Jarred Up Fest ‘25: An interview with Cruush
Continuing our week of articles covering our 2025 iteration of the Jarred Up Festival, Josie Reaney interviewed Cruush, who graced our Jingle Jangle Jungle stage. Josie’s review of the whole day will be published tomorrow.
I caught up with the Manchester four-piece Cruush following their set at the Jarred Up Festival. The set had been a dreamy shoegaze immersion, with their effortlessly cool style and nostalgic flare. Front-woman Amber prowled about the stage with confidence and let out a cathartic scream on the floor amongst the audience.
Photo: Ollie Franklin
The chill in the room saw members rubbing their hands together and pulling down sleeves of hole-y jumpers in attempt to warm up, a reality of gigging at Sidney&Matilda. As we huddled outside afterwards, the band laughingly described the set as “fun but chilly!”
Since forming at University in Manchester, they’ve become known for pairing distortion-heavy guitars with emotive lyricism, curating a sound that feels both intimate and sweeping. I asked how they’d built up to this point; “It was gradual and natural. We wrote throughout the pandemic and started gigging again in 2020- our sound has been getting stronger from there”.
Fronted by Amber Warren, the band has said their music balances “the sweet elements of having a crush … with the screeching of an industrial car crusher.” Joining her are Arthur Boyd (guitar), Fotis Kalantzis (drums), and Charlie Marriott (bass).
Photo: Ollie Franklin
In the bustle of the interview, we were interrupted by the compliments of passers-by who’d seen the set. It seems the bands reach is growing alongside their output as they released their second EP, Nice Things Now, All The Time, in April of last year, showcasing a matured sound.
When asking about the writing process, it was Amber I targeted, following an assumption that only she could write what she sings with such catharsis: “The writing process is collaborative and really based on logic. We write a song that’s been built logically and go up from there. We’ve been spending more time writing together in practice. It also comes from snippets of ideas that grow over time.” Warren’s mid-set scream couldn’t go unmentioned - as I gushed over just how cleansing that must have felt for her. The band laughingly assured me that “screaming participation is highly encouraged”.
Their new single, ‘Rupert Giles’, points to a new creative chapter: the track was born out of a writing retreat in Wales and feels purposeful and tighter than their earlier work. The song’s video seems to be a nostalgic nod to ’90s MTV aesthetics.
It’s not obvious what inspirations tie Cruush together. Musing on their creative links the band commented “each of our individual creative roots are what we inevitably stick with but we have built a more cohesive sound over the recent years that’s formed around that. It’s all of those individual inspirations that mix into the cauldron that makes our music.” The pot is certainly bubbling for Cruush, with a double A side single freshly released, just in time for a headline tour in February and March 2026.
Photo: Ollie Franklin
When discussing the most complex of questions ‘Where do you see yourself in a years time?’ the band laughingly answered: “Sidney&Matida! But maybe playing an hour later next time. Oh- and we’ll wear our sunnies indoors next year. We’ve made it then.”
Somehow, I can’t see Cruush as the kind of band to weaponize sunglasses indoors, at least not without irony. I can see them however, breezing their way to the top of setlists and playlists- particularly if their strength of musical direction is anything to go by.
We went on to discuss everything, from the bands one shared love- The Rugrats, to the death of Kiss guitarist Ace Frehey and the worries of AI for creatives (I can confirm, Cruush do not use Chat GPT to write their tunes).
Amongst their light-heartedness, Cruush are diligent and passionate. They are rightfully cementing themselves as one of Manchester’s most compelling up-and-coming bands. Be sure to catch them on tour in 2026.
Words: Josie Reaney
Photos: Ollie Franklin
