotting festivals and calling out anti-trans advocates.The Lambrini Girls’ commitment to leveraging their platform for change is evident, driving them definitively into the next, more influential stage of their musical journey. This political commitment has defined their current era of music, with the unapologetic aggression of ‘Cuntology 101’, and the searing critique of toxic masculinity found in ‘Big Dick Energy.’ Tracks like ‘Bad Apple’ remain brutally on the nose, using punchy, repetitive lyrics to indict deep-seated issues with the police force. Their sound is changing as their fame takes off, but fortunately, their key messages stay the same. For this musically vulnerable shift, I feel hopeful. It suggests their message will not only be heard by the multitudes, but will resonate deeply enough to provoke lasting social change. You Might Also Like Recent Posts
Big Long Sun 01.08.25 – I don’t normally start a gig with a drum in hand.
big long sun 01.08.25 – I don’t normally start a gig with a drum in hand. For one I can’t play an instrument, for two I’m medically exempt from hard work between 4pm and 11am. By Tom Freeman Contribution by Isla Mcrobbie 15 October 2025 This was no normal pub gig. We’d traipsed across London to see big long sun, but fresh out the Uber instrument cases coated across the street, cigarettes and glum faces meant something was off. Electrical complications during the main support left no option but for the bedroom-neo-psychedelia solo project of Jamie Broughton and his octensemble (or eight piece collective) to cancel their first London headline show. Displaced on a Friday evening in the middle of Camden Town, the devastation to the band was evident…but their determination to play was in no doubt commendable. Against time and the cabaret of penned events across the strip our hope was bleeding out. We kicked around whilst their promoter and our editor legged it across pubs, holding the phone on loudspeaker with hope of an update. While the band remained anchored by the equipment which could not be abandoned. How could we ever doubt that in the spirit of Camden Town, the show must go on. Cue the mad dash. 20 volunteers collected stands and pedals. My arms embraced in a kick drum while we belted 400 yards down the road to Lock Tavern. John (promoter) and I (bystander) made a mad dash back to the old pub to rally, cajole and convince gig-goers to trek down to the new stage. We even picked up a few extras who liked the craic of it. Three flights of stairs later, we pushed tables disrupting all peace set out by unsuspecting pint sippers, their space now pulsating with excited chatter of an evenings catharsis. Sound check? Doesn’t matter, Big Long Sun grabbed the mic, grabbed the tambourine and went for it. No stage, no problem. We had come to expect a lot from the Brighton band, each show on this tour seemingly a heel scraping stop before bolting off elsewhere in the UK to share their joy. Red hot from their second album whatever (whatever) on Miohmi records the band have seen modest, humble and underrated growth for the time being, reaching highlights such as support from Nathan Shepherd in session with BBC 6 Music. Core bedroom-rock performances included “a casual dance between friends” and “when the moods right”. The album’s feeling of free-spirited self-expression translated perfectly with the DIY nature of the situation. We had all found ourselves tightly knitted in. However a dearly noticeable gap was apparent with the absence of band member Ocean Groucher who classically handles the staple megaphone incursion their performances are becoming known for. Hand in hand this circle of talent is perplexing in its psych nostalgic trip carried by an intricate and youthful bunch. The team at TNAM.UK are proud to solidify ourselves within the “We were here first” department of big long sun’s fanbase. Great gig, great band and one really handsome fucker carrying a drum. You can catch big long sun back in London Wed, 29 Oct, 7:30 pm headlining the wonderful Sebright Arms. View this post on Instagram A post shared by FIND JOY. (@findjoy__) You Might Also Like Recent Posts
Best New Music from June & July 2025
Best New Music from June & July 2025 The tracks you need to know from the last couple of months 22 August 2025 By Caitlin Taylor 01 – SORRY with ‘Jive’ Instagram As always Sorry’s new track is a playful, grungy track about not being in love. Perfect if you’re not feeling all that summer romance everyone always goes on about. As always, I hope for more soon. 02 – BIG LONG SUN with ‘A Casual Dance Between Friends’ Instagram The 8 piece band recently broke out of the confines of Brighton, dropping an entire album ‘whatever (whatever)’ but back in June they gave us a taste with this very fun and funky ‘Casual Dance’. Let go, love grows. 03 – DEARY with ‘No Ordinary Love’ Instagram A song you’d want to play as you stroll down the street if you were in a European coming of age film. Forlorn and melancholic with some really nice drumwork. 04 – DELILAH HOLIDAY & THEY HATE CHANGE with ‘Eyes on You’ Instagram My favourite of this double song release, a fun electronic track with some smooth vocals and a catchy hook. 05 – JUST MUSTARD with ‘Pollyanna’ Instagram There’s some great goth rock elements in this new release from Just Mustard, one of the best bands emerging from Ireland at the moment. Maybe the most exciting of the list? 06 – JACKLYN with ‘Right Back’ Instagram Jacklyn’s definitely a storyteller, with this single detailing that all too familiar need to return to your ex. It has a nostalgic sound, like if you combined all your favourite noughties pop with current RnB. 07 – FLORENCE ROAD with ‘Figure It Out’ Instagram Irish band Florence Road have taken the world by storm this summer after a string of festival appearances and supporting slots. Their EP ‘Goodnight’ blessed us with 5 brilliant tracks, our favourite being number 4 ‘Figure It Out’. 08 – BAR ITALIA with ‘Cowbella’ Instagram You likely know their names but this release seems to have slipped under the radar for some. It beautifully showcases their voices backed up by some lovely guitar work. A solid entry into the Bar Italia music hall of fame. 09 – THE NEW EVES with ‘Cow Song’ Instagram Our second song of the list with cow in the title, this offering from The New Eve’s upcoming album is something that can equally be enjoyed through your airpods while on the tube and blasting out into the open air while you’re herding sheep or churning butter or burning at the pyre after being accused of witchcraft. One for any occasion. 10 – CASUAL SMART with ‘Cranes’ Instagram If you like Fontaines D.C.s more gentle offerings, Liverpool based Casual Smart’s new track might be one for you. “I’d take you over X-Box”, they croon – a real Gen Z love song. It’s very genuine sounding, very earnest. 11 – TROUT with ‘Bone’ Instagram It’s hard to get me to shut up about Trout honestly. Coloupicker was one of my favorites of 2023 by far so new releases are very welcome. ‘Bone’ hits the nail on the head, it’s grungy and earnest. Big fan. 12 – KITTY with ‘Someone’s Child’ Kitty just has such a beautiful voice and it’s on full display with this gorgeous introspective track reflecting on life, wondering about being old. 13 – FAT DOG with ‘Pray to That’ Instagram “It’s fucking Fat Dog baby”. As someone who also recently turned 25, this is a track that resonated highly with me. Some gnarly sounds and gritty vocals. 14 – HONEYGLAZE & E L U C I D with “Don’t (E L U C I D Rework)” Instagram Instagram Is this cheating? I don’t care. This rework is brilliant, unsettling, creeping under your skin. It’s equally powerful as the original, I’ve got it on repeat. 15 – DIVORCE with ‘O Calamity’ Instagram “Don’t compare me to Charles Manson” is a killer opening line, and it only gets better from there. Really, really beautiful and definitely one to add to your everyday playlist. 16 – RUBY FRANCIS with ‘Dose (Intro)’ Instagram Ruby Francis just put out an entire new album ‘Pages of Philosophy’, but it’s the intro track that honestly hits hardest. It’s tight at just over a minute but still plays around with so many different yet cohesive sounds. Still though, give the whole album a listen – it’s good. 17 – TALL CHILD with ‘All or Nothing’ Instagram Sometimes we maybe love people a bit too much in a way that maybe could possibly be a bit unhealthy, as explored here by the tall child who lends their lovely voice to what could have been the anthem of my early twenties. 18 – CHILD OF PRAGUE with ‘Burning’ Instagram Short, simple, very good. Haunting in both its vocals and instrumentation, ‘Burning’ lights the way for the very exciting future of this Dublin based band. 19 – SILVER GORE with ‘Dogs in Heaven’ Instagram We caught Silver Gore a very long time ago back in April of last year and it’s mad to see their progression. It’s a brilliant debut single, very experimental with perhaps a Kate Bush influence? Either way, inspiring stuff. You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
Caldera Songwriting Retreat: a haven for songwriters tucked away in the Aegean Sea
Photo by By Nat Kossyvaki Caldera Songwriting Retreat: a haven for songwriters tucked away in the Aegean Sea In a world where time seems to fly, it’s easy to lose touch with the present moment. Caldera Songwriting Retreat brings in a new approach to reconnecting with creativity and helps artists slow down by nourishing the mind, body and soul, working towards reconnecting with their inner selves, and enhancing their creative outlet through an immersive and holistic songwriting experience. 9 March 2025 Words By Nat Kossyvaki https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpTTtdKdq24 Based in the beautiful island of Santorini, away from the burdens of everydaylife, the Caldera team provide you with the time and space to explore yourcreativity and songwriting passion, so you can finally make yourself yourpriority! I met up with one of the founders of Caldera, Io – a session bass player and music professional from Greece based in Brighton – to discuss the vision behind Caldera and the benefits it can offer to songwriters. Io is also the owner of the promotions company “Beluga Promotions” which runs acclaimed open mic nights in Brighton, helping local artists showcase their music. What is Caldera and what inspired this vision? Caldera is a songwriting retreat which was mainly inspired by the open mics that we run in Brighton. Through these open mics, we get a lot of people who come in and they all have a story to tell. You don’t really know the people who come to these open mics until they get on stage to perform, so you can actually learn a lot about those people through the songs they play. The open mics have become sort of like a community and for a lot of artists, performing there provides a sense of ‘therapy’. Both myself and Erini (the co-founder of Caldera) believe that writing songs is truly a form of therapy; there are things that you can’t really express with just words and for some people, songwriting is something much deeper that they can express and share with the world in a much more creative way. Also looking at my own lifestyle, how busy it is and how pressuring the music industry can be, we wanted to create a space where songwriters can come and be free. They can be in an environment where there are no external pressures or life responsibilities, and they can just explore their creativity and be completely free. So Caldera is basically a space for artists to experience that therapeutic moment and make themselves a priority. What does the name Caldera mean? Caldera is actually the most common word you will find in Santorini! It is what remains of the volcano after the explosion and has made Santorini famous for that. In 1600 B.C. there was a huge explosion of the volcano that destroyed half the island and the civilisation on it, but it has made Santorini very unique and now one of the most popular destinations in the world. For our retreat, caldera stands as a metaphor; because Santorini has this history of destruction and rebirth, we thought that doing the retreat here could resonate with the creative songwriting process of many artists. Musicians and songwriters have all these things they want to express but it sometimes can be too difficult and can’t find the words for it. At Caldera retreat, they can take something difficult or ‘painful’ and make something beautiful through music. What makes Caldera unique and stand out from other songwriting retreats? Definitely the location! It’s hard to describe it without seeing it; for me, it’s one of my favourite places on earth. Also, the way we run the retreat doesn’t only focus on the songwriting but on the well-being of the artist too. So we have a lot of things incorporated within the schedule of the retreat which promote well-being, both physical and mental, and also promote the ancient Greek saying “a healthy mind is a healthy body”. So Caldera aims to inspire people to write their songs and also to nourish their spirit; to make themselves a priority. That is why, you don’t have to come to the retreat and leave with a finished song. Even if you come and get inspired and you get a million ideas, but you don’t finish a song that’s fine, because the goal is to get inspired and relax and come up with something that you can then use to inspire yourself in your creative journey. Songwriting retreat 2024 – Group dinner and song-sharing session What does a day in the retreat look like? We would start with mindfulness. So, the first thing in the morning would be going down to the beach, which is literally at our doorstep(!) and do a bit of meditation and mindful movement like stretching or a light version of yoga to connect your mind and body, and really focus for the day. After that, we can have a small break for everyone to have breakfast or a shower if they want, and then we start with the songwriting workshops which will be run by a professional songwriter. We will be running a lot of classes and workshops that people can attend, as well as a lot of inspirational activities where we’ll be talking about lyrics and melodies. Then we have a lunchbreak prepared by our private chef, so everything will be prepared for you and you won’t have to worry about food. All recipes will be plant-based and inspired by the Mediterranean cuisine, to experience a complete detox for your mind and body. During the day, people will also have a lot of downtime to relax and spend some alone time if they need it, to write songs and collaborate with other artists. And eventually, in the evening, we’ll have jam nights, gatherings at the beach and group dinners! On some days we’re also planning on doing some inspirational activities, one of which is both mine and Erini’s favourite! We’ll take the guests to the Symposion Cultural Centre, which
Get To Know: Mercury Prize 2024
Get To Know Mercury Prize 2024 26.08.24 The TNAM team break down the eight gender inclusive artists nominated for the Mercury Prize. The ‘Mercury Prize 2024: Album of the Year’ TV programme will be filmed and broadcast live from Abbey Road Studios on Thursday, 5 September 2024. The programme will be shown on BBC Four (8pm-9.15pm). Charlie XCX – ‘brat’ Words by Heather Rose By now, you’re likely well acquainted with the phrase “brat summer,” a viral pop moment that’s yet to reach its peak after the release of ‘360’ earlier this year. Its infamous music video stars fashion icons Julia Fox, Chloe Sevigny, and vampire priestess Gabriette, earning Essex native Charli xcx recognition well beyond her usual cult status.Then came ‘365’, ‘360’’s evil twin, an even bigger hit that explores darker themes while still indulging in the glittery pink fever dream of Myspace nudes and rhinestone-encrusted flip phones. Charli embraces the party girl persona with a dance album that doesn’t shy away from hard drugs and even harder beats. Its sticky, skin-on-skin basslines and thumping rhythms transport you to sultry summer evenings that quickly turn into greasy, neon mornings.The pop powerhouse has consistently delivered hit after hit for twenty-somethings yearning to relive 2000s rebellion, a time many of us were too young to fully experience. BRAT offers a shared nostalgia of a bygone era, one of indie sleaze, Instagram-less club nights and barely-there miniskirts, an aesthetic we would shamelessly doomscroll through with retroactive jealousy, now all lost in a Tumblr account graveyard. Logging on used to mean choosing the internet over reality, but now reality has become an escape from the internet’s constant noise.The brativerse also boasts LA beatmaker The Dare on the album’s tongue-and-cheek follow up, solidifying the substitute-teacher-turned-musician as the figurehead for debaucherous underground NYC nightlife. Surprise collaborations with artists like Lorde and Billie Eilish also add a whole other layer to the BRAT lore, capturing girlhood in all its messy wonder.BRAT’s impact is undeniable, and it’s safe to say that lime green will never be the same again. It isn’t just an album, it’s a cultural reset – celebrating an era and ethos that feel both nostalgic and refreshingly new. Beth Gibbons – ‘Lives Outgrown’ Words by Ricky Labrada Beth Gibbons needs no introduction in the music world as the singer and lyricist for acclaimed trio Portishead. Everything she touches turns to gold quite literally with 3 acclaimed albums under the Portishead name. Despite her long 3 decade career, “Lives Outgrown” is Gibbons debut album and continues her streak of critical acclaim. It is an album that is aided by how sparingly she releases music, allowing one to delve deeper and appreciate her work especially when comparing to the trip hop sound her band bursted on the scene with. Sonically it is a completely different pallet than what we are used to. The grim sound is a a slow burner and took a few songs to really stand out, however when it does it is amazing (Lost Changes and For Sale are tracks that particularly stand out). Not every track is perfect but in the context of the album and its themes of mortality and time they fit well. Rather simply Gibbons took her time and delivered a project that will last. It is also be a testament to Gibbons musical ability and longevity to potentially win the Mercury Prize 29 years after Portishead own win. Cat Burns – ‘early twenties’ Words by Sankavi Naresh Cat Burns is a strong contender for this year’s Mercury Prize with her debut studio album, “early twenties”. Hailing from South London, Burns is on the rise with her powerful vocals and poignant lyrics, there’s something deeply human about her approach to songwriting. Burns often weaves the uncertainty of adulthood into her music, making it a recurring theme that resonates with many listeners. At the age of sixteen, whilst studying at The BRIT school, Burns recorded her debut EP, ‘Adolescent”. She collaborated with another student who had a recording studio in their garden shed, which was the birthplace of the songs that became the foundation of her EP. Burns self-released “Adolescent” on the 1st of October 2016 however her efforts to secure a record deal were unsuccessful as the music industry seemed unsure on how to market her distinctive style as an artist. Burns meditates on love, heartbreak and growing pains in the aptly named “early twenties”; the album perfectly captures the turbulent ebb and flow of adulthood, starting off with a powerful “alone”. She grew up listening to gospel music and the choral beginning of the song reflects this, it lets way into her all-too-relatable lyrics about the struggles of being single and finding love in the 21st century. The catchy ‘boy crazy’ seamlessly transitions into the bedroom pop-esque ‘this is what happens’ chronicling Burns’ battle with anxiety. “go (goddard. Remix)” is a popular favourite; amid the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, she gained attention by sharing covers and original songs on TikTok. “go” went viral which led to her securing a record deal with Since 93, a subsidiary of RCA Records. Cmat – ‘Crazymad, For Me’ Words by Kyle Roczniak Following the highly-praised release of her Choice Music Prize-winning debut album ‘If My Wife New I’d Be Dead’, CMAT’s 2023 Mercury-shortlisted follow-up ‘Crazymad, For Me’ arguably changed the trajectory of the Irish country-pop legend’s career. A concept album themed around a malfunctioning time machine that explores CMAT’s fascination with 1980s Paris, ‘Crazymad, For Me’ tackles the story of a breakup through CMAT’s unmistakably unique instrumental sound and Kate Bush-esque vocals. The project (described by CMAT as ‘like Bat Out Of Hell but for the girls’) also spawned the most iconic pop culture moments for CMAT, real name Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, too. Whether it be the stunning crack-revealing BRIT Awards dress (dubbed ‘CMARSE’), or countless primetime TV appearances (Jools Holland, Graham Norton, Lorraine) and unlikely collaborations with legends such as Lorraine Bowen or Miriam Margolyes, ‘Crazymad, For Me’ propelled Ireland’s hidden gem into an
⊱ ☆ Glastonbury ☆ ⊰ Friday Round Up
Arolo Parks @ Glastonbury 2024 ⊱ ☆ Glastonbury ☆ ⊰ Friday Round Up Words by TNAM 8 July 2024 Flowerovlove Glastonbury kicked off with a bang with the viral star flowerovlove, who floating around the stage, looking positively angelic as their vocals soared up above the lonely hearts club at midday. Like the weather, their set list was light and windswept singing out their hit ‘Girl like me’ as well as newer songs like ‘Boys’ and even encouraging an audience karaoke version of Dancing Queen as the festival moved into full swing. The upbeat songs skimmed along the uneven path, drawing fans old and new with a cheerful band to back them. Bel Cobain Playing at the Glade, Bel brought the soul. Songs were performed such as ‘Unsafe house’ and a tribute from latest single ‘Comet’. Vocals as rich as ever, her slowed down cover of Bill Withers ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ stretched and soared over the tent. Amplified by a six piece band, the interaction was fun and felt by everyone in the room, special shout out to the trumpeter who added playful melodic motifs that glistened above the ensemble throughout Bel’s set. Although there was a slight chill to the air, Bel Cobain’s blend of R&B runs and ballads brought sunshine to the chilly weather. Kenya Grace Woodsies was heaving for Kenya Grace, who played all of their hits, as the crowd leaned forward thirsty, Kenya seemed full of glee by the turnout, as the crowd sung their hearts out for tunes like her biggest hit ‘Strangers’ as well as an incredible remix of Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’ with the green lasers to fit. Arlo Parks After a quick stretch and a bite, we headed back to Woodsies to witness the incredible Arlo Parks, who greeted their fans at the barrier and sang classic like Caroline with all the crowds swaying together, caught up in Arlo’s virtuoso. Sprints With a brief look in at Leftfield, we came across Sprints, the irish band that brought hard heavy base and a punk anger to our current political climate. Kate Nash Performing inside a circus tent on the Avalon Stage, Kate Nash brought out all kinds of camp and glitter, bejeweled from head to toe and starting off with a loud rendition of Foundations. With songs old and new, the crowd were mesmirised, as Nash jumped, crawled and kicked her way along each and every act of her incredible career. A prominent highlight of the night was when the crowd continued to repeat Nash’s lyric ‘Stop being a dickhead’ filled with delicious rage and catharsis. You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
☆ ★ Glastonbury ★ ☆ Finding the Secret A-Lister Bar at Glastonbury
Nabihah Iqbal Plays The Greenpeace Stage ☆ ★ Glastonbury ★ ☆ Finding the Secret A-Lister Bar at Glastonbury As I sit in the press tent, wearing a silk skirt and t-shirt, accessorised with 26° sunburn and the memory of stacking it in front of a young family last night, I feel like an absolute winner. Words by Isla Mcrobbie 8 July 2024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc7iD69e_yc That is because the table to my right is reserved for Sky News and in front of me is BBC. In other words, I got press access at Glastonbury Festival. Our designated area is a banquet of laptops and other unaffordable equipment I could probably sneak into my backpack while the general discussion is whether the best story across the 5-day forecast will be “what Glastonbury looks like at 6 am” or “will Shania Twain bring a horse on the Pyramid Stage?”. I feel intimidated, a journalism virgin surrounded by predators starving for a good story. I realise the usual music review won’t cut it — I need a lead to something special. The pilgrimage began on Wednesday. The horizon was filled with bell tents and festoon lights as far as the eye could see. I made my bed and soon met with an old friend over a £7 beer. We sat on a bench, ignorant of the unlittered grass, as he told me a secret: The bridge throughout it has this slight build up of guitar in the background preparing you for whats to come. The bridge explains the experience of sexuality perfectly with references to the different type of people you can fall for and the negatives that come. Then you are hit into this upbeat, fun chorus that really makes this song feel like a pop classics, with that same feeling you could get from listening to songs like ‘girls just want to have fun’ by Cyndi Lauper. “You know there’s this VIP venue at Glastonbury where, if you know the right person, you can get a lifetime card,” he said, taking a long toke from his cigarette. “It’s called [name retracted] bar. I heard last year Fatboy Slim and Fred Again played there.” No fucking way. That’s cool. I remained cautious. I had been let down too many times by whispers cloaked in falsehoods, stories unmasked to be exaggerated and based on brittle truths etched into someone’s imagination. But as I sit here in the press tent, I figure this could be it—my chance to find the most secret bar in Glastonbury. For the sake of anonymity and to avoid being banned from the festival forever, I will refer to this place as the [name redacted] bar. A quick Google search on Thursday led me to a chain on Reddit confirming its existence. After completing some initial research – I decided to meet the same friend stationed at The Common district to get more answers. On my way, a chorus of punk rock roots pierced the trees, sending birds flying to a roar of audience applause. At 3:00 pm on a sunny Thursday afternoon, Lambrini Girls came on the Greenpeace stage. Exiting at the path’s junction, I had to check what the fuss was about: “WAIT WAIT, MOVE THE BABY,” I heard Brighton’s Phoebe Lunny shout. She stood balanced on the stage barrier, held up by security and front row fans, planning to do her signature dive into the sea of hands. Lambrini Girls fuelled a gut-punch performance The dirt on the ground cracked and dust bulldozed with the same raging force as the stampede above. Lambrini Girls fuelled a gut-punch performance with defiant words against abuse and stats on domestic violence before shedding into their 2024 single “God’s Country.” Equipped with a photo pass, I charged on, looking confident as I made my way to the backstage of The Common. Only nodding at staff in acquaintance, I picked up the pace when security took a double take. Peeking behind a window, I spotted my friend coordinating the troops in the production office, signalling the march to the first day of music. Unlike me, he had a lot to do. He told me all he knew—that the venue had something to do with the downtown countercultural performance shopping district, Shangri-La. Bustling with student actors playing the parts of snub-nosed financial traders and housing agents trying to sell me a mattress on the floor that I could rent out for “more than I’ll ever need!” This year’s theme was ‘Everything (Still) Must Go’. I saw a man, similarly, aged to me, seemingly locked out of his station on the audience’s side of a pallet door painted to look like the entrance to a grocery store. He looked antsy, having clearly been shot by a pricing gun, covering him in reduction prices. Before he entered, I took my shot, startling him with my presence. “Hey, do you know anything about the [name redacted] bar?” His friend unlocked the door just in time to hear my words. She pointed me down a dusty road where the green leaves had been ashed in brown. “It’s somewhere back there, behind a fence,” she said. I ran with this new information, shouting my thanks behind me. Having solved the first clue, I was beaming, but my grin slowly faded as I walked down the path to nothing. Then, hearing more footfall on the opposite end, I began to think they were having me on. Standing by The Peace Stage at 4:15 pm, it was time for London’s female 10-piece brass ensemble, “She’s Got Brass,” to walk out to a 1000+ audience in a colosseum-like setup. The first of five performances across the weekend, they stepped out onto the stage as the air was touched with its first bit of breeze in what felt like eternity. The first note glittered, the brass reflected the sun, and jazz greeted dance. Textured covers from Eliza Rose’s “B.O.T.A” and Schoolboy Q’s “Bet I Got Some Weed” got the crowd dancing. Londons Assemble