NOVACAINE FESTIVAL

In this interview by Fok ‘bs’, Scott from Novacaine Festival opens the doors to the ideas and passion behind one of the UK’s emerging festivals dedicated to new music discovery.
Scott talks about what makes an artist a true Novacaine band, the festival’s close relationship with Corporation in Sheffield, the importance of giving overlooked artists a platform, the emotional journey behind building a lineup, and the performances that can become turning points in a band’s career.
With passion, ambition and a genuine commitment to discovering tomorrow’s headline acts running through his answers, Scott reveals why Novacaine Festival is determined to grow without losing the spirit that made it what it is.
Novacaine Festival has quickly become associated with discovering tomorrow’s headline acts rather than simply booking today’s biggest names.
At what point does a promising band become ‘a Novacaine band‘ in your eyes?
“For me, a band becomes a Novacaine band when we can feel that genuine passion in what they do. We’re not necessarily looking for the biggest or most established acts; any band or artist has the potential to perform at our events. We look for artists who are doing it because it’s their passion, and who express that not only through their studio releases but also through their live performances. If we hear your music or see you live and we can feel that passion coming through, we’ll be looking at securing you for one of our future events, even if you’ve only just started out.”
Every festival develops a personality over time.
If Novacaine Festival were a person walking into Corporation on show day, how would you describe its character?
“Absolutely mental, but in a good way. It’s hard to describe, but if Novacaine was a person, I’d say it’s someone who lives for music, has a big heart for those who put in the hard work and dedication, and just loves spending time with the people who make Novacaine… Novacaine.”
Many festivals compete by getting bigger every year.
Do you see Novacaine’s future in expanding its size, or in becoming increasingly selective about the experience it offers?
“Novacaine Festival is currently in its second year, so we’re very aware of how difficult it can be to navigate the live music industry, or the music industry in general. But when we look at the future, we are aiming to expand while still maintaining the connections with the people who helped us get where we are today. For us, growing doesn’t mean losing what makes Novacaine what it is. We will never move away from our ‘New Music Discovery’ objective. That is who we are, and it’s who we’ll continue to be in the future.”
Putting together a lineup is almost like writing a story.
When you look at this year’s running order, what emotional journey do you hope the audience experiences from the first band to the final encore?
“I totally agree, putting together a line-up is definitely like telling a story. For us, especially with this year’s festival being dedicated to Corporation, Sheffield’s 25th anniversary, we wanted everyone to feel like they were on their own journey of discovery. We want people to be excited from the moment the first band walks on stage, discovering new artists throughout the day, but also to be in party mode from the get-go. By the time we reach the final act, we want everyone to feel like they’ve been on one big musical journey together and leave already wanting to know what comes next.”
Corporation is celebrating its 25th anniversary, while Novacaine is still in its infancy.
How much has the venue itself influenced the identity of the festival beyond simply providing a stage?
“We knew Corporation was our home from the very beginning. It’s a venue that has always been about new music discovery, they had the likes of Bring Me The Horizon and Architects when they were still in their infancy, so that ethos naturally became a big part of Novacaine too. The team at Corporation have also been hands-on from the start, and not just when it comes to production. They’ve helped us with band selection and, most importantly, have supported us in continuing to nurture the local music scene in Sheffield. So for us, Corporation has never simply been a venue; it’s been a big part of what Novacaine is.”
There are countless talented bands that never receive the opportunity they deserve.
Has there ever been an artist you strongly believed in who was overlooked by almost everyone else, only to prove you right later?
“That first part of the question is exactly why Novacaine Festival exists. There are so many acts that are just screaming out to be heard, and we want to be the ones who bring them into the spotlight, not just by putting them on stage, but by introducing them to people and networks within the music industry. We’ve had a couple of examples of that already with Night Thieves and Our North, who have both since been picked up by Mosaic Music. It’s still early days for us, so we haven’t had that huge ‘we told you so’ success story just yet, but seeing artists we believe in start getting that wider industry recognition is exactly what we want to achieve. Pretty much every band I’ve worked with through the festival or our other shows is an act I strongly believe in. Our aim is to become a stepping-stone platform for showcasing the headliners of the future. “
Festivals often shape careers as much as they reflect them.
Have you ever watched a performance and thought, ‘We may be witnessing the moment this band changes forever‘?
“Yes, and one of them is Unpeople, who you’ve probably heard of by now. We watched their first Download Festival performance back in 2025 and they completely blew us away. They already had a lot of momentum behind them, but there was something about that performance where you could just tell they were going to go somewhere. Since then, they’ve gone on to open the main stage and are now on a huge tour. Watching that progression has been brilliant, and it’s exactly the kind of moment we love, seeing a band with huge potential take that next step and really start to break through.”
Modern audiences have endless access to music through streaming platforms, yet people still travel to discover bands live.
What do you think a festival can offer that an algorithm never will?
“Listening to a band through a streaming platform will never match witnessing them live. I can confidently say that because I never used to like Avenged Sevenfold, I know, I said it! But after a friend took me to see them back in 2018, my mind completely changed, and I ended up listening to their entire discography afterwards. That’s something an algorithm can’t replicate: being in a room or a field, experiencing a band live and having that moment change your perception of them. It’s also about the people around you. Being surrounded by like-minded people, discovering music together and having the time of your life is something you simply can’t recreate sitting at home streaming music. And it makes a huge difference to the bands themselves. Streaming their music is great, but actually showing up to a gig or festival helps create an audience for them, which can lead to more opportunities and help them take the next step in their career. That’s what I think festivals can offer that an algorithm never will: a shared, unpredictable experience that can change your relationship with a band, and potentially change the band’s future too.”
When a lineup is announced, people often focus on who is missing rather than who is playing.
How do you stay committed to your own vision without getting distracted by outside expectations?
“Absolutely, and I’m not innocent in this either. There have been plenty of times where I’ve thought, ‘I wish X band was there… I hope they’re announced.’ When it comes to the Novacaine Festival line-up, though, it’s all about balance. We ask our audience who they’d like to see the following year, and if it works with what we’re planning, we’ll always try to facilitate that. But ultimately, everyone gets their say, and then we have to sit down and make some extremely difficult decisions. For Novacaine Festival 2026, we had over 100 acts apply through our Artist Database, alongside artists we’d discovered ourselves who we wanted on the bill. We had multiple sit-downs with friends and discussions with the venue about who would work best. Ultimately, it always comes back to the vision for that particular year and which acts work together to create the right journey through the day. We’ll always listen to outside opinions, but we can’t let them dictate the identity of the festival. Let me put it this way: we had quite a few acts that we wanted on this year’s line-up, but we had to make the difficult decision not to secure them for 2026. But you can be certain we’ll be looking at securing them for 2027.”
If someone attended Novacaine Festival without recognizing a single band on the bill, what would you hope they remember most when they leave Corporation that night?
“If someone attended Novacaine Festival without knowing a single band on the bill, I’d want them to leave feeling like they’ve discovered some incredible new acts that they can go home and listen to, tell their friends about and follow as they grow. But more importantly, I’d want them to feel like they’ve been part of something special, that they’ve discovered something they might not have found anywhere else, shared that experience with some great people, and walked out of Corporation already wanting to come back the following year.”
Every successful festival eventually reaches a point where commercial opportunities become bigger.
Is there a line you would never cross, even if it meant faster growth or greater financial success?
“I’m going to put this simply: Novacaine Festival will never become a ‘corporate’ festival. Yes, we’re open to working with brands where it genuinely helps improve the live experience for our audience or gives our artists more exposure, but we will never cross that line where commercial interests start dictating what Novacaine is. We want Novacaine Festival to become a community-run festival, where our attendees are part of the decision-making process and have a genuine say in what we do. We want it to be an event that they’ve helped create and feel like they’re a part of. If becoming bigger or more financially successful meant losing that connection with our community, then it simply wouldn’t be worth it.”
Looking back ten years from now, what achievement would make you feel that Novacaine Festival truly fulfilled the mission you had when you first imagined it?
“Honestly, one of our biggest achievements would be seeing some of the acts we’ve booked go on to become bigger and get the recognition they deserve. If, ten years from now, we could look back and see one of our artists go on to play another major event like Slam Dunk or Download, or support a much bigger artist, and know that Novacaine helped play a part in that, we’d be more than happy. Our aim is to become a genuine stepping-stone event for artists, not only giving them a stage, but helping create the industry connections and opportunities that can sometimes be difficult for emerging bands to find themselves. If we can look back and see that Novacaine has genuinely helped launch or accelerate the careers of artists we believed in, that would be a huge achievement for us.”
Imagine a young promoter asks you for the one lesson you’ve learned while building Novacaine Festival.
What advice would you give them that you wish someone had given you before the first edition?
“You’ll forever feel like you’re not doing enough, when actually, you’re probably doing too much. Take a step back every now and again and let yourself breathe. Keep yourself organised, communicate clearly with everyone around you, and ask the questions you think are obvious, because they might not be obvious to everyone else. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to take a moment to step away from it all. It’s very easy to get caught up in everything that needs doing and forget that you’re allowed to enjoy what you’re building.”
Novacaine Festival may still be in its early years, but Scott’s words make it clear that its ambitions reach far beyond simply putting together another festival lineup.
At its heart is a commitment to artists who are hungry, passionate and ready to prove themselves on stage, regardless of how much recognition they have already received.
With Corporation as its home and new music discovery as its guiding principle, Novacaine is building a platform where emerging artists can find audiences, industry connections and perhaps the opportunity to take the next step in their careers.
In a world where algorithms increasingly decide what listeners hear, Novacaine Festival is making the case for something far more unpredictable, discovering a band in a room full of strangers and suddenly realising that you may be watching the headliner of tomorrow.
by Fok ‘bs’