Broken Chanter + Mammoth Penguins + Schande

BROKEN CHANTER

After a decade as the creative genius behind Kid Canaveral – a band that could make you dance, laugh, and weep all within minutes – Glaswegian songwriter David MacGregor set out on his own in 2017 under the name Broken Chanter. He proceeded to win over new legions of both fans and critics with two stunning albums and arrives in Sheffield shortly after the release of the third, Chorus of Doubt, on Chemikal Underground in April. You can continue to despair at the unrelenting shitshow of world events, or you can find hope and joy in the huge, soaring choruses of David’s new songs. Most people will probably do both, to be honest, but whatever. This will be special.

MAMMOTH PENGUINS

You loved Standard Fare and you’ll love Mammoth Penguins. The ecstatic and defiant thread between the two is woven from the unique voice and expansive storytelling of Emma Kupa, whose output remains as adventurous but also as shout-along catchy as ever. Emma is ably assisted by Mark Boxall and Tom Barden aka "the noisest rhythm section in indiepop". Reminiscent of the pop melodies of The Beths, the indie dissonance of Land of Talk, and the guitar forward slacker rock of Weezer, Mammoth Penguins marry heartache indiepop with spiky guitars and Emma’s frank confessional songwriting. Look out for Here, their fourth album out shortly on the thoroughly commendable Fika Recordings label.

SCHANDE

California bred, London based, Jen Chochinov has been writing songs under the name Schande since the early 2000s, finding home in both UK and US DIY circles with discordantly catchy, melodic indie rock that is in equal parts calm and searing. Since relocating to London in 2013, she has continued playing shows throughout the UK and US both solo and with her full band. In 2018 and 2019, she was a touring member of Thurston Moore’s Guitar Ensemble and played shows throughout the UK and Europe alongside James Sedwards, Deb Googe, Steve Shelley, Jem Doulton and Jonathan Leideker. While Schande initially began as a solo project, the music is very much a collective effort; the instinctive melody of Gio Villaraut’s basslines and the creativity of Ryan Grieve’s syncopation coalesce with Jen’s angular guitar and create something fresh and exciting.