In Conversation: PICNIC
As we eagerly await the return of the city’s music venues, we caught up with a few of the region’s rising stars to see how they’ve managed to keep the tunes coming and the music playing.
This week, we caught up with beloved pop group, PICNIC, Sunderland.
How has growing up in the area influenced your music?
“I think the bands that were around just as we formed PICNIC may have influenced us – our aim was to be their polar opposite!
I was a bit late to the Field Music party, but I am a huge fan now; I do think Sunderland has always birthed unique artists that have something to say”.
Has lockdown helped your creativity?
“It’s forced us to adapt, and creativity has definitely spawned from that. Personally, it’s also given me a nice spell of writing as I’ve had more time on my own”.
Any favourite live stream performances?
“I’ve watched a few from Independent Sunderland and they’ve all been great! Mt. Misery, Faye Fantarrow, Elizabeth Liddle and many more – all class.
I also watched a livestream DJ Set of Whitney Houston tunes too, that was probably the highlight of 2020 for me”.
How important have sunderland’s music venues been for your journey?
“They have been essential – there wouldn’t be any journey at all without them.
Pop Recs were kind enough to give us our first ever gig in 2016 without even hearing a song, which we are incredibly grateful for to this day.
Considering the lack of funding and everything they have to withstand at the minute, I think anyone still running a music venue in Sunderland deserves the world”.
My most memorable gig in the city was…
“Definitely playing the Sunderland Empire with Dave Stewart.
It was a surreal experience from start to finish and something that we’ll never forget.
Playing for royalty was pretty memorable too, but more the fact that it was such a strange scenario that will probably never happen again”.
Shoutout to another artist making big noise in the city…
Noyou are somehow slipping under the radar. Go listen to Noyou right now, they’re one of best indie pop-rock bands in the North East right now.
Faye Fantarrow, Lottie Willis, Roxy Girls, Elizabeth Liddle, Silver Club and Post Rome are great too – they’re all totally different but equally as mint!
Sunderland is producing some amazing young artists at the minute, the majority of which you can see regularly at Independent Sunderland for just £5 a ticket.
Favourite Sunderland venue…
It may not be a venue as such, but also make sure you support The Bunker; it’s a Sunderland institution that I think people take for granted.
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