Snowed In Sunlun 2025
10/12/25
The Northern Academy of Music Education (NAME) put on the second edition of Snowed In on December 10th. It took place at Pop Recs, Sunderland, as another Snowed In event in Hartlepool was set for December 13th at the Vixen Bar. Both events would raise money for local charities: Sunderland Soup Kitchen and Hartlepool Community Groceries.
Students were able to avail of tickets at a discounted price. The night featured four bands: spaceadetbloom, Wool, Social Youth Cult and Yersin.
spacecadetbloom - 19:30
Noisy North East Alternative Shoegazers spacecadetbloom would be the first band of the night.
The gig starts off with shimmering guitar; reverb-laden vocals; galloping basslines. Frontwoman Scarlett stares into space(cadetbloom) as she sings. Guitarist Will chews gum as he plays. Strapped with a Fender Jaguar - the Shoegazer's signature weapon of choice - he's fit for the role. Bassist Harry, in his Offspring shirt, rarely looks up, or away, from his bass - he's focused. The opening track "Nearest Room" comes to a close.
"If you don't know who we are, we are spacecadetbloom."
A meatier sound is stepped into for their second track - a track which is yet to be named. Tones akin to glass shards - as far as my ears can tell - hover above the thicker sonics.
"Will's just destroying everything with his pedalboard" says Scarlett as ear-splitting tones break out of the speakers and Will plays around for a few with his bits of kit.
"This one's called 'Tower of God'".
More jangly - to start - and with rib-tickling bass, spacecadetbloom see their third song through.
"Are you happy, Will? No?" The pesky pedalboard proves a right hurdle.
"This next one is called "Playing Cards" and will be out on the 15th of January". Mark your calendars.
Drummer Matty's tongue breaches his lips from time to time - the unconscious quirks of deep concentration are pretty much impossible to hold back. Continuous waves of guitar wash over Pop Recs. The rhythms of Will's playing hand could simply be stated as 'unrelentingly smooth'. Bassist Harry plays every string as the song comes to a close - it gives this rippling effect.
scb keychain and sticker acquired.
"This song is out, and it is called 'Why Would I Lie?'". spacecadetbloom would release their debut single "Why Would I Lie?" in October. Why Would I Lie? Gan On review.
The band harbour a reclusive aesthetic on stage - reserved, yet quietly confident, as they should be. Mid-'Why Would I Lie?', Will's guitar cuts out, but he fixes it just in time for the track’s chorus - it pretty much works in the bands favour; you could call it serendipity. Setbacks are a certainty; how you respond is what shapes the outcome.
"Blame Cash Converters" says Scarlett, referring to the pedalboard/guitar pedals. Scarlett says "Thank you" through the closing noise of the band's last song "Bloom".
A more than solid start to Snowed In.
spacecadetbloom's setlist:
Nearest room
New one (still untitled)
Tower of God
Almost always
Playing cards
Why would I lie?
Bloom
Members of Wool make their way through the crowd, and get their bits set up on stage.
Wool - 20:15
Wool (great name) open with gritty noise to make way for their frontman, Noel, to make himself, and themselves, known. With Pop-Punk influence amidst something of an angst-riddled disposition, Wool see their first song "Burn" through.
"Hello. Thanks for coming out."
The crowd get a little closer to the stage. Drummer Ben's dual-coloured cowlick/fringe is in line with his hi-hats. Vocal-wise, Noel is reminiscent of Jeff Buckley, with a bite. Clear tones, courtesy of lead guitarist Lewis, soar above the thick smog that the band set making "Ache" a more atmospheric affair. The band build and release tension really well. A stop/start structure to their material is used to great effect. Energy-wise, the performance has been brought up.
Third track "Hangman" brings with it whoozing bass and Cowboy Western, Midwest Emo-esque, guitars. There's some American Football in this one. The bass quivers yr pantleg. Guitar tones which sound like they’re sucking themselves up and falling in reverse break through. Bassist Adam gives it welly - he loves a good swift jab at his bass. Ben, on drums, often plays under his own arm to reach his drumkit - unconventional. You can see the fury in frontman Noel - he visibly rattles as he sings.
photo credit: Kieran Whitfield @kw.visualss
"This one's a new one."
Wool, especially Lewis, make great use of guitar effects - it's intelligent playing. They all complement one another, as a band should. A quick change in guitars and the band is set to continue. There's a real twangy, prickly sound to most of their songs - a real stern sentimentality; rustic flowers. Noel gets on top of the bass amp and strikes a chord like Mike Tyson throws a left hook. He swings his soul into it.
"Thank you. This is our last song. This is called ‘Cold.’"
Adam is next to take part in the amp-jump antics. Noel leaves the stage before the last song comes to an end - a cool move. The band send feedback into the ears of gig-goers to leave a lasting mark on their Snowed In psyches.
Wool’s setlist:
Burn
Ache
Hangman
All Roads Lead to Nowhere
Always Mine
Fading
Cold
Social Youth Cult - 21:00
Snowed In would take a much darker turn as Social Youth Cult took to stage. The Newcastle based band released their Debut record The Lighthouse in early November; it was recorded at The Bunker in Sunderland.
Bassist Jack dons a House Proud shirt. He is also heavily reminiscent of the two Robert's - Robert Zimmerman and Robert Smith. Frontman Shaun, with thumb in pant pocket, eagerly awaits the start of the gig. Drummer Alex and guitarist Holly are set.
Joy Division; The Cure; Bauhaus: three bands with a clear significance to Social Youth Cult's musical lexicon.
"That was a song by the Chameleons (The Fan and the Bellows). And this is a song of our own. It's called 'Strange Times'."
Drummer Alex - who has in previous gigs donned a Cowboy hat - chooses the hat-free approach for this gig. An Unknown Pleasures t-shirt is the top of choice. With a voice to match, frontman Shaun resembles Ian Curtis. His booming voice doesn't match his slender frame. You'd question where the voice is coming from. Pulsing bass and drums meet waterfallesque guitars as the track moves into a more sprawling, atmospheric section of song. Jack signals for his bass to be turned up in his monitor. The next track "Close to Nothing" begins as Jack produces ratty scrawls on his strings. The bassline eventually breaks out into an oozing, ominous line to ride on. The drummer is steady and snappy. Shaun convulses with mic stand in hand.
"This next song is called 'The Man in the Photo'(and it doesn't exist)."
A bit of madness - deranged entities - enters the band’s sound. Holly plays some really psychedelically-infused stuff - it adds a swirling effect to Social Youth Cult's material.
"We thought we'd give you guys some Black Rain. So, this is 'Shotgun'."
There's this boi-yoi-yoing, Wobble Board-y sort of thing going on with the sound. It adds an extra air of unpredictability to the mix.
"Thank you. That one's for you Scott.” Scott, bassist of The Black Rain, is front and centre; as he is at all gigs that he attends - a true trooper.
The feeling of impending doom is notched up with "Dead Space" - the pace is slowed down, which is always a means of making sound move like molasses.
"Thank you. Enough of that fucking depressing shite. This one's called 'The Fall'."
Shaun falls to his knees as 'The Fall' takes hold.
"This last song’s called 'The Lighthouse' and it was recorded right here in Sunderland".
The bass has this buzzsaw effect - hornet-like. Said hornets must've swarmed the bass amp as it cuts out mid-song. Jack comes back with a vengeance - nastier than ever. The track slows down to a grinding halt. The drumkit gets a good kickin'.
"Thanks everyone and we'll see you next year. Apologies for the technical difficulties."
Once again, it's how you respond that sets the tone of the difficulties.
Polar opposites if there ever were, The Kinks’ "Sunny Afternoon" plays out after Social Youth Cult.
Social Youth Cult's setlist:
The Fan and the Bellows
Strange Times
Close to Nothing
The Man in the Photo
Shotgun
Dead Space
The Fall
The Lighthouse
A representative from Sunderland Soup Kitchen gives thanks for the evening.
Yersin - 22:00
A rather large, rather huge, Marshall amp which has been on stage since doors is now plugged in to - it's as sonically huge as it is physically, and it isn't even plugged into the house system yet. Yersin get set for some savagery.
"Forwards you sexy *****" says the frontman. Good Lord almighty - it's a loud one. After the bands opening song "Mouths Like Open Graves", it turns out that an amp, behind frontman Chris, wasn't actually switched on. Mid-song, Guitarist Rob calmly strolls across the stage and nicely turns it on. Now we're really in Sludgeland. Social Youth Cult took us six-feet deep; Yersin have dragged us straight to Hell. Frontman Chris' shirt reads 'Sniff Glue, Worship Satan' on the back. Guitarist Rob, like a character out of Brütal Legend, plays with legs wide open to accommodate his hefty eight-stringed guitar. Mal, on drums, plays coolly at the back of the stage. The sound is as wide as it is loud - it's inescapable.
"Another move. It's called the headbang. If you've got a head - do it."
Sonically speaking, it's like being cooked alive inside of a raging furnace. The crowd indulge in a collective fist pump, led by frontman Chris. Ten-tonnes of cosmic sludge is pumped through Pop Recs. It's so loud you can't help but squint your eyes.
Photo credit: Scott Hays @the_black_rain_band
"We've got 12-minutes left. A delicious 12-minutes."
Dragonball-Z in style, the frontman conjures up some sort of energy through ritualistic hand and body movements. A moshpit, courtesy of members of Social Youth Cult and co., breaks out. They bash the living bones out of one another.
Pop Recs is lucky it has an industrial interior, otherwise I'm not sure of it, including I, would stand to tell the tale of the second edition of Snowed In Sunlun. "Guilt" comes to a close.
"We've got three left, and we'll be out of your hair." Yersin dip into the traditional Christmas classics of "The Scythe is Remorseless", "Die Alone" and "Blasphemer".
"Have a wonderful Christmas." says the frontman, kindly.
The crowd are as perplexed as they are joyous - whether from relief of the savagery being over or from the actual quality of the performance is anybody's guess. Somewhere in the middle would be a fair shout. Yersin can certainly play, but at points it was an absolute battering on every level.
Yersin's setlist:
Mouths like open graves
B.i.t.g
Steel noose
Urban menace
Northern stronghold
Guilt
The Scythe is remorseless
Die alone
Blasphemer
A great night of music, for an even greater cause.
*photos below courtesy of Scott Hays @the_black_rain_band and Kieran Whitfield @kw.visualss
