Taking place in Steventon, Oxfordshire, Truck Festival has consistently attracted the most promising new bands and the biggest names in indie-rock since its launch in 1998. As the only festival where you can discover new music, do karaoke hosted by Barry from EastEnders, or start the day with Mr Motivator and mosh to an orchestra, a good time is guaranteed for families, friend groups, and performers alike.
Kicking off the weekend were Balancing Act, an indie-rock quartet formed in Manchester. Frontman Kai Roberts brought a charisma to the main stage that was perfectly matched by the catchy choruses anchoring their tracks, while Cal Francis of DITZ proved equally engaging. Across a raucous, ferocious set of noise rock and post-punk, Francis could be seen climbing speakers and getting involved in the crowd while simultaneously sustaining a flawless performance and remaining accordant with the other members on stage.
Wirral’s The Mysterines may have begun their 45-minute slot in the rain, but by the time they passed the half-hour mark their raw, grunge-infused rock had tempted the sun out. Moody and atmospheric highlights from the 2022 album Reeling met the dynamism of their latest effort Afraid of Tomorrows, with Lia Metcalfe’s powerful, expressive vocals standing out alongside the band’s signature gritty guitar riffs.
Greeted by a crowd clearly well prepared by the chaos of DITZ, IDLES took to the stage for an unruly, thunderous Thursday headline set. Opening with the grinding ‘IDEA 01’ before racing through a selection of fan favourites, the Bristolian five-piece barely stopped for breath, delivering an expectedly energetic performance aptly mirrored by a riotous, bouncing audience. Songs such as ‘Mother’ and ‘I’m Scum’ sounded fresher than ever both in sound and in content, while newer tracks including ‘Gift Horse’ and ‘Dancer’ instigated as much mayhem as the classics. Before departing the stage, lead singer Joe Talbot referred to the show as “magic”, lauding Truck’s crowd as one of the best they’d had all year: this became a common theme as the weekend progressed.
After an already stacked summer featuring appearances at Live at Leeds, TRNSMT and Lytham alongside various international festivals, Nieve Ella took to Truck Festival’s Market Stage for an early Friday afternoon slot. Predictably welcomed by rows of enthusiastic teenage fans, the upcoming indie-pop star performed relatable recent cuts such as ‘The Things We Say’ and ‘Sugarcoated’, captivating a large audience while proving her promise and potential.
A trip to the main stage saw Birmingham’s Overpass debut tracks from their recent EP From the Night, showcasing a modern twist on classic rock influences which provided an apt soundtrack for a sunny summer’s day. Galway’s NewDad followed, displaying their distinctive blend of shoegaze-inspired dream-pop through live highlight ‘I Don’t Recognise You’ and a melancholic cover of The Cure’s ‘Just Like Heaven’.
Overcoming technical difficulties which led to ‘Down Swinging’ being skipped, Holly Humberstone charmed a colossal crowd on the main stage with her authentic, introspective indie-pop. In previous performances, the Lincolnshire singer-songwriter has come across as shy yet endearing; but, at Truck it appeared that Humberstone had blossomed entirely since 2023’s festival season, developing an impressive stage presence of her own.
Ever the electrifying performer, Declan McKenna once again cemented his status as a staple festival booking throughout his Friday evening sub-headline slot. Early into the set, McKenna announced that he was celebrating “7 years to the week” since the release of his debut album What Do You Think About the Car?, informing the crowd that he’d be “taking it right back” during his performance. This came to fruition through ‘Listen to Your Friends’, ‘The Kids Don’t Wanna Come Home’ and ‘Make Me Your Queen’, fan favourites that the indie-rock star rarely brings out at a festival.
While Jamie T’s mediocre headline set on the main stage disappointed, Northern Music Awards Breakthrough Act of the Year English Teacher and the legendary Katy B compensated at The Nest and the Market Stage respectively. Leeds post-punk heroes English Teacher performed various cuts from their recent album This Could Be Texas, a stunning 13-song record filled with songs which proved to be entirely captivating live regardless of tempo.
Katy B was greeted by a similarly enthralled audience, and while both acts filled the tents they were performing in, it was the Market Stage which seemed unable to produce sufficient sound for the size of the audience. At times, it became difficult to hear crowd interaction between songs, and hits such as ‘Katy On a Mission’ became consequently understated. Despite this, a mix of her own songs and covers of garage classics kept the crowd animated, providing an enjoyable experience for all in attendance.
For those feeling a little ropey after the first two days, Mr Motivator opened the main stage on Saturday, getting muscles in motion with comedic moves such as “ride the horse”, “whip the horse” and “lasso the horse”. “The only way to start the day, the Motivator way!” the 1990s GMTV star repeatedly exclaimed throughout 45 minutes of stretching and sunshine, before exiting the stage and instructing the audience to “have a wonderful Christmas, have a great New Year and remember every day is your birthday”.
Dirty Hit’s latest protégés Been Stellar, one of few non-UK performers at Truck 2024, tore up the Market Stage with songs based around youth, yearning and their hometown of New York City. ‘Manhattan Youth’, taken from the band’s 2022 self-titled EP, was met by passionate chants, while the crowd seemed equally as familiar with material from June’s Scream from New York, NY. Vocalist Sam Slocum’s enthusiastic, conversational lyricism was aptly combined with the ferocity of Skyler Knapp’s guitar in an energetic performance which marked them as one of the best acts of the weekend.
5 pm over at The Nest, and the weekend reached its hottest, sweatiest point as Fat Dog took to the stage. Known for their intense live shows courtesy of frontman Joe Love’s consistent crowd engagement, the South London five-piece proved both their eccentricity and aptitude on all fronts. Throughout their half-hour performance, neither the band nor the audience allowed themselves a moment of respite as singles from their debut album WOOF were greeted with passion and energy all round.
A quick dash to the Market Stage left no time to recover before it was out with a bang for The Magic Gang, who appeared at Truck to perform one of their final ever festival sets. Rattling through nostalgic indie-rock tracks such as ‘Getting Along’, ‘All This Way’ and ‘Jasmine’, the Brighton four-piece tried to evade the emotional goodbyes, yet the reminiscent, sentimental lyrical content of ‘Take Back The Track’ proved especially poignant and brought a tear to the eye of both band and crowd. After a farewell tour including a superb show at Manchester’s New Century, these festival dates have provided fans with one last chance to see the boys in action and have truly made for a fine departure.
Arriving on stage to the sound of Vengaboys’ ‘We Like to Party’, Soft Play’s Isaac Holman and Laurie Vincent brought their signature energetic punk rock to Truck’s main stage, performing an hour-long set filled with new album standouts and former Slaves classics. Singles such as ‘Punk’s Dead’ and ‘Mirror Muscles’ were greeted with just as much as enthusiasm as older material, and both Holman and Vincent appeared gratified by a crowd familiar with both worn and new.
After yet another dash to the Market Stage, Leeds post-punk pioneers Yard Act delivered a headline set packed with groove-driven, infectious highlights from their discography, opening with the electric ‘The Trapper’s Pelts’. While their performance was worthy of the main stage, it became clear early on that vocalist James Smith’s microphone just wasn’t loud enough: at times his spoken-word delivery was difficult to hear, and after Katy B’s headline set on the same stage this was unfortunately becoming a common occurrence.
During their Saturday night headline set, Wet Leg launched into a cover of Charli XCX’s viral ‘360’, “since it’s a BRAT summer”. Their own hits ‘Wet Dream’ and ‘Chaise Longue’ were greeted like classics, yet this is unsurprising considering both tracks took the indie-rock scene by storm upon release in 2021. Though it is about time for new material, it remains impressive that Wet Leg can headline a festival the size of Truck off the strength of a single album.
By far the most intriguing act of the weekend, London’s five-piece Dog Race displayed their unique blend of art-rock and post-punk on the Market Stage to kick off Truck’s final day. Dressed in a bright red gown reminiscent of Kate Bush’s video for ‘Wuthering Heights’, vocalist Katie Healy launched herself into a truly eccentric and animated performance, seeming to embody her own raw, passionate delivery. At its most intense, Dog Race’s music is menacing, brooding and unsettling, providing a soundtrack which perfectly complements Healy’s on-stage persona. ‘The Leader’ and ‘It’s The Squeeze’ in particular became live highlights with their driving rhythms and sharp guitar riffs captivating the audience and adding a sense of urgency to the band’s sound.
With a dress adorned by Union Jacks and the bonnet to match, Black Honey vocalist Izzy Phillips emerged on stage like an extravagant Geri Halliwell before the band performed to a readily-warmed audience. At previous festival appearances, the Brighton four-piece have been undeservedly met by an inattentive audience: Truck’s famously lively crowd exceeded expectations, with raucous tracks such as ‘Heavy’ and ‘OK’ inciting mosh pits and singalong chants.
Over on the Market Stage, Nottingham’s Divorce proved their status as one of the UK’s most exciting new acts, debuting singles ‘My Room’ and ‘Gears’ alongside an assortment of tracks from previous EPs. Their genre-defying, country-tinged indie-folk translates exceptionally well live: melancholic, semi-sarcastic tales of love and loss easily mesmerise an audience, while the musical chemistry between vocalists Tiger Cohen-Towell and Felix Mackenzie-Barrow makes for a dynamic, entrancing on-stage duo.
Heartworms, the solo project of Jojo Orme, brought her gruelling, gothic post-punk to The Nest: a natural performer, Orme seems to have perfected her image, style, and stage presence, while the building brilliance of songs such as ‘May I Comply’ reaffirmed her musical aptitude. With the end of Heartworms’ set came a transition from exciting post-punk experimentalism towards indie-rock anthems.
The Royston Club packed out Truck’s Market Stage, performing to a noticeably youthful and accordingly energetic audience, while The Kooks may well have drawn the biggest crowd of the weekend over on the festival’s main stage.
In a chaotic headline performance, Mike Skinner’s The Streets brought Truck Festival’s 2024 edition to a close. With a perfect mix of upbeat classics such as ‘Fit But You Know It’ and introspective cuts such as ‘Dry Your Eyes’, Skinner and co. captivated their audience for the duration of the set. Crowd interaction abounded and never ceased: during ‘Blinded By The Lights’, Skinner was paraded around the festival’s site atop the shoulders of an audience member, shaking hands and saying hello. At times, it became difficult to distinguish between crowd interaction and song lyrics, yet this only served to highlight the proficiency of Mike Skinner’s garage-infused spoken word.
Despite technical difficulties and sound issues here and there, Truck Festival 2024 showcased an impressive array of upcoming acts and established artists. From IDLES’ tongue-in-cheek ‘Mr Motivator’ closing out the Thursday night, to actual Mr Motivator opening the main stage for a Saturday afternoon workout, it can’t be denied that Truck truly has something for everyone: for this reason, it remains one of the country’s best music festivals.
