Jarred Up Fest ‘25: Josie’s Jingle Jangle Jungle Judgement
The last of our Jarred Up Fest ‘25 articles! I know, how sad. Alas, this is a good one. This year saw the debut of our fantastic new stage, the Jingle Jangle Jungle stage. Josie Reaney was there to witness the Jingle Jangle goodness. This is what she thought. (P.S. there’s a little suprise waiting at the bottom for all of you who miss the festival ever so much!)
Late October always seems to cast a kind of gloom in the air. An autumnal promise that the worse of the cold and the damp are yet to come. Post hibernal therapy comes in its many forms- hot chocolates and new knitwear. Binge watching and country strolls. But perhaps the most effective remedy I’ve found must be live music, dancing and rambling on to friends over fizzy pints on sticky floors. Queue the Jarred Up Festival ‘25: the cure for anyone’s pre winter blues, in an autumnal Sheffield.
The music vibrated from a street away, as I walked towards Sidney&Matilda, anticipating the sets ahead. I was placed to cover the Jingle Jangle Jungle Stage (whoever named it deserves a knighthood), where The Pearl River Band took no hesitation in opening the stage with confidence. The Perth (Australia)/ Sheffield six piece charmed with a Fleetwood Mac-esque magic, commanding the room with groove. When the band later revealed that this was their first live set ever, I nearly fell over with shock. Their 70’s psychedelia and bluesy rock made me picture them touring the States in an airstream with bouncy haircuts and joints in hand. Self-described as “Sweet and Psych-y” rock, their sound rang across the room like a welcome hit of California, and their skill and aesthetic seemed as tight as a band who’d been playing together for years.
The Pearl River Band (Photo: Ollie Franklin)
The next band to grace the stage were Cruush, Manchester-based four piece, oozing with shoegaze nostalgia. The energy they brought to the stage seemed fit for the season, with holey jumpers and carefully curated anxiety. Frontwoman Amber let out the wail of a banshee as she paced through the audience, mic in hand. With a hint of Seattle grunge, and bucket loads of authenticity Cruush will no doubt be set towards far bigger venues in the future. A new ‘nu-gaze’ band who bring lashings of 90s angst, their moody style slotted perfectly in the setlist. ‘Sombre by the Weekend’ encapsulated Cruush’s sound perfectly, with the nonchalant riffs of nostalgia played with such effortless cool.
Cruush (Photo: Ollie Franklin)
Georgian smoothly followed Cruush’s set with a sound that was dreamier and sleepier. The room filled out as frontwoman Georgia McKiernan crooned her way through a set of songs, cathartically melancholic and charming. Evocative of Mazzy Star, it’s a soundtrack that sits perfectly with the rain against the window on a sullen evening and speaks to the melodramatic, romantic core that sits within us all. ‘Soleil’ was the song that rang true to the encroaching night, as McKeiran swayed in a sunflower print dress, singing a mournful ode to a disappearing sun.
Georgian (Photo: Ollie Franklin)
The darkness drew in and the bar began to buzz. The dreamy cloud of a shoegaze haze had passed, and the time for dancing had begun. Brighton-based jangle psych band Hutch, ushered in the fun as they played their bouncy set of surreal pop. Not ones to take themselves too seriously, the set was laden with inside jokes and smiley lyrical quips. The band have described themselves as being “suffused with whimsy and a desire to break free from the mundane”. Their set showed a popular appetite for that escapism, as people filled the room, and it wasn’t hard to see why- with an energy that brought such a warmth to the night and reminded us all of the fundamental human need to simply have a laugh!
Hutch (Photo: Ollie Franklin)
Through the day anticipation had been building to the stages final hurrah of the night- Floral Image. Not one to buy into hype, I decided to keep my impressions separate from the whisperings. Afterall, herd mentality can come far too easily huddled in the Sidney smoking area as pints are passed around. So, as with the bands before, I went into the set with zero expectation. Self-described as “East Coast Psychedelia from Norwich”, the sarcasm of floral image was all part of the package. Much like Hutch the set was tight, but not without a smile. The room was at capacity, with people gathering up to the back steps just to catch a glimpse of the set. The band clearly put their all into making an impression, confident and unafraid to have fun. ‘Howling Dog Song’ was for me, the most memorable. Unabashed lyrical silliness standing hand in hand with some of the tightest musicianship I’d heard in a while. The irony of it all made me laugh into my red stripe and wonder whether they’d knowingly curated their paradox. Something tells me these pioneers of ‘East Coast Psychedelia’ know exactly what their doing, as they hone their craft in the flatlands, tongue firmly in cheek.
Floral Image (Photo: Ollie Franklin)
Five sets later, the night drew to its inevitable close. Dizzy from dance, chatter and the kind of warm lager that turns your stomach the next morning, I headed home buzzing. Jarred Up Festival was more than just the music, it was a community gathering, a circus of fantastic sets and the perfect remedy to the October blues. 70s Americana, jangle pop galore and shoe gaze cool made the festival an inspiring cocktail of nostalgia- but what struck me the most was the warmth of the people. Sidney&Matilda radiated beyond the amps vibrations and brought together a group of truly lovely people, full of passion and style, in the indisputably friendliest city in England. And for that, I say thankyou to Jarred Up, and wait patiently for their next festival.
Well, wait no longer! Tickets are now out for our ‘26 iteration of the festival. These are SUPER Early Bird tickets, so if you don’t want to give us that much money, get these ones whilst you can. There’s a limited number, so don’t wait around. Here you go. Don’t say we don’t do anything for you!
Words: Josie Reaney
Photos: Ollie Franklin
