A new Sheffield festival is promising to do two things properly: live music and craft beer.
Taking over Trafalgar Warehouse and Corporation on Saturday 13 June, Pintstock is a brand-new one-day event bringing together emerging indie artists alongside pours from some of the UK’s most respected independent breweries.
Created by Joe Rugg – better known locally for the Pints of Sheffield Instagram account – alongside the teams behind Corporation and Trafalgar Warehouse, the festival was born out of frustration with the mismatch between great gigs and poor drinks offerings.
“I go to so many gigs and the beer quality never lives up to the quality of the artists,” Joe explains. “Then when I go to beer festivals the music feels like a bit of an afterthought.
“Why can’t we have the best up-and-coming bands alongside the most elite independent UK breweries? So that’s what I’ve done.”
Joe has become one of the city’s best-known voices in Sheffield’s beer scene through his hugely popular Pints Of Sheffield platform, which champions independent pubs, breweries and venues across the city. He’s also the organiser behind the Abbeydale Road Beer Festival.
Pintstock, however, marks his first venture into music festival territory – though the lineup suggests organisers are aiming high from the outset.
“Ten of the coolest up-and-coming artists. Indie, indie rock and even some rock too,” Joe says. “Bands like Femur, Leazes, Bad Actors, The Tivolis etc… These are all on the start of their journeys and people have an opportunity to watch them all in one place whilst sipping pints from the likes of DEYA, Track, Kernel, Vault City, Polly’s, Triple Point etc…”
The lineup spans a strong mix of Sheffield and UK-wide emerging talent, with Femur, Leazes, Sons of the City, Flok, The Bad Actors, Jessops, The Tivolis and Mat Hook all confirmed so far, alongside more names still to be announced.
Inspired by the golden era of 2000s and early 2010s indie, the festival looks tailor-made for fans of Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes, The Cribs, The Courteeners and Two Door Cinema Club.
Craft beer will be flowing throughout the day inside Trafalgar Warehouse, with breweries including DEYA, Polly’s, Cloudwater, Triple Point, Kernel, Track, Vault City and Left Handed Giant all confirmed to pour.
Independent traders and food vendors will also feature across the site, including Barks Wines, Cheese Riot, Reyt Good Illustrations and Taco Trailer, while live bands take over multiple stages inside Corporation before the event shifts back to Trafalgar Warehouse for a DJ-led afterparty from midnight.
While Pintstock may be a debut event, Joe says pulling it together has been anything but straightforward.
“In terms of organising it’s been so tough. The music industry is wild and when offers are with agents, the brakes get put on,” he says.
“The team from Corp, especially Lu, has been phenomenal. Lizzy from @yoursocialmediasidekick has also been an integral part in pulling this all together. I’m genuinely over the moon with what we have lined up for the 13th and can’t wait to share that day with everyone.”
And despite the inaugural edition still being days away, Joe already has one eye on the future.
“We start planning Pintstock 2027 on 14 June, so let’s enjoy the day while we can!”
Tickets for Pintstock are on sale now, priced at £25 via Fatsoma.
