People from Liverpool have been told to “drag themselves out of bed” to be there
The Sway playing at Grand Central Hall as part of Sound City 2024(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Scousers are predicted to be drawn towards one tent in particular at Glastonbury this year. Headliners at this year’s festival include The 1975, Olivia Rodrigo and Neil Young.
Other acts to feature on the line-up this year include Charli XCX, Grammy-winner Doechii, Rod Stewart and The Prodigy. The sold-out event at Worthy Farm in Somerset will take place from June 25 until June 29 and it’s likely that there will be a very healthy turnout of Scousers among the 210,000 capacity crowd.
Last year, the ECHO spoke to many people from Merseyside who were boarding the early coaches from the Liverpool ONE coach station about why they keep going back to Glastonbury.
This time around, it seems likely that the Bread and Roses tent will be a popular destination for Scousers. Earlier this week it was announced that The Cheap Thrills, a band from Walton Vale, will play there at 5pm on Thursday June 25.
A few days later on Saturday morning, The Sway, another Scouse band, will take to the same stage. It’s a huge moment for the group, who have started headlining their own shows after being the support acts the likes of Jamie Webster and Red Rum Club.
Speaking to the ECHO about what Bread and Roses stage will be like during the festival, bass player Sean Knibb, 29, from Anfield, said: “It’ll be a Scouse takeover if you like. We’ll be there to support The Cheap Thrills and they’ll be there to support us.
“We are two local bands who haven’t got big management behind them and are getting the chance to perform in front of a big crowd.
The Sway, with Sean Knibb (back middle) alongside Ryan McNee, Aidan McLean, Ciaran Smith and Harry Robertson(Image: The Sway)
“I hope that half of the city will be there but they will need to drag themselves out of bed! We don’t have a lot of competition at that time but it is at 11am and people might have been partying hard the night before.”
The Sway have become known for their indie hits such as The Dreamer and Changing. Sean, along with the other band members Ryan McNee, Aidan McLean, Ciaran Smith and Harry Robertson, started playing together at a community centre in Anfield when they were still in school.
However, the journey to Glastonbury hasn’t been entirely straightforward for the band’s members, who have full-time jobs alongside their music.
Sean said: “The last few years have had its ups and downs. We’ve headlined the 02 Academy. To go from seven or eight of us starting in school to headlining an event in our own city was amazing.
“Being an independent band is hard. We thought we’d pick up some interest from big labels but heard nothing, so we’ve been quietly working in the background, getting some recordings done.”
The Sway have played at Glastonbury before as a walk-on, where you go down to the festival in the hope of being given a slot to play somewhere on the site. This will be the first time they’ve had their own pre-arranged slot though and it came with the blessing of Michael Eavis, the founder of Glastonbury.
Sean said: “The reason we got on to Glastonbury is because we applied to play at the Pilton Party. They put it on as a thank you to the surrounding areas after the festival.
“We went to a talent competition and had to go in front of a panel of judges to get a slot. It was one of our best days as a band.
“We played with The Libertines and Pete Doherty. We had to play a 20 minute set of five songs. The host came up to us afterwards and said, boys don’t move, this doesn’t happen very often but Michael wants you to do that first song again, he really liked it.
“We didn’t hear anything for a while. I was emailing and texting people involved going, any chance? Then we got a call through on the last bank holiday. There were lots of celebrations and parties.
The Sway are planning to take their music in a new direction(Image: Liverpool Echo)
“It’s an honour to play. We’ve played there before with walk-on ones. To actually be on the on the bill with your band’s name is incredible really.”
When asked what made The Sway stand out in a competitive field at the show, Sean said: “We were up against some really talented people.
“When we first started, we weren’t necessarily the most talented but we’ve cracked on. We picked some songs that were really strong. I just think it was just the raw music that helped us.”
Sean issued a special thanks to Jamie Webster for helping them every step of the way. He said: “We supported him when he was playing in front of 40 people. Then he invited us and The Snuts to play at the arena and Sefton Park.
“We’ve built our profile thanks to that. We’ve played in most major UK cities thanks to going on tour with him.”
Interest in the band however has reached its peak following the Glastonbury announcement, which has come at a time when they are planning a change in direction.
Sean said: “Traffic on social media has been through the roof. People who you lost touch with at school are messaging you.
“We’ve got a new single coming out tomorrow called In Season. We’re moving into a new phase, with a more funkier style. We’re branching out – we’re not just an indie band.
“It all started at a community centre on Breck Road and we have been carrying on ever since.”
If you’re going to Glastonbury, you can see The Sway live at the Bread and Roses tent at 11am on Saturday June 28. You can find out more about the band here.