The Hockley Hustle was another triumph for Tommy and the whole team of hustlers. Although it started off rather wet, the British weather had a change of heart, and eventually, the clouds and rain gave way to glorious sunshine. The NottsRocks team was prepped and ready, but our plans quickly went out the window as the sheer number of great bands and artists became overwhelming. Our approach became more reactive, mostly from bumping into friends who suggested alternatives to the schedules we had in hand. There were also some changes to artist and set lists, but with over 400 bands, that’s to be expected. We eventually gave up trying to update our own downloadable gig crawl map – it was only ever meant to be a guide anyway! But you couldn’t blame us. Every act we managed to see was brilliant in their own right. As for those we didn’t catch, we’ll get you next time!

First up was Ben Mark Smith upstairs at The Bodega. His solo set attracted a good crowd, and he played familiar tracks that many will have heard on Spotify. A standout moment was his older track, 'Who's The Girl,' which the audience clearly enjoyed, responding with enthusiastic applause. After Ben’s set, I made my way to 31K to watch Drew Thomas, who we recently reviewed for the launch of his single, 'You, Me & Desire.' Once again, Drew drew a good crowd for his solo performance, and his grit-pop sound had the audience cheering throughout. Another flawless gig from Drew.

It was another short walk to the Fox and Grapes, where I camped out for at least an hour. The first band I came to see was Office Goth, a DIY lo-fi post-punk duo from Nottingham. The pub was already full, with the crowd buzzing after Martin James had just finished his set. Office Goth opened with their gritty, DIY sound, kicking things off with 'Another Day,' followed by more from their foot-tapping repertoire, including fan favourites 'Lad Lads Lads' and 'It's a Horror,' which went down a storm.

Next up was Sam Shaw and The Real Eyes, a psychedelic rock band who recently made waves with a great performance at Rough Trade Nottingham in September. Liv, our photographer, joined me just as the band was setting up. We compared notes and checked our lists. The band soon had the crowd in raptures with their gritty bass and guitar riffs. The standout track, 'Walk Into The Sun,' drew the loudest applause, with its 3-minute 45-second high-energy rock fest really hitting the mark.

Sam Shaw and The Real Eyes at The Fox and Grapes

At this point, I needed a breather – although I only had about 15 minutes to get to Saltbox for ALT BLK ERA. Fine, maybe I could catch my breath there. It wasn’t to be, though, as Saltbox was rammed. Before I knew it, the band, introduced by BBC’s Dean Jackson, roared onto the stage. The genre-defying duo, sisters Nyrobi and Chaya Beckett-Messam, thrilled the crowd with their fusion of rock, trap, and alt-pop. I snapped away like crazy and grinned from ear to ear as 'I’m Normally Like This' brought the house down. Extracting myself from the throng wasn’t easy, but I managed.

My list had me staying for The Public Eye, but since we had already covered the boys from Burton at Sonic Boom, I opted to head back to 31K for Drury Hill. Liv was already there, but, like most venues at this point, the place was rammed. I had to squeeze in just to grab a couple of snaps before standing outside to listen to a few tracks. Drury Hill is definitely a band to put on your radar.

After that, I walked up to Hockley Arts Club. My plan was to see Lace Thief, rest my legs, and treat myself to a cocktail. I had a good 15 minutes to take stock and enjoy a coffee-laced cocktail – I think it was called Trouble Brewin’. The caffeine perked me up instantly, and the comfy leather-bound chairs at the Arts Club did wonders for my aching legs. Laura, aka Lace Thief, turned up with her partner Mitch. One of our writers had recently reviewed Lace Thief's gig at Rough Trade, and I reviewed her latest release, 'Sister of The North.' We had a good chat before Laura took to the stage and wowed the crowd with her honest vocals and indie-folk guitar melodies. Unfortunately, I had to leave halfway through her set, for which I apologised, but I couldn’t miss 94 Gunships, the enigmatic alt-rock band – and, full disclosure, made up of some of my mates – playing at The Chapel at the Angel.

Someone mentioned it might be their last gig, as the band members have other projects going on. I couldn’t miss this. I grabbed a pint and headed upstairs, bumping into loads of friends along the way. It seemed everyone had come to see them. The last time they drew a crowd like this was when they packed out Rescue Rooms. The place was literally wall-to-wall. My backpack full of camera gear became a major issue as I tried to navigate the crowd. I spotted a potential vantage point on the DJ booth stairs, but a guy was stood at the bottom. I smiled and asked if I could squeeze past, and the look he gave me definitely said, 'Where the fuck am I supposed to go?' After a bit of an awkward shuffle, we managed a little dance, and I finally made it onto the stairs. Two songs in, and the place was going wild. I can’t even remember which two songs they were, but then Ant called saying he was outside and needed his press badge to get in. He wasn’t sure he’d make it to the Hustle after spending most of the day in Manchester, so I wasn’t thrilled as I surveyed the crowd, thinking, ‘How the hell am I supposed to get through that again?’ I knew I wouldn’t get back in if I left. Grumbling in my head at Ant, I pushed through the crowd and eventually got him in. We headed back upstairs, but there was no way of getting in this time. Oh well, I’ve seen them loads before, and I got a few pics.

After the set, Will Jeffrey (from the band) joined us, and the usual post-gig chit-chat ensued. We headed over to Rough Trade to catch Girlband. John, one of our contributors, had already gone ahead, but when Ant and I arrived, they weren’t letting anyone else in – another packed-out venue. Thankfully, our press badges and cameras worked their magic, and we were let through, albeit reluctantly. The band was already in full swing, and the place was buzzing. Liv had gotten there early, so she was already set up, which meant I could sit back and enjoy. Girlband roared through their set, and it was another perfect set by the guys smashing the music scene.

I had planned to return to Saltbox for Commons, but once I sat down at Broadway, that was it for me. Dusty 4 Track, led by Will Jeffrey and Ben James, smashed their set, with 'Metronome' getting me up and dancing. The final act, Hhymn, a Nottingham band formed in 2008 and reformed this year, was truly special. Their alt-folk sound, complete with trumpets and guitars, echoed the instrumentals of Pink Floyd. I was glad they were back.