After Midnight Presents: Summer Daze Festival

It’s an exciting day here in the After Midnight camp, I finally get to announce our second festival!

The Summer Daze Festival is another online festival to support Girls Against who are an amazing charity that I am so happy to be supporting. This festival is bigger than the last and I cannot be more excited about it.

So, without further ado, here’s the poster with the amazing line-up!

This event is to support and in aid of Girls Against.

“Girls Against is a nonprofit organisation standing up against sexual assault and misogyny in the live music scene. We build valuable educational resources, safe spaces and inclusivity. Formed in 2015, we aim to create a conversation within the industry about sexual assault, as well as aiding discussion about other surrounding social and political issues. The campaign acts as a support network for victims, a place where people can come to talk about potentially uncomfortable gig experiences without judgement.”

This cause is one that I am very passionate about and I think if we can raise any money for the cause it will be greatly appreciated.

The event will be held on Saturday June 12 at 7pm BST on our YouTube channel (linked below as always) so make sure you give the channel a subscribe and watch the last festival if you haven’t already as there are some amazing performances there.

I have created a Just Giving crowdfunding page where you can donate to Girls Against, I haven’t asked for you to pay for tickets for the event as I want it to be accessible for everyone, however if everyone who watches could donate something, even as little as £1, I believe we truly can make a difference. I will leave the link to the Just Giving page at the end of this article and of course I will have it on our social media pages and in the description of the event when it is running.

I want to say a massive thank you to all of the artists performing, it was really great to see an amazing response from everyone when I initially reached out about this festival. There are some artists on here who I have been following and looking up to for a while, as well as artists I have interviewed on the blog, and others who I know personally, and there really is something for everyone here.

I have gathered together some small biographies so that you can get to know them and their music before the event, so please give them a read and their music a listen! These will also be all over our social media pages over the next few weeks leading up to the event as well.

Natti Shiner, of Fickle Friends

Fickle Friends, formed in 2013, are an indie pop band who I’ve been a fan of for many years now. The band consists of Natti Shiner, Jack Wilson, Harry Herrington and Sam Morris and they have been releasing music since 2015. After two years touring the UK and Europe without a label or publisher and playing 53 festivals across 2 years, Fickle Friends signed to Polydor Records.The band recorded their debut album in Los Angeles with Mike Crossey and it was released in March 2018, and entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 9. Since then the band released several other singles leading up to the release of Weird Years (Season 1) in January 2021 and Weird Years (Season 2) in May 2021. Fickle Friends are one of my favourite bands from the last few years and I have seen them live a few times now and their shows are always a fun time, so I am super excited to have Natti Shiner performing at Summer Daze.

Listen to Fickle Friends on Spotify here.

Follow Fickle Friends on Instagram here.

Billy Lunn, of The Subways

The Subways, currently consisting of Billy Lunn and Charlotte Cooper, are an alternative rock band from Hertfordshire. Formed in 2002 the band started by playing covers of Nirvana and Green Day songs before writing and recording their own music in Lunn’s kitchen. In 2004 The Subways won Glastonbury’s unsigned band competition and played on The Other Stage. Their debut album Young For Eternity was released in 2005 and was produced by Lightning Seeds frontman Ian Broudie; with their debut single "Oh Yeah" reaching number 25 in the UK Singles Chart on its release week. In June 2008 the sophomore album ‘All or Nothing’, this album having been recorded in LA with Butch Vig. The band appeared as themselves in Guy Ritchie's film RocknRolla, performing "Rock & Roll Queen”. Their third album ‘Money and Celebrity’ was released in 2011 and then their fourth self-titled album in 2015. This year the band released the song ‘Fight’, after attending the Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020, Billy was inspired to write ‘Fight’ in just a few fiery hours. It’s a letter in two parts: a gesture of solidarity with the black community, and a wake-up-call to the white community. We are super happy to have Billy Lunn from The Subways performing for us at the Summer Daze festival.

Listen to The Subways on Spotify here.

Go to The Subways website here.

Follow The Subways on Instagram here.

Hazel & Grey

Hazel & Grey are a Welsh duo comprising of Climbing Trees frontman Matthew Frederick and his better half, Caysha Leigh. Currently writing and recording debut EP Blackwater Hollow, their first single The House is set for release via Staylittle Music later in 2021.

Follow Hazel & Grey on Instagram here.

Listen to Climbing Trees on Spotify here.

Listen to Matthew Frederick on Spotify here.

Rachael Webster

Rachael Webster is an acoustic/folk pop singer from Sheffield. Delivering a unique blend of acoustic folk music entwined with pop and folk vibes tied together with a unique feel that only Webster can deliver. Now seeking to develop on her unique brand of music, Rachael is ready to embark on a musical journey exploring new influences ready to grace a stage close to you.

Listen to Rachael Webster on Spotify here.

Follow Rachael Webster on Instagram here.

Sam Bishop

After seeing Sunset Sons in concert in 2016 and being amazed at their performance, Sam decided to form a band. The band, 98 Reasons, performed up and down the country, gigging in close to 100 pubs in the space of just over a year. It was with this band he wrote his very first song Never Too Late, which started his love for creating original material. After a few years of performing with several bands in different venues, Sam decided to focus solely on producing original solo work, allowing him to be far more personal and transparent with his writing style. Sam released his debut EP ‘Cold Kingdom’ in December 2019. Sam has released a collection of singles since, including Wild Heart, written with Toby Creasy. In May 2021, Sam will release follow-up EP, ‘Lost Promises’ featuring Fallen Sky as well as brand new original work with features from Ellie Pearson and Woody from Bastille.

Listen to Sam Bishop on Spotify here.

Follow Sam Bishop on Instagram here.

The Last Of The Wonder Kids

Bouncing between post-punk and infectious lo-fi indie rock, Grimsby’s Last Of The Wonder Kids are quickly mastering the art of mixing fuzzy melodies, chaotic hooks and massive reverb soaked guitar riffs. The three piece have been celebrated by the likes of BBC 6Music Recommends and BBC Introducing across the UK for their song writing, high energy live shows and lyrics of life and love in a small northern town.

Listen to Last Of The Wonder Kids on Spotify here.

Follow Last Of The Wonder Kids on Instagram here.

Calum Lintott

Calum Lintott is an indie rock’n’roll songwriter from the south of England. Influenced by a variety of genres and styles, including blues, rock’n’roll and indie, his aims are to join the forces of loud, energetic rock’n’roll with undeniably huge, catchy melodies that will transport you on a journey of hope, wonder and majestic-ness.

Listen to Calum Lintott on Spotify here.

Follow Calum Lintott on Instagram here.

Olivia Browse

Olivia Browse is an indie pop artist that fuses influences from bubble-gum pop to indie rock; With two singles under her belt already, Olivia is ready to expand her discography with a fresh new expression and style. Olivia's lyrics are the main focus of her songs, sharing life experiences and darker topics using witty and creative lyrics that resonate with her audience - she brings light to difficult situations in her songs, addressing some uncomfortable topics, whilst also encapsulating the typical university experiences of drinking and relationships with her charming sense of honesty. Originally from Essex, Olivia moved to Manchester, which is where she can be found performing - her stage presence is commanding, and she is usually accompanied by her bright yellow flower guitar. ‘Sad bops’ is the genre Olivia gives her music, as her songs are emotionally driven - but are not without a catchy hook for audiences to sing along to. Distinctive melodies paired with direct lyricism make Olivia's music enjoyable to any listener.

Listen to Olivia Browse on Spotify here.

Follow Olivia Browse on Instagram here.

Fowler

Fowler is a 22 year old British singer/songwriter and producer from London, whose music offers a fusion of resonant tones and expansive melodies. He draws on influences ranging from blues through jazz to pop, all of which he uses to create his evolving sound. Emotionally raw and resonant, his compositions are deeply human and atmospheric, and are characterised by a love of sustained chords and layered, multi-tracked harmonies. Fowler is no stranger to stranger to music, hailing from a classical background, Fowler is a multi-instrumentalist who plays piano, drums and trumpet. After his studies in Songwriting at the prestigious Leeds Conservatoire, fowler took us by storm with the synth-pop single Dressed in Black in August 2020, showing his versatility as an artist.

Listen to Fowler on Spotify here.

Follow Fowler on Instagram here.

Jenna Warne

19 year old, Jenna Warne is a singer-songwriter/producer from the Isle of Wight. She is an independent artist who makes music from the comfort of her bedroom. Music has also been a huge part of her education and childhood; She is now studying music production at University. She is inspired by artists like BENEE, Dayglow, Tom Misch, SZA, and Doja Cat - the list goes on!! She is influenced by the people around her and she likes to write about personal experiences but also tries to put herself in other people's shoes for a challenge. Her debut EP 'Nineteen' is out on all streaming platforms on 28th May!

Listen to Jenna Warne on Spotify here.

Follow Jenna Warne on Instagram here.

Stagz

Singer/songwriter Stagz is a solo artist, mixing elements of indie, folk and pop. Born in Birmingham, England, Stagz has travelled across the country, performing original songs and is now writing her first album. When thoughts aren’t easily comprehended, her love for storytelling is lived primarily through her music, so others can relate and take away a piece of it.

Listen to Stagz on Soundcloud here.

Follow Stagz on Instagram here.

Tom Duggan

Tom Duggan is an independent singer-songwriter from Milton Keynes. He started his musical life singing at a very young age and went on to learn clarinet and saxophone at school. During this time, and also whilst studying at University, he performed in a wide range of groups which resulted in both a love of pop, rock and jazz music and an appreciation of classical and folk music. Tom hopes to make use of all these elements to create his own style. Several years ago, Tom happened to pick up an electric guitar and taught himself to play his favourite songs which lead him to where he is today. Writing his first song at 17, Tom has since progressed to become a prolific singer-songwriter. His first single, Ashes, was released on his 21st birthday and Tom plans to release many new songs over the course of the year. Tom Duggan’s music has no fixed genre, reflected by his wide tastes and finding inspiration from TV, film and the complexities of everyday life.

Listen to Tom Duggan on Spotify here.

Follow Tom Duggan on Instagram here.

Alex Page

After the disbanding of his previous band in late 2018, Alex Page began exploring his own musical avenues. Since then, he has been writing his own material and refining his craft. Alex’s main genres range from acoustic and indie to bedroom pop and rock, and he has taken inspiration from artists such as The Vaccines, Mac DeMarco, The 1975 and Modern Baseball. In early 2020, he began uploading some of these originals, as well as covers by various artists, onto his YouTube channel and Instagram account. This all came to ahead when he released his debut single, “Life In The City” in May of this year, and he plans to release more music within the next few months.

Follow Alex Page on Instagram here.

Subscribe to Alex Page on YouTube here.

Mustard Swerve

Hello there, our names are Eliza Houghton and Evangeline Shadden and we make up Mustard Swerve. We primarily focus on an Alternative Folk style of music, taking influence from artists such as: Radiohead, Haley Heynderickx and Daughter. We are hoping to finish and release our debut EP soon but for now we are mainly focusing on writing new material. We are both so happy to be taking part this festival that After Midnight has arranged and we hope you all enjoy xoxo

Follow Mustard Swerve on Instagram here.

Neo

Hailing from Birmingham, Neo is a 20 year old singer and pianist raised on jazz, r&b and gospel. Growing up listening to artists such as Musiq Soulchild, Amy Winehouse, Phonte and John Legend and many more you can hear the varied influences in her voice. She plans to break into the industry soon whether that’s in the studio or live so keep an eye out over the next year for any sneak peeks @neo_kunene on Instagram.

Follow Neo on Instagram here.

Ellie Pearson

Hi! I'm Ellie, a self-taught bassist from West Sussex currently in my first year studying Popular Music: Performance and Production at the University of Winchester. I've been playing bass around 5 years and in July of 2015, I began uploading a range of covers to Instagram to push myself to keep playing and grow my skill-set. Since then I've been regularly recording and posting covers to the platform and collaborating with others. In the future, I hope to build a career within the industry working as a session musician!

Follow Ellie Pearson on Instagram here.

Zoe Jenkins

20 year old Zoe Jenkins has been performing since the age of 6 in her junior school glee club, it was there where she realised that she loved to perform. From there she went on to perform every year in her senior school summer shows and took part in their winter productions where she played Sandy in Greece. Zoe then went to college and performed at Victorious Festival in Southsea and in other venues dotted around Portsmouth. She then decided it was time to learn more about the production side of music when she went to university, so this will be her first performance in 2 years! Zoe was influenced a lot by the old style Taylor Swift albums that she used to continually listen to as a kid.

Follow Zoe Jenkins on instagram here.

What a line-up! I am so excited for this festival, and I hope you are too. The first one was such a huge success and I couldn’t be happier about that, but I wanted to put another one together to showcase some more incredible artists and raise money for another super important cause.

I have had a few questions and conversations with some of the artists and my friends about why I am including men on the line-up for this event, even though it’s for Girls Against. First and foremost, harassment and assault can happen to anyone regardless of gender, though unfortunately there are more women who experience this at live events, and that is why the movement primarily focuses on women, rightly so. However I just wanted to show support for everyone and I don't like to feel as if I'm disregarding anyone or their experience based on gender.

Girls Against have also stated “We are here for all survivors of sexual assault, harassment and misogyny - regardless of which gender they identify with. We acknowledge that all genders will want to join the fight against sexual assault and we are thankful for all our supporters. We do however recognise that women are often the victims because they are women; as a result of a patriarchal system, women can be deemed powerless in situations such as a crowd, and the act of sexual assault is often an act of installing power over another. We support every single survivor at Girls Against”

Another reason I have decided to include all genders on the line-up is because something I have found through my research and talking to women and gender minorities in the industry is that there can't be change if we don't involve men into the conversation, in a positive way. There has been a massive movement in recent years due to women taking a stand and pointing out these inequalities and that has truly helped in so many ways, however the problem still lies with people who don't take women and gender minorities seriously, primarily men, or don't believe that there is a problem. So, the decision I made with the line-up for this festival was to include men in the conversation so that the conversation can move even further forward and continue to have a bigger impact.

I hope you will join me on June 12 to watch this incredible event. Make sure you are following us on Instagram or Facebook to see all the updates leading up to the event, we have some fun things on the way...

See you there!

Go to the Girls Against website here.

Visit and donate to our crowdfunder here.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel here.

All other After Midnight links here.