First acts confirmed!

THE JUST JOANS (Scotland)



Someone on Last Fm wrote that this bunch are "the twee Arab Strap". It's perhaps not the most accurate thing I've ever read, but it does say something, I guess. This band was my biggest crush in 2009, not just music-wise. I travelled to Nottingham mostly to see them play, and to try to talk them into coming to Sweden. Um, at least it was what made me actually press that "purchase ticket" button. Absolutely remarkable songs about despair, joy, life in Motherwell and... heartache. This will probably be the band's first ever trip outside of the UK, too. (Oh, and if you'd like to set up a gig nearby, just get in touch!)




STELLA ROCKET



I saw this band by chance in November. And I completely missed the whole hype that surrounded the band around 2004 when they released their debut album. Missing out on stuff is good sometimes. And there are definitely good things happening randomly - I fell in love with the band that night, and if someone asked me, I'd describe them as a blend of Scarlet's Well and Heikki or perhaps Rough Bunnies. Stella Rocket are also an incredible live act, incredible enough for me to fall for them from the very first chords of the gig.