WESTIVAL 2025
A BUMPER EVENING OF LIVE MUSIC | ACTIVITIES | FOOD & DRINK
Join us to help celebrate the Westy's 50th Birthday! It wouldn't be complete without your favourite outdoors is indoors festival!
Feel the actual grass beneath your feet at the gallery stage, sit on haybales in our studio space, enjoy great music across two stages alongside fabulous food and drink - what's not to love?
Throughout the evening:
Food from Chaat Express | Full bar including a Westival Special Brew
101 Records Stand | Gallery Exhibition | Llama Sweet Stand
+ Photographic exhibition spanning 25 years of indie gigs held at the West End Centre and includes some famous faces! Curated by Pete Cole
SATURDAY EVENING | 5pm - Late
LIVE MUSIC
POLAR | GAZ BROOKFIELD | CHINA BEARS
Giant Walker | Leoni Jane Kennedy | Dean Parker | Lugnut
J Lee and the Hoodoo Skulls | Could Be Ghosts | Laura Loh | Brioche
POLAR - Metal
Since 2009 Polar have created a relentless, chaotic, and raw sound which is matched with a notoriously energetic live show. For the last 15 years Polar have given everything to build a strong reputation and becoming a force to be reckoned with. In 2023 Polar went through a major line-up change leaving founding member Adam Woodford (singer) to carry the torch as the relationship between past members dissolved. Determined to take a negative situation and turn it into a positive, Adam Woodford rebuilt Polar bringing on board Stefan Whiting (Bass), Bruno Consani (Guitar), Simon Richardson (Guitar) and Max Flohr (Drums) with the focus to give Polar a whole new lease of life. With a fresh new perspective and positivity, the newly formed Polar have played main stage at Resurrection Festival, completed European and UK tours and have written and record Polar’s 6th studio album with producer Jack Murphy (Crystal Sound Studios) ‘Five Arrows’ which goes deep into the subject of the destructive power of change, which Polar regard as their strongest work to date. With Polar finding a new positivity and determination, the band truly feels unstoppable and continue to grow from strength to strength. Polar are stronger than they have ever been and nothing will get in their way. The band recently released new album ‘Five Arrows’ on Arising Empire Records. Over the cycle the band had support from BBC Radio 1, Metal Hammer, Kerrang, Consequence, Revolver, Knotfest, Lambgoat, Impericon, Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Tidal, Pandora, Distorted Sound Magazine and many other publications.
Gaz Brookfield - Singer/Songwriter
West country based Gaz Brookfield is predominantly a solo musician. Although, on occasion you will find him on stage with his band, The Company of Thieves.
Since winning Acoustic Magazine's singer/songwriter of the year back in 2010 he has spent his time on the road, building a strong and loyal following all over the UK and beyond.
He was the first independent musician to sell out Bristol's, The Fleece, (450 cap), and The Bierkeller, (750 cap), and SWX, (1000 cap).
Gaz has an impressive back catalogue of nine studio albums. The latest of which, Morning Walking Club, went straight in at #1 in the Official UK Folk Album Charts, #3 in the Official UK Indie Breaker Charts, #6 in the Official UK Download Charts, #10 in the Official UK Indie Album Charts, and even #37 in the Official UK Album Sales Charts.
Not a bad result for this fiercely independent musician, with no record label, no manager, and no agent - just a guitar, a van, and a steadfastly belligerent refusal to give in
China Bears - Indie
Originally formed in Somerset by twin brothers Ivan and Frazer (lead guitar), the China Bears line up was completed after meeting James (bass) and Dean (drums) at university in Guildford.
If melodic diligence counts for anything, China Bears are masters of their arty leftfield craft. Through a series of terrific tours and exquisitely-balanced EP releases 'I've Never Met Anyone Like You', 'Statue Still' and 'All That Distance', they have displayed an innate ability to blend the alt.rock rush with the acoustic hush.
Rousing and romantic, debut album ‘Participation Trophy’ (set to release on 12th July 2024 vis Fierce Panda Records) feels cinematic in its grandeur, whilst also feeling incredibly personal in its storytelling. It was recorded in the autumnal sunshine of Leith with Rod Jones from Idlewild at the production controls. From the driving ‘I Will Break My Own Heart’, the twinkling ‘Beck and Call’, the electric force of ‘Total Communication Breakdown’ to the blossoming ‘Gracie’, there is a song to accompany everyone’s own life soundtrack.
Whether it’s ripping apart the stage with their misery-anthemic indie or captivating the room to pin drop silence singing their songs shoulder to shoulder in the middle of the crowd, China Bears have gained recognition for their emotive high energy and intimate performances which have drawn knowing comparisons to The National, Death Cab For Cutie and Frightened Rabbit.
"One of the most prolific sets of songwriters in the country" - Steve Lamacq, BBC 6
“could they do a snow patrol and go mega? It’s very possible you know” John Kennedy, Radio X
"The group sounds fully in command of a big, vibrant sound that calls on its influences — just about any anthemic indie-rock band of this century — while still sounding distinct." - NPR
“Their sound unfurls as a package of unfaltering songwriting with whispers of The National and Dry The River...Brimming with astute and sophisticated songwriting and enhanced by racing riffs and compelling percussion, it toes the line between thought-provoking and euphoric." - Gigwise
Giant Walker - Heavy Prog Rock
Giant Walker are a Heavy Progressive Rock band from Newcastle, UK, consisting of Steff, Jamie, Jordan and Alex.
After individually relocating 300 miles to further develop their craft, the Geordie quartet was coincidentally born in the South, bound together by their northern heritage and a shared love for bands such as Karnivool, Soundgarden, Radiohead and Deftones.
Their music captures the many lows of loneliness and tips a hat to the music that gets you through hard times; sweeping you up in a conceptual journey, from giant riffs to melancholic melodies, and ambient soundscapes.
Their debut album was released in May 2022 and picked up a two-page spread as Metal Hammer's ‘New Noise’, along with a multitude of reviews and features in a variety of respected publications and platforms, including the Daily Express, Sunday Sport, Prog Magazine, Planet Rock, BBC, Rolling Stone, and others. Following their album launch, Giant Walker sold out multiple dates on their first UK headline tour, shortly followed by further runs - co-headlining with Hawxx, and supporting both Boss Keloid and Black Orchid Empire on their album launch tours. In celebration of the 1 year anniversary of 'All in Good Time', Giant Walker released a live album and performance video, 'Live at Anarchy'.
Succeeding a run of successful singles and a standout performance at Radar Festival, Giant Walker released their sophomore album, 'Silhouettes' on the 20th September 2024 on Church Road Records. The album received high praise from various outlets including Kerrang ("An absolute result from a band still in the early stages of their ascendancy"), Prog Magazine, Metal Hammer, Ever Metal, Distorted Sound & many more, as well as gaining heavy rotation on BBC Radio 1 (Future Artists, Daniel P Carter Rock Show & Alyx Holycombe). Having been announced for 2025's prestigious Arctangent Festival, Giant Walker's emergence shows no signs of slowing.
INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | FACEBOOK
Leoni Jane Kennedy - Prog
Multi-award winning musician + songwriter
Freddie Mercury Scholarship winner / @prsguitars Official Artist / Guitarist for @theanchoressofficial 🎸
INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | FACEBOOK
Dean Parker
Dean Parker is a guitar player, singer, songwriter and producer who has found his own mercurial voice as the alt-rock raconteur. Born and raised in North-East England, he’s been beneficially brainwashed by the likes of Jason Isbell, Jeff Buckley and Jackson Browne while making sure to come into the fold with his own sensibility and stubbornness. 2022 saw not only the start of his solo career and release of his debut EP, This All Tastes Like Yesterday, but also a myriad of performances including a US tour that saw him reach Austin, TX, Memphis, TN, and everywhere in between.
Lugnut - Indie
criminal moves, cosmic grooves
Could Be Ghosts - Post Hardcore
Brighton post-hardcore band
INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | FACEBOOK
Laura Loh - Singer/Songwriter
UK singer/songwriter Laura Loh is here to share, telling her story in the hope that you’ll be inspired to share yours too.
She writes her gentle pop tunes with an affecting vulnerability, speaking from personal experience about a range of topics, including mental health and resilience.
Half English and half Chinese, Laura has a brilliant, classically trained voice, and finds her inspiration everywhere, from Bon Iver to Dido and beyond.
The multi-instrumentalist and producer blends alt-pop, alternative folk and classical elements to create her own soft pop sound.
J Lee and the Hoodoo Skulls
J Lee and The Hoodoo Skulls were formed when lead singer J Lee Barratt had a yearning to make a traditional rock n’ roll / blues album. J Lee has been around roots music all his life and it’s this foundation that led to his love of roots and blues music.
Brioche - Punk
Brother sister 2 piece punk band!
Date: 19th July 2025
Time: 5pm - Late
Tickets: £20 Adv | £18 Concessions | £10 Young Persons (14-25)
Lineup could be subject to change
