Music
Keeping our promise to bring you rising stars and undiscovered gems, as well our commitment to finding out why music makes us feel the way it does, we've got singers, bands, DJs and, err, neuro-scientists picked from the very top drawer.
Lip Sync Battles @ ALSO 17
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Soundtracks to Your Life
We are fascinated about the role music plays in our lives and to celebrate this we ask our key speakers to talk us through the Soundtrack of their Lives. In ALSO’s now traditional session we get to ask our speakers to explain the tracks that have defined important moments in their lives. On the soundtrack stage for 2018, we have the award-winning business psychologist and philosopher, Margaret Heffernan and award winning writer Daniel Rachel.
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Choralaoke
Choralaoke - like karaoke, but backed up by a whole choir. Let your inner diva run riot as you become the superstar guest vocalist with London International Gospel Choir.
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Iko Chérie
Iko Chérie is the moniker of the French born, London based musician Marie Merlet, whose fabulous three-piece band perform hazy, blissful indie pop gems with a DIY punk aesthetic.
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Flo Gallop
Imagine a night out with the Kaiser Chiefs and Dua Lipa and that's Flo Gallop. Bringing a bright splash of neon to monochrome indie sensibilities, Flo mixes a raucous musical edge edge with pop star vocals.
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London International Gospel Choir
A vocal powerhouse, whose reputation for uplifting, soulful performances has led them to perform everywhere from the Royal Festival Hall to BBC1's prime time choir show Pitch Battle.
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Ruebin
Introducing RUEBIN, the artist formally known as Ruby Blu*. We guarantee you will leave a fan, pursued for days by his catchy hook lines and chanting lyrics as if you’d heard them 1,000 times over.
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Friday Night Bunker Session
Steve Parry and Nick Gartland
Steve Parry dons his funky hat alongside his partner in crime Nick Gartland. These two have been together for many a year and are as good at banter as they are at DJing. Fun, Funk and Soul with eclectic sides. Anything goes! This will be a great party to kick-start the Bunker on Friday night. Fun for funk's sake.
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Cassia
Combining a rich musicality with continent-spanning influences, Cassia play their own brand of calypso-flavoured, tropical rock, resulting in a deft balance of the quintessentially British and the unequivocally exotic.
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Jono McNeil
Combining electronic and dance floor influences with emotional song writing, Jono McNeil brings his latest album Broken Lives to Also.
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Roller Disco
Jon Patterson
The year is 2018 in a futuristic society where corporations have replaced countries, sound familiar? Don’t worry – it’s only the plot for the 1975 film Rollerball – which was originally set in the future world of 2018. So to celebrate we’re setting up a boutique pop up roller disco on the Saturday evening – think Studio 54 on wheels. Grab your skates and your glittery leg warmers and let’s go!
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Will Varley
Rooted in the ancient folk traditions we know intimately, yet with a voice and lyricism that resonates unlike anyone before him, Will Varley, along with his band, performs songs from his latest album Spirit of Minne as well as choice picks from his four other artist albums.
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Closing Party
Little Blue House
For the brave, the foolhardy, the beautiful and the free, and the ones who can't remember where the exit is, the ALSO Closing Party is a chance to look back and allow the weekend to soak in accompanied by great music from covers band Little Blue House. Take in the stunning view, drink in hand, whilst coming to terms with the amount of information, thought, ideas and downright fun you've been subjected to. Sometimes the only thing for it is to sit and think. And drink.
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Saturday Night Bunker Session
Steve Vertigo and Steve Parry
The Saturday Night Bunker Session is the one where everyone let's go and finishes off the night in style. This year we are over the moon to have Steve Parry joining Steve Vertigo at the helm.
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Isle of Noises - Great British Songwriting
Daniel Rachel
Want to understand the creative approach of musicians? Musician-turned-award winning author, Daniel Rachel will be at ALSO to discuss his exclusive conversations with the UK’s greatest living musicians the subject of his book Isle of Noises – Great British Songwriting.
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Isle of Noises
Chris Watson
We are so proud to welcome to ALSO Chris Watson, who has travelled the natural world extensively with Sir David Attenborough as his Sound Recordist. Chris will take us on a journey through nature via a number of guided soundscapes – a truly transporting experience.
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Hypnoblue
This Moscow-based indie rock band create hymns of beauty, freedom and the love of life. Honest, open-hearted music with catchy melodies, sparky guitars and atmospheric synths.
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DJs and Disco Bunker
We have DJ sets a go-go. Don’t miss our Isle of Noises DJ set from Daniel Rachel on the floating stage, General Disco Procedure get the party started in the disco bunker on Friday evening, there’s punked-up power pop from The Surrey Women’s Bridge Club, Northern Soul rocks the bar, and for 2018 our legendary sunny sunshine Sunday afternoon set from superstar DJ Steve Vertigo. Many more across the weekend.
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KLF 23 Years On
John Higgs
The KLF were famed for burning a million pounds in a boathouse on the Isle of Jura and saying they would not talk about it for 23 years. Guess what, the 23 years are up – and they have spoken about it – to John Higgs – and he’s at ALSO to explain all.
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The Political Power of Music
Dave Randall
Musician and writer Dave Randall will be at ALSO to explain 'Sound System - The Political Power of Music'. His book is a brilliant exploration of how music and politics came together from the banned chords of the 12th Century - through the slave rebellions - to the free festival movement, and he’ll explore just how music can be used to change the world.
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Marie White
Marie White is the real deal. A young singer-songwriter from Hastings with insight beyond her years, she creates her own uncompromising sound.
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The Voice
Juliet Russell
The Also Festival is a rare chance to learn from leading UK TV vocal coach Juliet Russell (ITV’s The Voice, Michael McIntyre’s Big Show). For 2018 she has curated an incredible roster of opportunities to develop, understand and use your voice. Join Juliet’s in-festival choir to train and perform as part of the Saturday night spectacular, understand classic tracks by joining her Icons series (this year is a celebration Blondie’s Parallel Lines.) Also in 2018 kids can join Juliet’s vocal coaching session to understand how to shine on stage, and she will be hosting our Saturday night Lip Sync Heroes session.
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New Classical
Chris Lian Lloyd
Australian concert pianist Chris Lian Lloyd plays and explains how the avant-garde classical musicians at the beginning of the century influenced each other and how they imagined a future for music.
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Dao of Jazz
Dr Julian Baggini & Juliet Russell
Understand all eastern and western philosophy has to offer – whilst listening to music as we present Salon London’s Dao of Jazz. Combining innovation, improvisation, and collaboration, Jazz is the music maverick that went mainstream. Philosopher Dr Julian Baggini explores the relationship between Jazz and philosophy and reveals what we can learn about how to live, just by listening a little closer. Accompanied by our in house jazz pianist and tracks performed live by Juliet Russell.
