On 5th to 7th June, the 4th Soundle music festival will be taking place in Oundle at The Queen Victoria Hall. Across 3 days diverse "rock" groups, a solo artist and a choir. Add in folk trios and electronic dance pop over the years, it's a varied event.
This is the 4th Soundle in 5 years. The second year was quiet to take stock and to build towards a bigger venue, The Key Theatre in a bigger place, Peterborough, in partnership with Progzilla Radio. After that 3rd year, partly because of building work at the Key and partly because we were homesick we came back to Oundle last year.
Soundle grew out of VicsGigs. VicsGigs grew out of Bob Cheatham wondering on a local social media page if anyone else was interested in promoting music in Oundle in 2019. Anth Hodson-Curran responded and over a beer in The Ship they shared their tastes on musics, agreed artists they'd like to put on. But where? Anth looked across the road and saw The Queen Victoria Hall. How about there? If we put on gigs in The Vic, let's call ourselves VicsGigs (groan.)
Soundle has a similarly cheesy root: Sounds in Oundle, coined on a walk by the Nene when Bob wanted to try something bigger, after navigating lockdown, several successful gigs and smaller sessions at The Talbot Hotel in partnership with local musician and promotor Stevie Jones.
Soundle tries to support artists in building an audience. Solstice played on the first and second bills. Although missing out this year, they'll be at the Victoria Hall soon for their own gig. Last years's headliner Ebony Buckle has a similar longstanding relationship and also has a 4th solo VicsGig soon.
Stuckfish who headline this year were also with us first time around and played A Taste of Soundle last December. Spriggan Mist and Northamptonshire's own That Joe Payne are also returning.