The Vaccines to headline Liverpool Sound City as first wave of bands announced

The Vaccines to headline Liverpool Sound City 2015

As the 2015 Sound City line-up begins to reveal itself, Getintothis’ Paul Higham has the scoop – along with the news that London’s The Vaccines will headline the Friday night.

We already know the first two headliners of this year’s Sound City and since the twin announcements that Belle and Sebastian and The Flaming Lips are to headline, excitement has been mounting as to the identity of the festival’s final headliner.

Getintothis can now reveal that The Vaccines will top the bill on the Friday – the festival’s opening night. Formed in West London, The Vaccines shot to fame following the 2011 release of their debut What Did You Expect From The Vaccines with a sound variously likened to The Ramones and The Jesus and Mary Chain. The album went on to be the biggest selling debut album of the year.

Following a somewhat muted critical response to 2012’s Come of Age the band are set to release their third LP, English Graffiti, later this year. Recorded with Dave Fridman, the band have hinted that the new album will seek to capture the sound of Sleater-Kinney‘s 2005 The Woods.

With the album title said to be inspired by a recent New York Times article on the globalisation of popular culture, the band have hinted at a more adventurous sonic offering and intend that the album be so “genre-defining” that it will “sound terrible in 10 years“.

Jay Jay of The Vaccines said: “Liverpool is a city we love and it’s a real privilege to play on the first night of the new-look Sound City. It’s going to be a big night!”

Following the announcement, Sound City CEO, Dave Pichilingi, commented on the final headliner: “We promised a massive and credible line-up this year and we delivered. The Vaccines, The Flaming Lips and Belle & Sebastian will play to an audience of thousands in one of the coolest cities in the world on the banks of the River Mersey in the unique setting of our brand new Docklands home. It does not get much better than that.

“Add to that literally hundreds of the best and brightest acts from around the world who will join them on the bill. We are so excited about the endless possibilities of our new festival home. It means we can offer so much more than just a live music festival. We can immerse our audience in an amazing setting with the best backdrop in the world and give them a totally fantastic experience.”

As well as the headliner, this latest announcement has revealed just some of the many acts who will feature further down the bill – and there are some exciting names for us to reveal.

Bristol drum and bass pioneer and former Mercury Prize winner Roni Size will bring his recently resurrected Reprazent collective to Liverpool for the event. Alongside him on the bill will be legendary Sonic Youth frontman Thurston Moore, Supergrass singer Gaz Coombes and Canada’s Polaris Prize winning hardcore experimentalists, Fucked Up.

Sound City will see Sean Lennon return to the city with The Ghost of a Sabre Toothed Tiger following last autumn’s showing at The Kazimier. Lo-fi garage fuzz exponents, Dum Dum Girls, 2014’s surprise package Jane Weaver, and Liverpool’s very own Stealing Sheep will be among those playing. Additionally, the twisted time-signatures of Manchester’s Dutch Uncles will no doubt remind that indie-pop can be both articulate and danceable.

Liverpool’s very own All We Are will get to show off their much anticipated debut album at Sound City this coming May. The album is set to be released on Double Six Records on 2 February 2015 and Sound City will provide this most inventive of groups to further expand their ever-growing fanbase.

Completing the announcement will be Evian Christ, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Slaves, Dave McCabe and The Ramifications, The Serpent Power, Bad Breeding, Apes and Single Mothers.