Festival season is in full swing and it’s my great pleasure to share that Record Weekly has been invited by Zeitgeist Agency to cover Truck Festival 2022 as press*! The three-day extravaganza will take place on 22nd-24th July in Oxfordshire and it’s set to be a sizzler. 

If you’re a regular reader or you’ve digested some of the recent festival content I’ve posted, you’ll know that I have a penchant for fashioning these preview articles into artist-only sections for the ease of reading. Well, with Truck’s rich musical tapestry being so genre-spanning, I thought I’d break a habit and give you the lowdown on some of the standout acts, in handy categories. 

From the essential sets to the pick of the up-and-coming bunch, there’s a whole host to enjoy…

The bucket-list acts

Her milkshake will undoubtedly bring me to the yard when she takes to the stage at Truck Festival this year… That’s right, none other than Kelis will be blessing us with her presence and I can’t wait to get stuck into her R&B legendary. 

Meanwhile, for the indie-pop fans, you can’t go and not behold Bombay Bicycle Club. If you haven’t seen them in action before, the hit-makers behind ‘Shuffle’ and the fresher ‘Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You)’ are ultra-humble but understand how to serve up a great show. It should also go without saying that The Kooks and Kasabian are quintessential indie royalty, so you’ll want to be bopping along to them. 

The of-the-times must-sees

Sam Fender is the gentle Geordie that nobody can get enough of. Whether he’s shooting music videos with Stephen Graham or touring all around Europe, the solo artist has dazzled ears young and old with ‘Hypersonic Missiles’ and his plethora of tunes that are undeniably festival-ready. 

Sea Girls and Sports Team definitely differ in their output but, along with Yard Act too, they’re really revelling in popularity right now. Get down to snap pics of them and roar out their lyrics. That’s an order. 

Capturing the buoyant youth vote, Alfie Templeman and easy life will impress with their poppier niches, while Dinosaur Pile Up and Pulled Apart By Horses have got the heavy listeners well and truly catered for. 

Caught Blossoms at Glastonbury and felt wowed by their collaborative performance with Mel C? You and me both. They’re another outfit that’s been going from strength to strength for years. And speaking of, since 2021 in particularly, rising heroes Inhaler are the name on everyone’s lips. 

The emerging artists

After their slots supporting The Mysterines back in March, Isle of Wight’s Coach Party have been — quite literally — going places. Mammoth venues holding wild numbers of fans? Yeah, that’s just what they’re used to now. You’ve also got bands such as THE HARA and Only The Poets who are used to soaring successes being the norm. 

For rhythmic indie grooves, Cassia, Vistas and KAWALA should pique your interest, and things get rockier still when Bloxx and The Clockworks crank up the volume. 

The scuzzy rap-rock wilderness is fronted by KID BRUNSWICK, but if you’re into your DNB and stacks of thumping electronics, NOISY are top-tier gold. 

Getting a whole paragraph of their own, rightfully, it’s Edinburgh’s swim school. I can’t rave about the four-piece enough. I’ve only been fortunate enough to watch them play once, but I can’t wait to rectify that and marvel at their magic again at Truck Festival. I’ve interviewed them previously and briefly chatted to Alice (Johnson, vocals and guitar) after the band’s Live At Leeds 2021 set. I implore you to factor this riotously rocky quartet into your schedule. 

For their originality and exceptional sounds, Courting, deep tan, Brooke Combe, VENUS GRRRLS and Baby Queen are also ones to take note of pronto. 

What’s more, you’ve got plenty of coming-up-through-the-ranks newcomers on the coveted This Feeling stage, such as overpass, Crystal Tides, ROLLA and The Skinner Brothers. Insert those flame emojis everywhere.

And among the exciting additional performers ready to round off proceedings and spice up each day with some je ne sais quoi, you’ll spy Mr Motivator and The Oxford Symphony Orchestra doing their things! Cool or what? 

If you’re as giddy as me about pitching up a tent at this 2022’s sold-out Truck Festival, I’d start jotting down which bands and artists you’re most buzzing to see. Of course, that was just a small sample of the talent that will be present, so absorb that poster and I’ll catch you on the field! 

*With huge thanks to Zeitgeist Agency for the press access