Two live music festivals in one week aim to put Huddersfield on the gigging map

Two live music festivals in one week aim to showcase the best of Huddersfield's bands and live venues.

The River of Arts and Music (ROAM) Festival and Onwards take place at venues across Huddersfield on Wednesday 20 September and Saturday 23 September respectively.

The free ROAM Festival begins at midday at the University of Huddersfield Student Freshers' Fair; followed by the Piazza; a 'secret venue' to be announced; Epicure Bar and it finishes late at the Parish Pub.

Onwards Festival begins at 1pm at the Magic Rock Brewery Tap, followed by five bands spilt across Coffee Evolution, The Sportsman and Vinyl Tap; then OTSO, Cafe Ollo and it finishes at Small Seeds (formerly Bar 1:22).

The ROAM Festival takes place as part of Freshers Week 2017, and has been set up by the University of Huddersfield in partnership with Huddersfield Creative Arts Network - but the event is open to all.

It was launched by Huddersfield based charity director and lawyer Hugh Goulbourne and Toby Martin, a Huddersfield University music lecturer who is originally from Sydney, Australia.

Toby said: "When I moved from Sydney (Australia) I knew about Huddersfield's Contemporary Music Festival, the brass band and choral traditions. I also knew that the Sex Pistols had played their last gig in Huddersfield, but what I wasn’t prepared for was the rich and thriving underground music scene that still exists here.

"I've seen singer-songwriter nights, folk nights, laptop noise gigs, dirty rock n roll, audio visual installations and reggae sound system events. All held in hidden pockets, back alleys and upstairs lofts of the extraordinary, and sometimes crumbling, industrial and Victorian buildings of the town."

Onwards organiser Sam Hodgson said: "Huddersfield has a diverse and rich live music scene. The problem is that our venues are small, hidden away and hard to find for people like me who came here to go to university.

"I may have grown up in Manchester but right now I am very excited to be able to work with Noah Burton and venues such as the Magic Rock and the Media centre to jointly promote Huddersfield's great live music scene."

The ROAM Festival line-up

University of Huddersfield (midday - 1.30pm)

Calum Bowling

'Bridging the folk/blues wandering troubadours of the past to the new generation'.

Tom Garble

'A unique fusion of percussive and traditional finger style guitar over melody infused poetry'.

The Piazza (12:30 - 4.50pm)

Palmes

'Huddersfield three-piece blurring the lines between synth-pop and indie rock stylings'.

Alex Tracey

'Bringing the 60s style songwriting of his influences to a modern day chart-topping sound'.

Ashley Sherlock

A singer and songwriter siting his inspirations as Jeff Buckley, Allen Stone, Radiohead, Hozier and JP Cooper.

Isaac Lynch

Pop/R&B singer

'Secret Venue TBA' (5pm - 7.10pm)

Courtyards

Dirty reverb-soaked indie rock

Mahatma Raindrop

Indie rock with flavours from the early 2000's indie boom, laced with throwbacks to classic rock legends.

The Flatline

Epicure Bar (7-9.30pm)

Birds and Beasts

Blues rock fronted by Leo and Anna Brazil

Boo Sutcliffe Band

Indie/country/roots led by acclaimed singer-songwriter Boo Sutcliffe.

Sarah Bush

Singer and violinist

Toby Burton

19-year-old singer-songwriter from Sheffield who has drawn comparisons to Bon Iver and Passenger.

M&A

The Venue at The Parish (7.30pm until late)

Terra Fin

'An indescribable three-piece in which subtle thought provoking lyrics and tamed electronic and guitar effects build on moody bass lines and dynamic rhythms that make you move.'

Vuromantics

'Pop sensibilities with a passion for electronic music and funk grooves to create a very modern take on some retro ideas.'

Palantir

Blues rock guitar and drum trio from Huddersfield who have taken influence from fellow blues rock bands like the Black Keys and Royal Blood.

Kill The Silence

Post-hardcore from Leeds

Zesty

'Huddersfield-based experimental musician who offers a unique blend of rap, rock and electronica.'