Only a few weeks ago the city was fit to burst for the third Tramlines festival. Embracing the mainstream, the up and coming and a whole host of local music acts, while brandishing the tag ‘free for everyone’ it seems no one missed out on the excitement. From one end of the city to the other, folkies, indie kids, hipsters, rockers, dance mashers, electro-heads and pop princesses joined forces for three days and nights of drinking, debauchery, dancing ‘til dawn and the music, a hell of a lot of music.

Sheffield is a city built on industry with an emphasis on the do-it-yourself approach. There’s plenty to get involved with if you look a bit deeper and being conventional isn’t necessary ‘round these parts.

The team from Mixed in Sheffield have been doing their up most to provide some kind of harmony within the city. Earlier this year, they released a free download album featuring electro types reworking local artists’ tracks, the only specification for this is they have to be based in Sheffield. It’s not your usual remix album; phat beats and wonks added to the tunes from the likes of Alvarez Kings, Heebie Jeebies and Wet Nuns, it certainly makes for an interesting listen

http://www.mixedinsheffield.co.uk/mixed/?p=1832

A fiercely independent label, Club60 Music are set to release a plethora of limited edition singles from bands such as obLONG and Black Cat, White Cat. The launch for the venture is 3rd September at the newly opened Shakespeare Pub and will feature DJ’s from Club60 radio.

Hey Sholay are a band who are attracting attention with their brand of psychedelic pop. A pick of the week from the NME, being featured on 6Music as a Lamacq favourites, Hey Sholay are currently storming around festivals with their energetic performances. Wonderful to watch live and great to plug in and play:

Wishbone by Hey Sholay

Singer songwriter and undertaker David J Roch releases his first album in September. Skin & Bones fit to burst with amazing talent and with rave reviews from nearly everyone who has heard it, we’re talking local ‘zines to broadsheets here. Breathtaking vocals and shivers down your spine, it’s a must hear:

Only Love - David J. Roch by David J. Roch

And now here’s something completely different. With their identities well hidden (in a karate kid way), three-piece warrior types Cobra Fist make noise and they have fun - and it kind of works. Word on the street is they’re fused from several Sheffield groups coming together simply to bring music to the masses:

1.Cobra Vs. Shark by Cobra-Fist

Gigs

It’s safe to say that August poses a slight lull on the live scene within the city. Any other month and the city is rammed with a variety gigs every night of the week. Some say it’s a little bit of respite before Sheffield once again becomes a student town in September, though if you look carefully there is still plenty of live music to be had. Places such as SoYo, The Harley, Green Room and The Plug are ones to watch in order to catch the best of the local and the best up and coming acts from across the country. Here are a few treasures that are well worth having a shifty at:

Soyo Live: every Monday offers something different from the local scene with the occasional out of towners in attendance.

24th August Algiers, Magpies & Robert George Saull @ The Green Room

25th August Palmela Handerson, Les Oeuf and others @ The Washington

31st August Black Gold of the Sun, Phantom Dog Beneath the Moon & Oxo Foxo @ The Washington

2nd September Jackson Caged, Cut Your Wings, Sleepwalker & Phil Goodwin @ O2 Academy

3rd September Club60 Singles Club Launch @ The Shakespeare

9th September Kate Jackson Group @ Plug, Sheffield

16th September - Slow Club @ Leadmill, Sheffield

19th September Three Trapped Tigers, Seams, Cobra-Fist @ Harley, Sheffield

More next month...