Christmas Twee tickets available online!

Hello everyone, just a note to let you know that you can now buy your Christmas Twee tickets online from We Got Tickets!

Christmas Twee is being held on Saturday December 6th at the Midland Railway in Butterley., Derbyshire. It's being headlined by C86 legends Mighty Mighty, who have reformed after more than 20 years to play our show. Also playing are June Brides singer and founder Phil Wilson and Derby popsters Mascot Fight. There will be a Secret Santa CD swap and lots of festive fun, including dancing in the disco carriage and platform! We're just finalising details of our DJs, but we'll be revealing disco details very soon!

You can also still buy your tickets by contacting the railway office directly on 01773 747 674. Details of how to get to the event and where to stay can also be found on our official website at www.indietracks.co.uk.

Look forward to seeing you there!

Indietracks shortlisted for Best Small Festival award!

Just when the dark nights and rubbish telly schedules were starting to get us down, what should happen but Indietracks only goes and gets shortlisted for a flippin' award!

We found out today that we've been shortlisted for the Best Small Festival in the 2008 UK Festival Awards, alongside other brilliant events such as the legendary Cambridge Folk and End of the Road festivals - wow!

Thanks so much to everyone who voted for us - you've really made our day over at Indietracks HQ. However, even if you've already voted, you can now cast a second vote - and you've got until midday on October 20 to do it. If you enjoyed the festival and would like to vote for us, you need to visit the Indietracks nomination page before then. Everyone who votes is automatically entered into a prize draw to win a pair of tickets for every festival!

The final winners will be announced on October 30, and we'll of course let you know if we're lucky enough to win!

Thanks again for all your support - do keep checking here and on the official website for the latest updates on November's Indietracks benefit gig and our Christmas Twee event in December!

Vote for Indietracks in the UK Festival Awards!

"And the winner is..."

We woke up this morning to discover that Indietracks has been nominated in five categories in the 2008 UK Festival Awards! Hurray!
If you enjoyed the festival and fancy helping us out, it would be great if you’d like to pop over and cast us a vote or two. Maybe we have a fair chance of coming away with Best Small Festival, Best Family Festival or Best Grassroots Festival. Just imagine how much fun it would be to see our festival pick up an award!
And just think what a brilliant thing it might be if we could subtly drop a festival award into the conversation when we’re asking some of the bigger indiepop names if they want to play at the festival next year!

We’ve just tried it (yes we voted for ourselves…), and it only takes 20 seconds to vote. You can also win a pair of tickets to every winning festival next year!

If you’d like to help us out, please visit the Indietracks Nomination Page before 13 October. Thank you!

Christmas Twee bands announced!

Hello there Indietrackers! It’s that time of year again - the shops are starting to stock Christmas goodies, you’re daydreaming about gift wish-lists, winter coats are demanding to be worn and – most importantly – it’s time for us to announce the bands playing this year’s Christmas Twee event! (Saturday 6th December, 2008). We know you’ve all been eagerly waiting to see which top indie-poppers will be tickling your festive fancy this year and now (fanfare here please) we can finally announce that the headliners will be God-like C86 legends Mighty Mighty. We’re doubly excited about this over at Indietracks Towers because this is the first gig the band have announced since their split in the late 1980s – and on a steam train too!

Mighty Mighty were formed in the early 1980s by Mick Geoghegan and Hugh Harkin out of their shared love of soul music, Postcard Records, The Velvet Underground and Socialist Worker Party politics. Birmingham-based, they built up a small but devoted following playing local venues and came to prominence when featured on the NME's C86 compilation, and at around the same time they released their debut single "Everybody Knows The Monkey". This was soon followed by a 12" single - "Is There Anyone Out There?" - before the band signed to Chapter 22 Records, releasing a string of well-received singles and the album "Sharks" in 1988. Continuing interest in the band then saw the reissue of "Sharks" in 2000 and the release of a compilation of BBC session tracks in 2001, which seems far too long ago for us, so we just can’t wait to see them play all our favourite songs at our favourite ever railway site!

Mighty Mighty will also be joined by former June Brides singer and founder Phil Wilson. Phil has been playing a number of gigs across the country this year with bands such as Pocketbooks and MJ Hibbett, all of which have been fantastically received. We loved his "Industrial Strength" EP released in August this year, and we’re looking forward to seeing him in action on the fabulously retro Butterley platform. Phil is the founder of indiepop gods The June Brides, formed in London in 1983. Also influenced by Postcard-label bands, their mix of guitar pop with viola and trumpet formed a blueprint for many of the C86 bands that would follow. In 1986 they opened for The Smiths on their Irish tour dates and were honoured in 2006 by tribute album "Still Unravished", which featured covers by bands such as Manic Street Preachers and the Television Personalities.

The third band to join the bill are Derby popsters Mascot Fight. This four-piece indiepop/ alternative band formed in 2004 and have released one EP so far, If Cooks Could Kill. The band have received airplay on BBC Radio 1 and BBC6 Music, and an album called Pantomime Hearse is planned for late 2008/early 2009.

And, of course, Christmas Twee wouldn’t be Christmas Twee without some bopping along on the disco carriage and railway platform. We're just finalising details of our DJs, but we’ll be revealing disco details very soon!

Sooo….that’s your lot for now pop kids but we’ll be back soon with details of the timetable and Secret Santa CD swap, as well as interviews with the bands and much more besides! Don’t forget, Christmas Twee takes place on Saturday 6th December 2008 at Butterley Station in Derbyshire, between 6.30pm and midnight.

Tickets cost £15 (+£1 booking fee) and can be bought from We Got Tickets or by phoning 01773 747 674. Details of how to get there and where to stay can also be found on our website: http://www.indietracks.co.uk/

Christmas Twee - Saturday 6th December 2008

It's September, which means all the decorations go up in Woolworths, so it must be Christmas, right?

Well OK, perhaps we at Indietracks HQ are getting a bit ahead of ourselves, but how can we not when we've got Christmas Twee to look forward to?

It's all happening on Saturday 6th December at Butterley Station. There will be three fantastic bands (details of which will follow in a further announcement), indiepop DJs, steam train discos, and loads more festive fun besides!

Tickets are £15 (+ £1 booking fee) and are available now! To book, just phone 01773 747 674. You'll be given a booking number which you should bring with you to the event.

If you're not sure how to get there or where to stay, then just head on over to our newly launched website for all the travel and accommodation information: http://www.indietracks.co.uk/

Watch out for more details coming soon!

New website and details of next event!

Hello there pop kids! You didn't think we were going to leave you 'til the end of the year without any top pop action did you? If you're anything like us, you've been spending the tail-end of the summer wailing into your (non real) ale and thinking fondly about llamas, wishing upon a star that it could be Indietracks time again. Well, your dreams will be soon coming true, 'cos we've got loads of exciting news about the next event coming up very soon!

Along with the details of the next event, our BRAND SPANKING NEW website will be launched into cyberspace on Monday 1st September, decked out in groovy new colours and with all sorts of fancy features. It's got a handy new FAQs section, where you can discover all sorts of top-notch Indietracks information from travelling to the Midland Railway to where to find the finest food and drink. You can even send your own burning questions into Indietracks HQ! There are also better ways to contact us, more detailed local travel information and this year there’ll be an Indietracks shop for all those pop-aholics out there!

Just visit the usual website address www.indietracks.co.uk on 1st September and have a look around. And, don't forget, we always want to hear your thoughts and suggestions for the blog and website - so keep on sending your ideas to indietracksonline@gmail.com Look forward to hearing from you!

Benefit gig for the Midland Railway!

Well......we couldn't expect you to last until December without any Indietracks-related gossip now could we? If you're like us and craving some railway-themed fun, but you just can't wait until the Indietracks Christmas event (more information on this to come, kids), then we've got some exciting news which is sure to tickle your fancy!

Still bowled over by the hospitality of the lovely Midland Railway staff, those kind-hearted folks over at the Layer of Chips and A Fog of Ideas fanzines have decided to put on an all-day benefit gig for the railway. It will be held at Lee Rosy's Tea Shop in Nottingham on November 16 and bands already confirmed as playing are (in no particular order):

The Bobby McGee's
Milky Wimpshake (pictured above)
Pocketbooks
Phil Wilson (ex-June Brides)
MJ Hibbett
Frankie Machine
Lardpony
Pete Green
Gregory Webster (ex-Razorcuts/Sportique)

Tickets cost £7 and are available from We Got Tickets. Doors will open at 3.30pm and the gig will finish at 10.30pm.

And, in other news, we discovered today that Indietracks has starred in a music video for The Just Joans, who played in the church at this year's festival. Part of the video for their new single, Hey Boy, You're So Sensitive, was filmed at the railway and features some indiepop band members - see how many you can spot!

The video was made by Mark O'Donnell, who also produced this fantastic Indietracks video montage, soundtracked by a beautiful late-night performance by Let's Whisper on the station platform.

Indietracks reviews!

Photo: www.underexposed.org.uk

Hello everyone! How are you all feeling? If you're anything like us, you'll still be a little tired but at the same time also massively excited about all the new music you discovered over the weekend! We still can't believe how many great bands there were in one place, and we're already hoping some of our favourites have got Autumn tours lined up soon!Anyway, we've been keeping an eye on all you busy bees writing for fanzines and magazines, and have rounded up a selection for you to check out, along with our favourite quotes from the reviews!

Plan B magazine:

A great review of the weekend. As it's a magazine, there's no full online version to link to, but here's a lovely excerpt:

Our fave quote: "...Indietracks is actually completely ace. We ride minature steam trains and talk to llamas. We sit on a hill in beautiful countryside and watch bands as the sunset explodes into crimson. We sit under clouds as big as spaceships and drink cider and the sky unexpectedly fills with hot air balloons and I think: "This is actually amazing. The best festival I've ever been to.""

Drowned in Sound:

A comprehensive day-by-day review that covers many of the bands, as well as the overall festival atmosphere.

Our fave quote: "...without doubt the most enjoyable and civilised festival we've ever been to in our lives. No wonder [Los Campesinos!] frontman Gareth Campesinos! looks humble and overwhelmed at the end. DiS is too – here’s to Indietracks 2009!"

Efestivals.co.uk:

Review of the entire weekend which also features a brilliant section where you can turn your favourite festival photos into e-cards!

Our fave quote: "Would I like to go back next year? Hell yes! A festival punter's paradise!"

Artrocker:

A full-page review in the October issue (it can't be October already?!). It's just in the mag, so there's no link to the full thing we're afraid. It includes lovely reviews of Shrag, Mai 68s and Los Campesinos! among others.

Our fave quote: "...this is an event set up to please and surprise... a charming little gathering."

Nottingham Evening Post:

Review complete with daily diary section too!

Our fave quote: "Over two days, this quiet and secluded area of Derbyshire became an indiepop haven shaking to the sounds of good music. Add to this the heritage of the railway, and this unique little festival is on the right tracks."

Indie MP3:

A whopping three posts so far (and probably another to follow) from the hyper-productive indiepop website: Highlights Friday reviewSaturday review

Our fave quote: "It wasn't all about the music - but the music I got to hear was mostly wonderful. Indietracks is so much more than this -but it's hard to find the words that can sum it all up. The steam trains, the smiling people and location make it something I was just happy to been a part of."

BBC Radio Nottingham:

Dean Jackson's The Beat show features interviews with popstars and festival-goers alike - click on the "Listen Again" button. You'll need to hurry though, as this will change on Sunday August 3.

Ripley and Heanor News:

Small news review featuring interview with organiser Stuart Mackay.

Our fave quote: From Stuart himself - "It was a tremendous success, my team, the railway, the bands and the audience were all delighted with the way it went – many people saying it was the best festival they'd ever been to."

Sweeping the Nation:

Detailed reviews of Saturday and Sunday which incoporates loads of bands- we can't believe they managed to see so many- phew!

Our fave quote: "The location, the bands, the clientele, the organisation, the whole essence of Indietracks has seen an increase in publicity and numbers from last year and ridden it out spectacularly. It may not be the coolest to the Vice subscribers, but who cares when there's something uniquely special about Indietracks already."

Pull Yourself Together:

A charming review from the Manchester indiepop club and fanzine.

Our fave quote: "Indietracks was a load of fun. Setting a festival in a railway museum - great move. Lovely band/fan run merch stand - brilliant. Ace bands and great people watching them - our favourite festival of the year!"

Pop Miswig:

Fantastic two-day review from the Wales-based website, who DJed at last year's festival.

Our fave quote: "Oh, I don’t know what it is, this feeling I’m left with, there’s the huge buzz from seeing some of the most amazing bands, the pure-sugar abc sweets that will surely keep me awake for the next 4 weeks as well as the previous week, and then there’s that lonely feeling, no Darren Hayman to look forward to tomorrow, no party with the best of friends going on and on. It’s a sad feeling but a kind of sadness that the end of such a great event deserves."

Soundsxp:

A review of the Saturday, including The Wedding Present, Shrag, Comet Gain and more...

Our fave quote: "Sunburn is a small price to pay for this year’s event with its collection of British, Scandinavian and a few North American bands. The larger number of punters than last year brings additional security but doesn’t affect the sense of community, which is palpable and pleasing. It has just the right degree of amateurism, like stepping into a giant fanzine."

Chances of Sunny Spells:

A lovely photo diary of the weekend's events.

Hey Hey Honeypop!:

Spiral Scratch promoter Marianthi's heart-warming pen portraits from her weekend.

Our fave quote: "I don't know how we can get away with Indietracks. It's so removed from everything we know real life to be and even further removed from what escapist fun is to most people. It can't even be called escapism because there is no real attempt to create a separate reality. It just is what it is in the most effortless way."

Kitten Painting:

A review of Saturday featuring Shrag, Liechenstein, Red Pony Clock, The Kabeedies and more...

Our fave quote: "The ‘truly indie scene’ is right here at Indietracks hidden away in the middle of Derbyshire, having the time of its life, ignoring the irrelevance of the mainstream, ducking commodification, doing things its own way, getting on with stuff just like its always done. There are nigh on a thousand people here and nothing that even approaches being landfill indie. We are the popkids, we are the winners!"

Popmatters:

Another comprehensive review which enjoyed Silence At Sea, The Just Joans, Darren Hayman, KateGoes, Little My and The Bobby McGee's, among many more...

Our fave quote: "An idyllic site -- complete with its own railway station -- was the perfect place for indie-pop fans to hop on board the train to Indietracks."

We'll keep adding reviews as they appear, so do keep checking back occasionally. Sadly, we'll be posting a little less frequently now, but we'll be back soon with news about the next Indietracks event in December. As always, we'll keep you updated with the latest news and gossip from Indietracks HQ - thanks for reading and keep sending your comments and ideas for the blog to indietrackspress@gmail.com

Indietracks in seven minutes!

Phew! Does you feel as tired as we do? How can just two days of jangly indiepop and sunshine frolicing leave you feeling so exhausted? If anyone knows the answer do let us know, 'cos frankly we're baffled!

Anyway, in between catching up on naps, we've been hunting down the best photos and videos from the weekend and this short film, made by Chris Gilmour from Last Night from Glasgow Indie EyeSpy, is frankly ACE. It tells the story of Indietracks 2008 in seven minutes - see how many bands you can spot and give yourself a prize of some sleep and/or a healthy snack! (You'll need those vitamins after the weekend burger-fest!. You'll probably have to click through to YouTube to hear it with sound....

Thanks everyone - see you next year!

Photo: Lostmusic

Hello everyone! Wasn't it FANTASTIC?

Phew! We'd been in such a high state of over-excitement for so long we just couldn't see how it was going to live up to all our expectations......but it did, and much, much more besides! From MJ Hibbett's hilarious My Exciting Life in Rock in the tea tent on Friday, to Los Campesinos' storming performance on Sunday evening, the whole weekend was just a perfect concoction of wonderful new music, glorious weather, steam train fun, friendly faces, enthusiastic dancing, impromptu singalongs and fruity real ale!

Congratulations to Stuart for organising such a perfect festival, and thanks to all the bands, volunteers, railway staff and everyone else who's helped with the organisation and helped spread the word. And most importantly, thanks to everyone for coming along and helping make Indietracks one of the most friendly and welcoming festivals around.

No doubt you're itching to upload your photos, videos and reviews from the festival, so here's a few things which might be handy:

Anorak forum: there's a special area where you can discuss your favourite highlights from the festival:Anorak Indietracks discussions

Indietracks Flickr group: share your photos with other Indietracks festival-goers here: www.flickr.com/groups/indietracks

Videos: if you made any videos, it would be wonderful if you could send them, or your YouTube link, to:indietracksonline@gmail.com

Reviews: no doubt many of you will be writing for your own fanzines, but for those who would like to write for a piece for our blog, e-mail us at :indietrackspress@gmail.com

We'll be posting up reviews, photos and videos over the next few days, but in the meantime here are a few of our favourite photos posted up so far........

Ballboy on the outdoor stage. Photo: Emmlpop

The crowd at the Church stage dancing along to Darren Hayman. Photo: Smith of Smiths

Over-excited KateGoes fans go POP! Photo: Sweeping the Nation