ONES TO WATCH: BURN IT DOWN FESTIVAL 2023

Burn It Down Festival has quickly become one of the most exciting two-day events in the UK, showcasing the best of what UK alternative music has to offer. Based in the seaside of Torquay, September is greeted with another monstrous line-up of pure talent. Here’s our picks on who catch!

FRIDAY

KNIVES

KNIVES only recently dropped their debut EP ‘Newshounds’ in March, and are already proving to be an incredibly exciting prospect. The EP itself is spectacular, filled with raw vocals and screechy guitars that push the punk sound, that will be sure to go down a treat with attendees. I can see this band going to big places, so make sure you get down early.

FORAGER

Another hot prospect and no stranger to festivals this year is Manchester based grunge-punk band Forager. I’ve been fortunate to catch them twice now at No Play Festival and RADAR Festival, and on both occasions the band have put on a breath-taking display of incredible music and unrelenting energy. With a supporting slot on Funeral For a Friends’ Manchester date, the band are soon to get even bigger. So.. ‘Who Wan’t It?’

EL MOONO

With influnces of rock, hardcore and grunge, El Moono find themselves in the perfect place to showcase their powerful discography. Their debut album ‘Temple Corrupted’ saw them gain great traction, and many have told me that they are destined for greater things. I can see tracks such as ‘Forced to Smile’ and ‘Miseria’ getting the crowd moving, acting as the perfect warm-up for what’s to come.

HEART OF A COWARD

Formed in 2019, British metalcore band Heart of a Coward find themselves near the top of the Friday line-up, and for good reason. The band put on an incredible show of powerful vocals and explosive riffs that will make sure the room doesn’t stand still. With their new album ‘This Place Brings Only Death’ on the way (22/09) and kicking off their EU/UK tour at the end of the month, they’ll be sure to showcase new material.

SATURDAY

LOZEAK

Rising alt-pop icon Lozeak will be playing early on the Saturday and she’s an artist you should be keeping a close eye on. Yes, the music is different to what you’ll mostly find over the weekend, but make no mistake, Lozeak is an exciting artist pushing clean and incredible vocals and mixing it with the alt-rock rhythms of your favourites.

LAKE MALICE

The UK’s most exciting alt-metal band Lake Malice are back to cement their place in the scene. The band not only has an incredibly tight and powerful discography that will grip you from the get-go, but the pair mix that with an incredible stage presence that will get you moving in it’s own right. Between Alice’s incredible vocals and Blake’s powerful riffs and high jumps, they’ll be sure to put on an unforgettable performance.

HOTWAX

Hastings’ own alternative rock trio HotWax take to the stage to display their brilliant discography and with debut EP ‘A Thousand Times’ in their arsenal, they’ll have no shortage of breath-taking tracks to showcase. Beautifully mixing the sounds of alt-rock, punk and some classic indie goes a long way with me. I have been gripped, and you will be too when you catch this incredible band who are destined for greatness.

FROZEMODE

The London-based hip-pop-punk trio Frozemode are a band that I have only recently came into acknowledgement of and I have been hooked ever since. They’re a breath of fresh-air to a scene that at times can be stagnant, and tracks like ‘Stick Dat’ put into perspective how good this band are. Combining alt-rock rhythms with the catchy hip-hop delivery that gives them their sound is what sets them apart, and why you shouldn’t miss them.

DREAM STATE

Cardiff based band Dream State have had a really busy year and show no signs of slowing down. From slots at 2000Trees, Make a Scene and RADAR Festival to Burn It Down, and supporting Funeral For a Friend as well as an EU/UK tour with As December Falls, there’s no band that deserves it more. Since vocalist Jessie Powell joined the band they have been in full gear. You’ll be sure to hear newest single ‘Chin Up Princess’ as well as some of the older discography.