Preview: 2Q Festival – Derby, 9th April 2016

2Q festival is a brand new musical venture held in Derby on Saturday 9th April 2016. Six city centre venues have united for the single day event, bringing an eclectic mix of big-name artists and emerging talent to the Midlands, aiming to showcase Derby as a champion of music of all levels.

The festival plans on taking over the Guildhall Theatre, The Old Bell Hotel, The Venue, The Hairy Dog, Bar One and Vines on 9th April to share the best local and national talent they could find. It’s also affordable, as all venues are in walking distance of each other and transport links. For only £20 a ticket, you’d be a fool to miss this.

Still undecided? Here’s our recommendations for which artists to check out on the day:

Little Comets – 22:30 The Old Bell Hotel
This ambitious band have had a change in their line-up since I saw them last year but their music is as strong as ever; check these out if you’re into ‘kitchen sink’ indie. They’re on the quirky side of pop an their unique sound has earned them fans from all over the world.

Eliza And The Bear – 22:00 Bar One
This group are capable of writing anthems that could sit comfortably in stadiums but they’re coming down to Derby to play a special show at Bar One. If you’re looking for passionate, heartfelt rock tunes, this is the band for you.

D.I.D – 21:00 The Venue
Formerly known as Dog Is Dead, these guys have been a bit quiet since their incredible debut album All Our Favourite Stories. The Nottingham boys are on the way back up with new indie pop tunes and good party vibes.

Patawawa – 18:00 Bar One
My favourite new find of 2015; Patawawa supported Fatherson and Prides at Nottingham’s Rescue Rooms last November and I’ve been hooked ever since. This electro indie trio have got a great journey ahead of them so make sure you catch them before they make it big.

Vukovi – 17:15 The Hairy Dog
Experimental rock group Vukovi are making their way down from Scotland to perform, giving us an opportunity to dance to something big and something loud. These guys are one of my favourite bands and you’d be a fool to miss them at 2Q Festival this year.

Motormouf – 14:15 Vines
Nottingham rap artist Motormouf is making his way over to give us something different; his ability to engage the crowd with wicked beatboxing and inspiring words, he’s a worthy artist to spend your afternoon with.