Chris Hawkins Awesome Friends (BBC 6 Music) ft Deja Vega & more

Chris Hawkins, F-10 & The Ferret present:

CHRIS HAWKINS AWESOME FRIENDS: PRESTON

ft fantastic up & coming acts:

DÉJÀ VEGA

Martial Arts

Holly Head

frederick

Plus your host & DJ on the night: CHRIS HAWKINS (BBC 6 Music).

The Ferret, Preston

Fri 28th Feb 2025

7pm - late

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Awesome Friends is curated and hosted by 6 Music's Chris Hawkins, championing the best new and breaking artists and bands at events and festivals across the country, including SXSW, Kendal Calling, and Band On The Wall in Manchester.

Chris Hawkins has a standout show on BBC 6 Music championing alternative anthems and fresh sounds. Chris was an early supporter of emerging acts Sam Fender, Wet Leg and The Lathums, now all headline performers. Awesome Friends serves as a platform for the same emerging, grassroots acts and those destined to be our future musical heavyweights.

Awesome Friends is a dynamic, vibrant live club night that features the most exhilarating up and coming acts and those next in line to dominate headline spots across the world. This could be the next Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall in 76, Glasgow’s King Tuts Wah Wah Hut in 93 or The Grapes Pub Sheffield in 03 and you will have the distinction of saying ‘you were there’.

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Déjà Vega:

Déjà Vega are vocalist and guitarist Jack Fearon, drummer Tom Webster and bassist Mike Newton. After forming in Cheshire, they made the short journey to Manchester, a fitting backdrop to their gritty, guitar led psychedelia.

Rhythmic and rage-fuelled and boasting surging riffs, Fearon's hypnotic slurring lyrics lurch in and out of poetic chants, battling over chaotic drums and the razor-sharp bass lines underneath. Live, Déjà Vega demonstrate that they're a force to be reckoned with.

They weave together creating a pulsating, driving behemoth of original, powerful, psych rock. The guys have created a notoriety for their incredible, energetic, unrivalled live show.

“There are debut albums that come along once in a while that get you straight away. This is one of them.” - Louder Than War Magazine

“If you’ve never seen them live I implore you to” - Urbanista Magazine UK

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Martial Arts:

“Martial Arts are the best new band in Manchester. It isn’t up for debate. They now just need to conquer everywhere else.” - Aah Magazine

Their intense live performances quickly caught the eyes and ear of a key few. With shows for Akoustik Anarkhy, So Young Magazine, Speedy Wunderground, Now Wave & Beyond The Music Festival achieved through word of mouth alone, the 5 piece have emerged as a must see band from the Manchester underground.

https://www.facebook.com/martialartsband

https://www.instagram.com/martialartsband

https://linktr.ee/martialartsband

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Holly Head:

Committed and controversial, Manchester’s rising, kinetic, beat-powered punk four-piece, Holly Head, return for 2025 with their scuffed and confrontational, two-and-a-half-minute blast of incisive social commentary, Whatever Drags You Through It. 

Taking notoriety as a signal of connected audience sympathies and riding on the right side of history, last year’s debut release of the band’s unrelenting debut, No Gain, rushed Holly Head to the front of a proactive, politically-motivated creative community. Written in a police cell following arrest due to Britain’s protest laws, the song provided the key to their first BBC 6 Music live session last November, with the performance used to further cementing their uncompromising conviction and use Holly Head’s music to profile urgent causes.

https://www.instagram.com/hollyhead.band/

linktr.ee/hollyhead

BBC 6 MUSIC NEW MUSIC FIX SESSION

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00245b3

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frederick:

frederick your supper is ready. lee hazlewood in a bath full of gravel and tears. art garfunkels favourite knife is dirty. it's sunset all day because frederick is coming home, dear lady. 

Jack & Arthur from Autocamper bring us a new project: frederick.

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CHRIS HAWKINS AWESOME FRIENDS

ft fantastic up & coming acts:

Déjà Vega

Martial Arts

Holly Head

frederick

Plus your host & DJ on the night: CHRIS HAWKINS (BBC 6 Music).

The Ferret, Preston

Fri 28th Feb 2025

7pm - late

Tickets £10 advance.

Tickets: theferret.live/listings/chrishawkinsaf

Ages 14+ (under 18s must be accompanied by a responsible adult)

Accessible ground floor venue & facilities.

Dog-friendly venue.