Playlist: HITS magazine

To celebrate the release of our first print issues, here's a playlist featuring all artists involved.

HITS x Berlin

We hosted our very first live gig in Berlin - and this is what it looked like.

Cover The HITS

Our latest video series - covers performed by our favourite acts, exclusively for us.

Video Interview: Scenic Route To Alaska

Melting away in front of Stuttgart's castle, we had a chat about touring, band names, Toy Story and a lot more.

Find us on YouTube!

Visit us on the 'tubes for interviews, exclusive performances and outtakes.

Video Of The Day: "No Hard Feelings" by Beth Keeping



Hey guys!

I think I've spoken about the power of music videos many times before.
Yeah, I might even be 'that nerd' who thinks loves watching music videos a few times in a row.

There are just so many things I find really interesting abotu them;
one being seeing the way a musician (and the director) visualize a song, a sound.

I also enjoy music videos that tell a story and then even deliver a meaningful message.

That's exactly the case with today's "Video Of The Day", but before we dive into the video, please meet the artist behind it.


Beth Keeping is a singer/songwriter based in London, UK.
Her sound blends the emotional aspects of Acoustic, with the cheerfulness of Pop.
Being inspired by the music city Nashville, it's not surprise that Beth also finds a way to weave R'n'B vibes and country storytelling into her music.

She's influenced by modern Pop acts such as Colbie Caillat, Ed Sheeran and Selena Gomez.

Beth Keeping started her career busking her way through London.
Crafting her songs into compositions the honest audience will appreciate.
An injury kept Beth away from the live music scene, but gave her a lot of time to approach her songwriting in a different way.

Just ealier this month, the young singer/songwriter released a beautiful video for her song "No Hard Feelings".

The storyline of this video is very moving; multiple people are writing on balloons which they destroy throughout the video. The statements on the balloons are either insults or negative comments the people have heard.

What I think is very beautiful about it, is the fact that we can all somehow relate to it.
We've all heard negative things being said about or to us and sometimes they can really hurt.
The video puts a beautiful message out there which inspires you to just forget about the things words that have hurt you. 


On her Facebook page Beth says: "If you've ever been told you're not good enough, not smart enough, too normal, too weird, the wrong shape, the wrong type, the wrong mindset... This is for you."

Watch "No Hard Feelings" below:





Beth Keeping online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram




Thank you for your visit! 











Credits // Text: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image & Video: Beth Keeping | -this song was submitted for a review-

Cover Of The Day: "Crazy In Love" (Beyoncé) by Jack Garratt




Hey guys!

It's been a while since I've last uploaded a little "Cover Of The Day" post, but fear not - we're back on a roll!
It's really amazing how sometimes just one great performance inspires me to bring back an entire segment.

What I love about covers which are a lot different to the original, is how you'll hear an artist's real sound.
When a musician changes the style or the pace of a song, it's most likely done in their very own style.
To me, one of the many fascinating things about music, is how many different ways there are to perform a song.

Today I'm very happy to showcase a cover performed by one of the most fascinating artists at the moment - Jack Garratt.

Jack Garratt is a multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter based in London, UK.
The musician who grew up in Buckinghamshire, UK started making music, or "noises" as he calls it himself, at a very young age.

With a talent not too many people have, Jack manages to combine multiple genres and creates a sound which is mix of electronic beats, dirty e-guitar riffs, jazzy piano parts and a voice that's just a varying as the instrumentals; ranging from a warm, deep voice to a brilliant falsetto, to moments where nothing is raspier than Garratt's voice.

So far he released three EPs:
Remnants (2014)
Remnix (2014)
Synthesiac (2015)

And earlier this year, Jack Garratt celebrated the release of his debut record, "Phase".

His skills and sounds received the BBC Sound Of 2016 award, as well as the Critics Choice Award at the Brit Awards 2015.

His endless amount of gigs, festivals and sessions is always filled with some surprises.
From covering the Spice Girls classic "Wannabe" on tour, to his mindblowing Live Lounge cover of "7 Days" by Craig David and "Senorita" by Justin Timberlake.

His most recent cover for Australia's radio station triple j is definitely one of those covers you need to see and hear.
Jack performed his version of Beyoncé's "Crazy In Love".


I am sure the most of you know the original; the fiery and up beat R'n'B track featuring Jay Z is a classic, whether you're into it or not.

Jack took the song into a completely different direction and he did it with style.
His keyboard rendition of the song starts off mellow, calm and really souly.
You'd think the musician is going for a laid back version, but that's just Garratt's way of turning things into an intense performance.

Right after the first chorus things get a lot funkier and a lot more energetic.
His vocals vary from warm to raspy before they turn into Beyoncé-esque killer vibes.
The diversity which Jack offers is undeniable and it's a treat!

Check out Jack Garratt's fabulous cover of "Crazy In Love" below!







Jack Garratt online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram





Thank you for your visit! 









Credits // Text & Image: Vanessa Jertschewske | Video: via triple j on YouTube

EP Review: "Mustang" by Hannah Grace



Hey guys!

2016 has been a great year for new releases so far.
There have been some fabulous albums and EPs and it's only July!

The emails about great new music keep coming in and I can't wait to share more with you throughout the rest of the year.
Please keep in mind that we only feature what we personally enjoy.

There's no point in bashing something just because it isn't what you like, is there? ;)

I'm very happy to showcase Hannah Grace's new EP for you today.

Artist: Hannah Grace
Title: Mustang
Genre: Alternative, Folk, Soul
Label: Never Fade Records
Release Date: 15th July 2016
HITS rating: 7/10

Hannah Grace is a singer/songwriter from South Wales.
Her variety in sounds is just as wide as the spectrum of influences that inspire the young musician.
Drawing inspiration from incredibly talented female artists such as Joni Mitchell, Stevie Nicks and Florence Welsh, it's no surprise that Hannah's sound varies from Folk, to Soul, to Jazz with sprinkles of Pop and Rock.

That mix of sounds and her incredibly powerful voice first graced us (hah! See what I did there?) back in 2012.
Her tremendous talent soon caught Gabrielle Aplin's attention. Soon Hannah got signed to Gabrielle's own label 'Never Fade Records'. 
Over the years Hannah released her debut EP "Meant To Be Kind", toured with Gabrielle Aplin and supported Irish phenomenon Hozier.

Now she's here with her brand new EP "Mustang":


Tracklist:
1) Mustang
2) Keep Your Love
3) Blue With You
4) Hey You

Opener and title track "Mustang" bursts into the atmosphere with full speed.
The rousing electric guitar is almost as present and dominant as Hannah's voice. Her soulful and bluesy vocals combined with the rock guitar draw a powerful contrast and give the song a lot of depth.
 Fun pop elements keep things spicy and allow the track to turn into a hyme for a wide range of music fans.

"Keep Your Love" in three words? Sassy, feisty and edgy.
The atmosphere gets a lot darker, delicate backing vocals add a mysterious vibe to the track and as a listener, you sort of get into a really sassy, feisty and edgy mood.
(Seriously, I did. Please tell me I'm not the only one.)
A steady rhythm section, a soaring lead guitar and expressive vocals collide and create a fabulous track you should have on your playlist.

A ballad which really stands out is track number 4, "Hey You".
It's a dreamy, it's enchanting, it's beautiful. The musician takes it back to soft vocals, a calm acoustic guitar and beautiful string arrangements. Each of those elements underline the intimacy and honesty of the song.

To sum it up: If you're looking for an EP which combines a lot of atittude, emotion and talent, look no further.
"Mustang" is a fabulous four-track EP which adds a lot of sass and fun to the Summer 2016 playlists!

You should listen to these tracks: Mustang, Hey You





Catch Hannah on her upcoming UK tour, details & tickets here.


Hannah Grace online: Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram





Thank you for your visit!










Credits // Text: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image: Hannah Grace | this review was requested

Interview: Christian Tierney




Hey guys!

If you were to ask me what I don't like about the entertainment industry, I'd name two things.
One being a lack of gratitude and the other one being the hateful and jealous people.

When you work in an industry which is really fast-paced, it can be tough to stand out and to be unique.
And honestly, I think we all need to work as hard as we can, which is what I'd recommend to everyone.

But a lot of times there is a lot of jealousy going on when people achieve great things.
It genuinely annoys me when I see that happen, so I made it my goal to cheer for everyone who's out there, doing what they love!

One of the people I definitely want you to learn more about is Christian Tierney.

Christian is a photographer and videographer from Dublin, Ireland.
Pairing his love for music with his fantastic photo and video skills, Christian has established a big following online and has worked with some of your favourite artists - James Bay, Gavin James and Rhodes just being a few of them.

I asked Christian some questions about his start in this industry, his favourite memories, his gear and a lot more!


You can read it below!


house in the sand: Hi Christian, thanks for taking the time answer some questions!
To start our little conversation, can you tell us a bit about how you got into music photography and videography?

Christian Tierney: No problem at all! It's my pleasure!
When I was a kid, I used to spend every day skating in my local skatepark which is just around the corner from my house. All of the older guys who I looked up to, used to film videos themselves doing new tricks to show people online. So naturally, I wanted to do what they did.
My dad had a lend of a camcorder from work so I used that once or twice before getting my own camcorder for Christmas to film my own videos, when I was about 12 years old. Over the next two years I got more and more into the filmmaking side of things and started caring less and less about skating.
I watched hundreds of YouTube tutorials to learn how to make my videos look as good as possible. One of my friends who I skated with, was a computer whizz, so he showed me how to use Photoshop.
Then, when I was 14 years old, a musician from Dublin saw one of my skate videos and asked would I make him a music video.
I had always been really passionate about music as well, so I jumped at the opportunity. From then on I decided that I was going to keep making music videos and now, at 19 years old, I'm still doing exactly that. All of my first cameras could also take really high quality photos, so photography just came naturally alongside filmmaking for me, I've never really thought of them as two seperate things.

HITS: You've worked with some incredible artists this far. Do you have a favourite memory from any of the sessions/shoots?

Christian: I'm lucky that I've been able to meet and work with loads of my favourite artists. Some of them have even become close friends, so that's probably the best thing about my job.
There are so many amazing memories.
There's a residential recording studio in the middle of nowhere in the Irish midlands, called Grouse Lodge. That's where Michael Jackson lived and recorded for three months when he came to Ireland about ten years ago.
It's a musical paradise. There's a world renowned studio where countless big names like Muse, Paolo Nutini, Tom Jones, Will.I.Am, etc have all recorded, a beautiful country house, swimming pool, hot tub, sauna, horses, incredible views - it's amazing.
I got to go and stay there with a good friend of mine, Ryan O'Shaughnessy and his band, about three years ago. Those few days hold some of my favourite memories. Staying in the same house that Michael Jackson once did and seeing his signature in the guest book was pretty cool. 

image: Christian Tierney

HITS: Other than 'the big deals' such as James Bay for example, you also work with smaller independent acts - could you share some of your favourite acts whose music you truly believe in?

Christian: There's an Irish artist named Dermot Kennedy and I truly believe that in the next two years he's going to become one of the biggest artists in the world. He's one of the most talented people I've ever met and it's only a matter of time before everyone else gets to hear his music to find out what they're missing.
I've never believed in anyone as much as I believe in him and I'm so excited for his future.

HITS: Are there any acts on your bucket list with whom you'd love to work at some point?

Christian: Loads. I'd love to work with The 1975. Visually and musically they have such an amazing vision and aesthetic, I think they're doing something really interesting and exciting.
I've photographed them before and they've used some of my photos, but I'd love to have a deeper involvement in what they're doing.
  I'd also love to work with Bon Iver. Justin Vernon is such a versatile and talented artist and I'd love to spend some time with him, I think I'd learn an awful lot.
I'm also a big Drake fan, so I'd love to work with him in some capacity one day.

image: Christian Tierney

HITS: You photograph, film music sessions, music videos and interviews - is there one thing you enjoy doing the most?

Christian: I enjoy all of those things in different ways and that's what keeps my job interesting. I'm never stuck doing the same thing because I'm always switching between different media and using different parts of my brain.

HITS: If we were to go through your camera bag, what gear would we find?

Christian: I try to keep my kit as small as possible so I can fit it all in one backpack and carry it anywhere with me.
At the moment I have two main cameras.
I use a Sony a7s II for video and a Canon 5D Mark III for photography.
Ocassionally, I will take some photos on the Sony if I'm in a hurry, because I can send them directly to my iPhone, edit them on there and post them on social media in under a minute.
The 5D can't do that, even though it takes much sharper photographs.
The two main lenses I use are a Canon 24-105mm f4 L and a Canon 50mm f1.4. I hope to upgrade my lenses soon, but for the moment they get the job done well and don't leave me broke. I use a Rode Videomic Pro as an on-camera mic and a Zoom H4n for audio when I'm filming sessions.
I have a cheap, fold up shoulder stabiliser that I got on Amazon that fits nicely in my bag and does exactly what I need it to do.
Apart from that it's mainly just camera chargers, lots of batteries, a portable phone charger (best thing ever), a laptop if I'm travelling and some headphones. A lot of people think that the more gear you have and the more expensive your gear is, the better your photos and videos will be.
That's simply not the case at all.
I've seen people with the best, most expensive gear available who make very average videos and photos, and I've seen people with really cheap gear make truly incredible work.
You can have the best guitar in the world but if you're a bad guitar player, then it's going to sound awful. But if you're an amazingly taletned player, then you can make almost any guitar sound good. The exact same goes for photography and videography.


HITS: The best advice you can give to fellow photo/video creatives?

Christian: This applies to all areas of life, not just creative jobs. Work hard or you'll never improve. Be a nice person because nobody wants to work with an asshole. And be patient because nothing happens overnight. Getting to do what you love as your job is a really difficult thing to do and it takes a long time (I mean years) to get to that point. That's why not many people get to do it.
If it was easy, then everyone would do it. Work out exactly what you love to do and chase it as for as long and as hard as you can.

HITS: Here on house in the sand, we're all about promoting amazing artists. Do you want to give a few shoutouts to anyone?

Christian: As I said earlier, everyone needs to listen to Dermot Kennedy right now. He's arguably the most talented artist in the country and you're missing out big time if you haven't listened to him yet. 

HITS: To finish this little chat, what can we expect from you in the future?

Christian: More of what I've already been doing up to this point; more photos, sessions and interviews with amazing artists on my YouTube channel. I'm directing more official music videos now than I ever have before, so you can expect a lot more of that! I'm also planning to start a podcast soon, so look out for that. I think it will be really fun and interesting. 






Christian Tierney online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram



Big thank you to Christian for taking the time to answer these questions,
and of course for being a badass, music supporting creator!!



Thank you for your visit!










Credits // Text (intro) & Questions: Vanessa Jertschewske | Images, Videos & Answers: Christian Tierney

Instant Impressions: Barn on the Farm 2016




Hey guys!

Just a few days ago I returned from a little trip to England.
I was over to attend Barn on the Farm festival in Gloucester, but also stopped by in Manchester, Liverpool and London to visit friends.

This trip was the first one in four years that wasn't work related, which honestly felt strange.
It was a lovely little holiday which I got to spend with a lot of friends.

But, I wouldn't be myself, if I didn't have a camera with me.
So despite being there off-duty, I had my Lomo'Instant Wide with me to document the trip with instant photos. 
I adore the process of instant photography and how it pushes you to think things through.

Armed with my precious camera, I was ready to have a wonderful time in the good ol' United Kingdom.


In case you're not familiar with Barn on the Farm;
it's a festival which takes place on an actual working farm in Gloucester, UK.
For those of you who don't know where Gloucester is (I didn't!), it's in the South West of England.

Surrounded by fields and animals, the festival area is a beauty itself.
The team behind the festival shows that their love for independent musicians is just as present as their skills of booking "the next big thing".

Acts that played the previous years are James Bay, Ed Sheeran, Bastille, George Ezra, Hozier as well as some house in the sand favourites; Ryan O'Reilly, Adam Barnes and Rhodes.

Barn On The Farm online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram


I've been wanting attend this festival for a few years now and am very pleased I finally got to go.


Below you'll find a bunch of photographs paired with little comments and links to amazing musicians you should definitely check out.





As some of you may know, I'm not the only person writing and photographing for HITS anymore.
We have a small team of wonderful people and one of them is Liam McClair.

Before he joined the team, I've featured him multiple times, as Liam is a fantastic singer/songwriter.
He's also an amazing Manchester tour guide and a wonderful host who has helped me to feel very welcome in Manchester.

Go and give Liam a follow: Music Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | Instagram





Manchester definitely became one of my favourite cities within the last few months, mainly because of the wonderful people and the amazing music community.
(The pubs are quite fabulous, too.)





Regular readers of the blog will know The Arkanes - they basically are the most featured band on HITS.
Unfortunately they aren't an active band anymore, but that doesn't mean we can't hang out anymore.
In fact, I spend a ridiculous amount of time working with Chris pretty much all the time.

The lads were lovely enough to spoil me with food, drinks and shoe shopping. What else could I ask for, right? (no, it wasn't glamourous. I had to buy wellies.)

It's just always great to see my little sister and have a little sing-song to DNCE songs.
 Thanks, me luvs!

Chris Pate online: Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | Bandcamp | YouTube | Instagram
Dylan Cassin online: Facebook | Instagram





Made it to Gloucester, where Barn on the Farm takes place.
After spending quite some time setting up the tent, it was time to catch our first set.

The incredibly talented Laurel was one of the acts I had on my "to see" list. Her voice demands your full attention and her classy, edgy and rocky vibe is super refreshing.
Have a listen!
 
Laurel online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram







Black Honey, my new favourite band!
I actually found out about the band when I got to review the amazing subscription box that is Flying Vinyl. (you can read my review here)
I immediately fell for the band's grungy, badass vibe and knew I had to catch their set at Barn on the Farm this year. And boy, it was great! It was rock'n'roll, it was entertaining and it made me shake them hips! (Even in the rain!)

Make sure to check them out!

Black Honey online: Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | Bandcamp | Instagram









Alright, let's be real - the animals at the farm were the actual highlights.
I even fed an ostrich!!! It doesn't get much cooler than that!!

I loved how respectful every festival goer seemed to be towards the animals.





Back in January I had the pleasure to interview Hannah Grace and also watch (and photograph) her support slot in Manchester.
Hannah Grace has that kind of voice that you wish you had yourself. And if you did, you'd never stop singing.
But reality hits you and you realize you don't have that voice.
So you're quiet and just enjoy her live set. With a lot of impressed gasps every now and then.

Her intimate set had its' focus on Hannah's voice accompanied by light and jazzy guitar, played by Tadgh Walsh-Peelo. 
The stripped back performance of Hannah's new single "Mustang" was definitely what you'd consider brilliant!

Hannah Grace online: Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram





Overall, the weather was fantastic. The first day was a mix of sun and rain (good for rainbows!). For a little German who's used to slightly warmer weather, the temperature could've been a little warmer, but it seemed like a fabulous weather for the crowd.

The decor and set up of the festival was magical. There were beautiful lights everywhere, colourful garlands, cozy sitting areas, original and farm themed food stands - the detailed set-up was one of many proofs that Barn on the Farm is a special and magical place to be.







Saturday's highlight for many of the festival goers was the exclusively formed Farm Band.
Consisting of Joe Keogh of Amber Run, Hannah Grace, Gabrielle Aplin and Hudson Taylor, the band was a combination of Barn on the Farm's favourites. All of these artists have been part of the festival for a while.

The musicians were supported by a fabulous backing band which definitely deserves credit.

The collective of friends performed some of the best known up beat tracks, as well as a few beautiful ballads to give the crowd some moments to calm down.

Opening the full band set with Hudson Taylor's energetic "Battles", the Farm Band sure managed to make the crowd sing and dance from the very start of the set.
They took Gabrielle Aplin's "Sweet Nothing" to another level of cheerfulness, check out this clip I posted on Instagram.

Another highlight of their performance was the acapella version of Amber Run's "I Found" which you can view here.

The Farm Band definitely represented the lovely friendship that everyone seems to be a part of at Barn on the Farm.





Earlier this year I've met Gavin James for an interview in Berlin. I was incredibly tired after being in the recording studio for 48 hours, but Gavin turned out to be the bubbliest person I've ever interviewed. That definitely made it super enjoyable and kept me focused.

Unfortunately I had to fly back home and therefore couldn't catch his show.
But Barn on the Farm 2016 had me covered and so I could watch Gavin James play a fabulous set at The Wooden Barn stage.

His music could be described as absolutely stunning, emotional and moving.
Yet his personality turns his gigs into proper entertainment on a rather funny level.

Gavin played some of his well known songs, such as "Bitter Pill", "Nervous" and "Remember Me".
His cover version of "The Book Of Love" probably always stands out and could easily make you cry.

For the final song he played a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing In The Dark" together with two music friends and his sister. Class!

It was also super nice to bump into Gavin after his set and to have a short chat about the festival.

Gavin James online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram





It looks like I'm shouting angry things at the camera, but I wasn't, I promise!





I really need to mention how fabulously the festival was organised.
Everyone was so friendly, so relaxed and so passionate - it was such a beautiful atmosphere to be in and I know for sure that I'm going to attend the festival again next year.

With a 2000 people capacity, the festival is very intimate and could be considered as a rather small festival.
I can totally recommend the festival and would love to see some of you there next year!











Another highlight!
I'd definitely consider myself a little food nerd. I could eat all day, every day.
Yet I only eat vegan food, so I was a little worried about maybe not finding much to eat at the festival.

But of course I didn't have to be worried, the Bangra Bus was one part of the catering at the festival.
It served vegetarian and vegan food and my god, it was fabulous.

I know this post is meant to tell you more about the festival, but I'd like to take a few moments to ask you for a massive favour.

In case you are not familiar with veganism, or more importantly, why people decide to be vegan - please educate yourself.
Before I was introduced to the cruelty and awfulness of the meat, egg and dairy industry, I didn't know why people would go vegan.

I'm a firm believer that we don't have to kill or make living creatures suffer in order to survive ourselves.
Head over to PETA and learn more about this big issue. It's honestly so easy to make a change.







Rhys Lewis is hands-down my favourite discovery of the festival!
Whilst I had a lot of artists on my "to see" list, there was an hour where I didn't feel the need to watch anyone in particular, so I decided to head to the Over Barn Stage and watch a random set.

When Rhys came on stage and started performing his songs, only accompanied by an electric guitar, the magic started.
His incredibly warm (and beautiful) voice transported the emotions of his songs in such honest and heartfelt manner.

Paying attention to his lyrics definitely proves my point; his songs are very personal and also very relatable.
His guitar playing varies from calm and soothing fingerpicking, to soulful strumming - all of it supporting his expressive voice.

"No Right To Love You" was one of many tracks I immediately enjoyed.

Please go and check out Rhys' music, I'm sure a lot of you will thoroughly enjoy it!
This is definitely not the last time I'll speak about him on HITS!

Rhys Lewis online: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram





Good ol' Mr Brown! I was delighted to catch his set as I've interviewed and photographed Martin just a couple of months ago when he supported Jack Garratt on tour.

Like I've mentioned in those posts, I've already featured Martin Luke Brown a few years ago and have enjoyed his music ever since.
He appears to be one of those ever-growing artists who develop and improve all the time.

Thanks to his technology skills, Martin manages to create a full band sound (including Britney Spears as a backing vocalist) which definitely adds a lot of dynamic to his performance.

With a lot of confidence and a lot of passion, it didn't take long until the crowd started dancing.
Absolutely fantastic atmosphere!

So lovely to randomly bump into Martin and George beforehand.
It was weird without the cats though, wasn't it, guys?


Martin Luke Brown online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram





I have listened to Dagny beforehand and couldn't wait to catch her set at Barn on the Farm.

Her sound is so refreshing, so much fun, so edgy and so badass.
My little nerdy self had the best time singing along to her badass and cotton-candy-like pop anthem "Backbeat".

I can definitely recommend checking out Dagny's music, especially when you get the chance to see her live - she's an excellent performer with an adorable stage personality.

Dagny online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram







There was one blank space in the little festival programme which left everyone really intrigued.
The second last act on the Wooden Barn stage turned out to be Hudson Taylor, one of the farm's favourite acts. (And they are some of house in the sand's favourites, too!)

Due to Harry having an accident earlier in the day, only Alfie appeared on stage with the band's backing band.
He explained the situation, then FaceTimed Harry, who was still at the hospital, so he could watch the set.
Together with Hannah Grace and Gabrielle Aplin they played a fabulous set and definitely kept the spirits high.

The crowd was singing along super loud which was absolutely beautiful!



Hudson Taylor online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram





It was super lovely to briefly meet Gabrielle Aplin, who's been featured on HITS a couple of times.
As mentioned above, she performed as a part of the Farm Band.

In case you are not familiar with Gabrielle's music, please do check it out.
My personal favourite songs would be "Skeleton", "Home", "Wake Up With Me" and "Light Up The Dark".

Gabrielle Aplin online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram




My personal highlight was Jack Garratt.
I've been slighty obsessed with his music ever since I first heard it. After seeing him live in Munich a few months ago and also interviewing him, my respect for this artist has grown even more.

Jack's set leaves you with all the emotions.
There are those upbeat tracks where all you can do is dance and sing along, like "Breathe Life" and "Worry" for example. (also, can we take a second to appreciate his drumming skills?)

And then there are the beautiful, rather slow, songs such as "My House Is Your Home" and "Weathered"

The crowd loved his impromptu cover of the Spice Girl's "Wannabe" and then returned the favour when Jack had to face some technical issues.
He started playing the instrumental of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air's theme song and the entire crowd sang the words. It was hilariously beautiful! Here's a clip! (the rap part starts around 0:40)

I don't think I've laughed, danced and sang that much during a gig in quite a while, so big up's to Jack for this killer set!

Jack Garratt online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram







Returned to London after four years and it was lovely!
Spent the noon feeding squirrels at the park, spent the evening in a pub with a fabulous name.
As you do.

Massive thank you to Chris and Livia for coming to see me. I had a marvellous time with you!
Hope we can meet up again soon! (when I don't feel like I haven't slept five years! Sorry for being so tired, guys!)








I really hope you enjoyed this post and got an idea of how fabulous this little trip was for me.

Let me know if you have been to any festivals so far! :)


Much love to everyone I got to say hi to, I can't even comprehend how special it is to know everyone who made this trip a wonderful one.
You're a great bunch of people!



Thank you for your visit!











Credits // Text & Photography: Vanessa Jertschewske | **Lomography Germany kindly sponsored their Lomo'Instant Wide camera for house in the sand to use**