This October, get ready for five days of gigs, afterparties and late-night jams as Wild Paths Festival returns to Norwich. Globally-renowned artists will perform alongside the best and brightest local talent, spanning genres from indie, folk, neo-soul and jazz to psych, post-punk and disco.
NiNE8 Collective Gig at Wild Paths ’21. Photo Andrew Gooding.
With 150 artists, bands and DJs appearing across fifteen eclectic venues that include medieval churches, a cinema, dive bars and record stores, a hidden street, a micro-brewery, a secret cocktail den and a skate park, there’s a lot to choose from.
Festival Director, Ben Street, has given us the inside track on what to look out for…
“There’s a lot going at Wild Paths October! BODUR is screening her amazing full album visual ‘MAQAM’ accompanied by a live band in the cinema! Make sure you book a ticket for that spotlight show at Cinema City on Friday 17th Oct.
Shooting Daggers will play at a Skate Park inside a church. Photo Martyna Bannister.
We’ve partnered with our friends at The Shoebox Experiences to present a couple of very special, intimate acoustic sessions in an underground Hidden Street in the shadow of Norwich Castle. Think soft low-lighting, eerie prison cells, ancient brick structures and forgotten tunnels – with emotive, stripped-back performances by some of our favourite rising stars Zamani Fitri and i.am.afiya.
If you’ve attended Wild Paths before you’ll know all about our late-night jazz jams in a medieval church! Head to St Laurence at the top of St Benedict’s Street to catch our very own Voodoos Jazz Club band and a host of special guests playing deep into the night on Friday and make sure you’re back there Saturday night when we invite are all female + non-binary hosts Peng Femme Jam up from London to curate an amazing night of improv, free jazz, soul, disco and dancing!
Norwich dive bar Voodoo Daddy’s is one of the 15 venues. Photo Steven Spicer.
For those who like their music on the heavier side, we’ve gone and turned the dial up to 11 and invited a selection of heavier bands to play in-the-round at a skatepark in a church! Local heroes Other Half are joined by the queercore, savage punk sounds of Shooting Daggers and innovative Bristol band Knives at St Peter’s on King Street.
I’m particularly excited to have the beautiful Octagon Chapel involved this year to showcase some of the best soulful, jazzy, folky and alt-indie artists. from the smooth soulful jazz-tinged sounds of South Londoner BINA. to Brown Horse, Norwich’s own guitar-driven 90s alt-rock band, channeling the folk and country sounds of the 70s. You’d also better make sure you catch Olive Jones here, a London-based singer, songwriter, Olive draws on soul, blues and alt-folk to produce her sumptuous melody driven music.
Olive Jones will perform at the beautiful Octagon Chapel.
If you’re after the next wave of neo-soul and future RnB make sure to catch prolific London producer Mom Tudie with his band – headlining upstairs at St Andrew’s Brewhouse on the Friday. Recent collaborator Len Blake will also be playing on the Friday at Octagon Chapel – the rich soul-infused sound of this 20 year-old New Zealand native should not be missed!
O. are a truly unique live experience, defying convention and managing to expertly tread the line between the urgent energy of experimental rock and jazz improvisation. Head to everyone’s favourite pizza joint and dive bar venue, Voodoo Daddys on Friday night to catch them.
Finally, for all you alt-indie heads make sure to catch Picture Parlour with their cinematic, electrifying rock n roll and Adult DVD delivering chorus centric indie infused with acid-house floor fillers.
Getdown Services are one of Festival Director Ben Street’s top picks. Photo Sion Waters.
It’s hard to pick out one artist or event from such a jam-packed line-up but I’d definitely recommend catching Getdown Services on Thursday at St Laurence Church and JGrrey on Saturday at the same venue. Both acts have received a lot of critical acclaim with the former topping Rolling Stone’s ‘Best Acts of Great Escape’ list!
There’s over 150 so you’re bound to catch something magical and find your new favourite act!”
