Float Along Festival review: A buzzing day showcasing some of the best new music around

Posted On October 1, 2024October 1, 2024

The streets of Sheffield are paved with music. Regardless of the time of year or point in the day, every footstep is met with a tune, which is a reflection of the city that prides itself on what it creates. It’s a creative hub for bands and has some of the most iconic venues in the country. Yet, for some reason, in the past few years, fewer and fewer bands seem to have Sheffield as a stop on their nationwide tours, which is why days like Float Along are so crucial.

Although the festival has only been going for a few years, it found its feet incredibly quickly. It has a clear sense of brand identity, with line-ups that appeal to music lovers near and far. It also does well incorporating different aspects of the city by having the festival staged at multiple different venues, taking advantage of the excellent brewing culture in Sheffield, and teaming up with breweries to make exclusive beer. In previous years, it’s proven itself as a day not to miss, and 2024 was no different.

A sunny one with the odd patch of rain, the people of Sheffield were in high spirits, and the intention to cram as many bands as possible throughout the day was evident from the word go. The crowd for one of the first sets of the day, Borough Council, was massive, spilling out the doors of the grotty basement where the gig takes place. As a small room with a low stage, band members were impossible to see, as one man commented, brushing past me, “I think there’s a band in here somewhere.” 

Leadmill was host to some of the most iconic sets of the day. Human Interest opened their 30 minutes with a drawn-out sweet number, taking the bustling atmosphere of their room and elevating it. Despite seeing them a few times now, the band continue to get better and better, both in the studio and on the stage. The newest EP is played to perfection as some scattered punters sing along word for word, and Human Interest continues to prove themselves to be a band you need to keep an eye on at the moment.

Following them in the opposite room is Bdrmm, an exciting last-minute addition to the festival made after a few bands dropped out. It’s hard finding the words to describe the shoegaze behemoths at this point as their recent tours and festival headline sets continue to show that they’re one of the best live bands out there, and yet, despite countless viewings, they continue to bring everything to the stage and find new ways to surprise their audience. 

This time, it came in the form of a new song and the subtle announcement that the band intends to release a new album in 2025. No name was given for the track, or if it was, I lost it, but it was a dance-infused heavy number, one played to a backdrop of strobes and smoke as the band blended into the background of their set, as if they were a part of the walls, an unrelenting sound that has always been and always will be that those listening can’t escape.

Corporation housed some of the heavier bands of the day. Fuzz Lightyear delivered a killer set in a room designed to murder you. The crowd flooded in on top of one another; any chance of movement became purely hypothetical, but no one cared about the awkward position they found themselves in during the set, as the set itself was too captivating to turn away from. Strangers awkwardly crammed together and craned their necks skywards as the band performed on one of the highest stages I’ve ever seen. Projecting themselves like monuments, both in magnitude and relentlessness, Fuzz Lightyear delivers a noise rock and punk set that can’t be faulted. No corner of the room was left free from their aggressive sound, and every second was a blessing.

Shame were headlining. It’s, without a doubt, a tricky headline slot to do, as all day at the festival, it felt less like people had come for specific bands and more just for music in general. After talking to Steve Lamacq earlier in the day about the fragility of a career in music, the band showed they were stronger than ever, as from the opener, the crowd nestled into their palms and were happy to stay there for the next hour.

Other highlights from the day included Crack Cloud, Honeyglaze and Scaler, all of which were excellent. The festival was a success from start to finish, as newer bands were given a much-needed platform, and northern punters got to see artists making plenty of noise in the modern music scene. Float Along continues to be a success and is climbing the ranks as one of the must-see indie festivals. Here’s to next year…