That F***ing Tank, Downard, IEPI

Headliners TFT formed in 2003 for a one-off performance by friends-since-school Andy Abbott and James Islip who met over an owl in 1991.

Andy plays a specially tuned baritone guitar through guitar and bass amplifiers, James plays a minimal drum kit. Their novel name, energetic performances and extreme volume have had them perform all over Europe and the UK with brain-mangling regularity, sharing stages and tours with bands including Hella, Q and not U, Lungfish, Oxes, Unsane, Kid Commando, GI Joe.

IEPI: About a year ago, after trying to catch on with more or less success with other bands, this trio of self-educated musicians moved to the disconcerting as well as exciting world of progressive-organic-instrumental-superlative-superalternative-supermarket-noise. See iepi.bandcamp.com/ for more.

Downard: Atmospheric two-piece rock combo. Heavy distorto-riffs, math-slam drums and swirly voice confusion = we.