with Liam Iliffe, Ohana, Smack Jack & The Many Grams and The Whiskey Rebellion
Tonight’s show was organised by Glastonbudget Music Festival.
Reviewed by Lydia Till
Glastonbudget Festival 2019 auditions kick off with a great start.
The first week of Glastonbudget 2019 auditions kicked off this past weekend at the Soundhouse in Leicester. The festival is the biggest tribute act festival in the world, hosting around 160 acts including about 40 tribute acts headlining.
First to perform was 16 year old Liam Iliffe who is not new to the Glastonbudget scene. He performed at the festival in May this year. For his audition, he performed a mix of covers – including Ed Sheeran and Foo Fighters – which fit perfectly with the concept behind the tribute act festival. Iliffe also performed a few of his own songs throughout his set. The set was acoustic, showing off his talent with his guitar and his voice. It is impressive that an artist of such a young age is already making waves in the live performance scene.
Watch this video, by Kevin Gaughan, of Liam Illiffe performing at this event.
Alternative indie-rock band Ohana brought high energy to the stage. They performed a variety of songs, showcasing the range they have, from heavily rock-infused sounds to more upbeat, alternative vibes. Ohana performed all their own content and lived up to what is expected of a rock band. This will be the bands first time performing at Glastonbudget.
Watch this video, by Kevin Gaughan, of Ohana performing at this event.
The only ‘covers’ band of the night was Marked. Their rendition of classics from the likes of Queen, Bon Jovi and Leicester’s own Kasabian meant that the audience could easily get behind the band and join in. One of their own said they were giving it a go ‘before we get too old’, and it paid off as the group were through to perform at the festival.
Describing themselves as a ‘Post-Hardcore’ band, Smack Jack and The Many Grams certainly put on a high energy, loud set. The band performed at Glastonbudget this past May. The audience seemed to enjoy the hard rock sound. Although, the set seemed shorter than the rest and was drastically different to the type of music I usually listen to. I could, however, appreciate their talent in the genre.
Watch this video, by Kevin Gaughan, of Smack Jack & The Many Grams performing at this event.
The Whiskey Rebellion were the ones to watch of the night. The group are no strangers to the Glastonbudget Festival. With an already considerable following, it was no surprise that they drew in the biggest crowd of the night. The band managed to incorporate instruments like the violin and banjo and give them a rock sound, something I have never witnessed before. The ability to blend these different elements together highlighted the talent they have. The band are obviously a favourite as the announcement of the acts through to perform at Glastonbudget came before the group had even finished their set.
Watch this video, by Kevin Gaughan, of The Whiskey Rebellion performing at this event.
Saturday night marked the first night of auditions, showcasing plenty of talent as it was revealed all acts of the night were offered a place to perform at the festival. Auditions continue on the 11th August.