A few months back we reached out to Been Stellar, knowing they’d be playing with Fontaines D.C. in London, to see if they’d like to join us at our favourite pub for a secret show. They were up for it and asked if theeir friends, and faves of ours, Hank could join them. Hank were up for it too. After a week or so of teasing the show, we all dropped the news on Sunday morning – Been Stellar and Hank will play The Elephants Head, Camden for free. Capacity is sixty so you’d had to move fast. The pub was full before soundcheck had finished and those who couldnt make it inside, listened and watched from the street. Its was a special night. Here it is in photos.

All photos by Daniel Lincoln.

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Issue Fifty-Six arrives as we all take a big deep breath before stepping into festival season. June has also seen us announce the very first So Young Tour and it’s our headliners, Cardinals who are on the cover.

Ahead of big support dates with Fontaines D.C. and Wunderhorse, the Cork five-piece, Cardinals, have shared new single ‘Big Empty Heart’. The band talk to us about their debut album, which we’re told we can expect in 2026, as well as the disheartening fetishization of Irish culture.

We’ve been speaking with Squid for years and it’s a pleasure to chat again. Ahead of their upcoming return to End of the Road Festival, an event close to Ollie Judge’s heart, we catch up on their latest record, ‘Cowards’ and their recent tour of the US. Another band heading to Dorset for End of the Road is LA’s The Sophs. The shiny new signing to Rough Trade Records are proud of bucking the Tik Tok discovery trend and they tell us of howsome cold emails, not exclusive to their new label home, sparked a whole new future for the band.

Now signed with Domino, These New Puritans have a new album out titled ‘Crooked Wing’. Our conversation delves into the long process behind this record, working with Caroline Polachek and their obsession with field recordings.

One of our favourite new bands is Silver Gore. After blowing us away at The Great Escape and with new music on the horizon, we caught up with duo Ava Gore and Ethan P. Flynn to dig into their love for each other and their “resources war” origin story. Chicago’s Lifeguard have finally released their debut album. According to them, ‘Ripped and Torn’ isn’t meant to be overanalysed, its just another album. But they hope you like it.

Three new artists on our pages for the first time are noisy welsh band, MORN, Iceland’s great hopes, Spacestation and Third Man’s new singings, Die Spitz. And on the theme of Third Man, it’s with pleasure that we welcome back Hotline TNT. Ahead of the new record, on which they are now formally ‘a band’, we discuss the change from a solo project, the sacrifices swallowed in that process, and their rejection of the shoegaze label.

We are pleased to bring back the Who Are You? section of So Young. Across two pages you’ll find quick fire questions with some of our most recent discoveries. This time around we introduce pollyfromthedirt, Spanish Horses, Uncle Junior, bathing suits, SLAG, Restlesstaxis and wing!.

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The June issue of So Young is out on the 19th and if you choose to subscribe this month, you’ll not only receive our brand new issue but we’ll send you a copy of our April edition too.

There are a few options when it comes to subscribing, and you’ll receive the free magazine with whichever you choose. Here’s how you can subscribe.

Basic Subscription: One off payment of £36. You’ll receive So Young for the next year (6 issues). This is a one off payment and does not auto-renew. Subscribe Here.

Membership Subscription: One off payment of £50. You’ll receive So Young for the next year (6 issues) + A Members T Shirt + a free print Wirth every issue + 20% off So Young clothing + occasional goodies from our friends and labels and record stores. This is a one off payment and does not auto-renew. Subscribe as a Member Here.

Monthly Membership: Monthly payments of £5. You’ll receive all of the above. Subscribe Monthly Here.

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The band sold the first 400 copies in the first day of release and the remaining few were on sale at the pub before anywhere else. This alongside the fact that Man/Woman/Chainsaw had only recently sold out Scala, we expected the 60 capacity pub to be very very full. And it was. Support came from the excellent Uncle Junior. Here’s the night in photos. All photography by Anna Delf.

All photos by Anna Delf.

So Young is a new music magazine and our new issue is out now. Buy in print here. Subscribe here.
Issue Fifty-Five features Model/Actriz, YHWH Nailgun, The Orchestra (For Now), Westside Cowboy, Car Seat Headrest, Real Farmer, School Fair, Elias Rønnenfelt, feeble little horse, Kissing On Camera, Pooneh Ghana and Rhi Dancey.
Read the digital edition below.

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Extending its music programming to the Wednesday in 2025, early arrivers can head to Jubilee Square for local favourites, Goodbye. The five-piece are yet to release music, but the band’s live reputation is a growing one – all aided by Megan Wheeler’s impressive-yet-haunting vocals.  Venturing towards more familiar names, Strap Originals take over the beach site on day one – boasting the likes of Peter Doherty, who runs the label, alongside party favourites Warmduscher and our favourite dutch punks, Real Farmer. 

Thursday is a special one for us as we proudly take over Charles Street Tap for the So Young stage. Our lineup this year includes Green Star, Mên An Tol, Westside Cowboy, Rabbitfoot and Man/Woman/Chainsaw. Assuming your attendance, and ahead of the evening’s fun, there’s a full programme of day shows at your disposal. On our list are Glasgow’s Water Machine who take an early afternoon slot at Horatio’s. Recently signed to FatCat Records, you can expect angular post-punk riffs paired with bright melodies fit for the sea side. Embracing the Great Escape dash, Naarm/Melbourne’s Folk Bitch Trio will play Komedia’s basement. Sure to be a crowded one, the band’s impressive three part folk harmonies are enough to make sure we wrestle to the front. Filling our afternoon before we make our move to Charles Street Tap will be performances from Sex Mask, Armlock and buzzy Irish newcomers, Florence Road.

We always relish the opportunity to host a stage at The Great Escape, and it’s with great pleasure that we get to present a lineup of incredible talent once again at Charles Street Tap. With every band on the bill having played our We Are So Young clubnight in London at some stage, it feels particularly special to be helping spread the word even further with these bands. Opening the stage are London’s Green Star. Following the release of their debut EP, the band draw in the evening with shoegaze infused swirls of alternative rock. Five-piece English folk-rock band, Mên An Tol are next up. ‘NW1’ is a track worthy of any debut EP, or album for that matter, and we can’t wait to hear it performed live again. Manchester is home to Westside Cowboy, a band of which the industry has gone wild for in recent months (rightfully so). They head to the seaside with their country-come-indie songs, a genre they’re calling Britainicana, and we expect the room to be a squeeze. Somewhere between the theatrics of The Last Dinner Party and the multi-instrument onslaught of Black Country, New Road, lie RABBITFOOT. A group with no music out yet but a growing presence, RABBITFOOT set us up for our finale. And to headline our Thursday night showcase, Man/Woman/Chainsaw return to The Great Escape. Following new double single ‘Adam & Steve / MadDog’ and a recently sold out show at London’s Scala, the six-piece are a full throttle rock band with smiles on their faces – a show not to miss. IF you are considering not being at Charles Street Tap on Thursday evening, we’d (reluctantly) point you to shows from The Orchestra (For Now), TTSSFU, The Klittens and Pem.  

Friday has to begin with the noise-rock of Makeshift Art Bar. The Belfast trio have been generating plenty of excitement – fans of Gilla Band should be sure to head to the Queens Hotel, or their show later at Players. RIP Magic have to be one of the hottest names on the lineup this year. A group whose release output (none) is heavily outweighed by the chatter around them. The live show boasts a wholly experimental project – from electronic beats to lofi indie rock, all glued with a vocal intensity and intent that a band beyond their years would be proud of. The New Eves are the festival’s local band making an international impact. Now a couple of years into impressing growing crowds with unmistakable performances, The New Eves, now signed to Transgressive, fuse folk-rock with a punk tongue. A show to catch at Chalk. Silver Gore is the exciting new project from Ava Gore and Ethan P. Flynn. Some may remember a debut release via Ethan’s Crude Oil label a year or so ago, but with that now removed we can only assume big things are happening. Pop lined alt-rock which has shared stages with Geordie Greep and Martha Skye Murphy, need we say more? That show is at Green Door Store. Manchester four-piece Maruja will be reaching for the title of most intense act at the festival. Blending noise-rock, jazz and post-punk, the live show is one of the most impressive and raucous out there. With new music on the horizon, now is the time to catch the band in full flight. They’ll play Players on Friday night. Notable mentions for Friday include Vienna’s Gardens, Getdown Services, Witch Post and English Teacher. 

Saturday will see The Great Escape merge with the city’s tourist traffic. The ultimate blend of alternative culture and stag-do/Hen-do cliches. It’s a sight, and the hours beyond midnight only become more interesting. Those looking to escape the bustle of the streets pronto can jump into a show from London’s Ugly. The band return to the festival with a new single out in the world and some of the most fantastic harmonies in the world of art rock. Head to the pier for a performance at Horatios if you can. Shoegaze washed alt-rock hasn’t exactly been hard to come by in recent times, but a band who lead that sound with quality are Hank. The London four-piece will play the hits from their debut EP at Horatios too. Admittedly, Iceland hasn’t been a first thought for handsome, smokey rock and roll. Reykjavik’s Spacestation however have become a recent favourite. Melodic indie rock with bold riffs and chugging bass lines makes for a sound where a rule is rarely broken, but nor should it be. Catch them at Revenge. If you’re still looking to fill gaps in your Saturday schedule, look no further than Eterna, Wing!, Martial Arts and The Molotovs. 

The Great Escape is a date marked firmly on the calendar for us at So Young and the abundance of incredible new bands proves why. We will see you at the seaside.

So Young is a new music magazine and our new issue is out now. Buy in print here. Subscribe here.
Issue Fifty-Five features Model/Actriz, YHWH Nailgun, The Orchestra (For Now), Westside Cowboy, Car Seat Headrest, Real Farmer, School Fair, Elias Rønnenfelt, feeble little horse, Kissing On Camera, Pooneh Ghana and Rhi Dancey.

Read the digital edition below.

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Starting as we mean to go on, The Elephants Head was packed out for our first takeover of the Camden pub. Following the recent announcement that they’ll support Fontaines D.C. at Finsbury Park, Cork’s Cardinals were in town and joined by London’s Mên An Tol, who have recently released their excellent debut EP.

With the lineup only announced on the day of the show, there’s a chance you missed this one. For you, and for those who wish to live it all over again, here’s So Young at The Elephants Head #1 in photos. All photos by Jeanie Jean.

Mên An Tol

Cardinals

Thanks for coming!

So Young Issue Fifty-Five is out now. Order your copy here.

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Issue Fifty-Five arrives in the world as festival lineups begin to complete and sporadic sunshine begins to tease. The cover feature of this issue travels to New York and into the world of Model/Actriz where the band welcomea brighter era with upcoming second album, ‘Pirouette’. Our conversation spans the political impact that’s possible within your immediate community, the art of trying less and steering the live show away from aggression and toward collective joy.

Staying in New York, but with strong UK foundations, YHWH Nailgun take our call for the second time (find Issue Forty-Six for the first one) to discuss their debut album ‘45 Pounds’. Released via AD93 and adopted by the ‘6Music Dad’, the NYC four-piece chat to us about the London enthusiasm and more.

Westside Cowboy are Manchester’s hottest new prospect. Off the back of performing at a very packed We Are So Young night, we reached out to dig into their brand of ‘Britainicana’. Continuing the theme of hot prospects, London-via-Dublin’s Kissing On Camera and Groningen’s Real Farmer are also interviewed inside.

Now back home in Seattle, Car Seat Headrest’s Will Toledo is preparing to add to an already vast and impressive catalogue of records. ‘The Scholars’ is due for release in May and in the midst of preparing Patreon content, Will kindly took our call to chat about it.

For a project which could be described as a second thought for its members, New Zealand’s School Fair have quietly built a loyal following in the UK, a followingthat was glad to see new album ‘bird the kid’ released in January. After a short stint of shows in the UK and now back home, De Stevens agreed to an interview on it all.

We also speak with Austin based music photographer Pooneh Ghana after a successful SXSW and designer, Rhi Dancey talks us through the ethos of their brand, collective and agency.

To finish us off and returning to our printed pages are Elias Rønnenfelt, this time to chat on his solo work away from Iceage, London’s The Orchestra (For Now) who have released their debut EP since our last chat, and feeble little horse who called it a day, got back together and released a new single since our chat in Issue Forty-Three.

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The specialist charity for children caught in conflict, War Child UK includes iconic talents creating new records for Secret 7” 2025

The Cure, Frank Turner, Gregory Porter, Jessie Ware, Keane, Scissor Sisters, and Sophie Ellis-Bextor have all offered a track each for the creation of 700 unique record sleeves for the return of the legendary charity auction Secret 7” in aid of War ChildUK, the specialist charity for children caught in conflict. Thousands of artists have submitted artworks, with 700 unique, one-off record sleeve designs selected for the anonymous auction, which opens at NOW Gallery, Greenwich Peninsula from 11 April –1 June in a free public art exhibition. The records will be available for auction until 1 June 2025. Details on how to bid can be found at secret-7.co.uk. Each record has a unique sleeve design inspired by the tracks put forward by this year’s musicians. Artists creating designs include fashion designer Sir Paul Smith, Turner Prize-winning sculptor Antony Gormley OBE RA, the artist behind every Radiohead album cover Stanley Donwood, interdisciplinary artist Rana Begum, Haroon Mirza, Anthony Burrill, Yooyun Yang, The Cure frontman Robert Smith, BBC Radio 1 Rock Showhost Daniel P Carter, Andrew Pierre Hart, Future Awards Africa-winner Ken Nwadiogbu, Vicken Parsons and Giles Deacon among many others.

Below are some of our favourite entries from the exhibition…

Auction

So Young is a new music magazine and our new issue is out now. Buy in print here. Subscribe here. Read the digital edition below.

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We at So Young were thrilled to hear from the team at the Barbican to collaborate on the Young Barbican Takeover Festival. Taking place on Sunday March 2nd, we took over the Freestage in the foyer of the iconic centre and welcomed five artists at varying stages of their young careers to perform. With the sun beaming outside, Folly Group, Man/Woman/Chainsaw, Pem, Most Things and Restless Taxis joined us inside for an incredible day of music.

Capturing everything for us was photographer Kalisha Quinlan. This is the So Young Freestage at The Young Barbican Takeover Festival in photos.

Restless Taxis

Most Things

Pem

Man/Woman/Chainsaw

Folly Group

Thanks to everyone who came down. Our next live event in London is We Are So Young 35. Free tickets here.

So Young is a new music magazine and our new issue is out now. Buy in print here. Subscribe here. Read the digital edition below.

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