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We’ve picked out 10 sets that we’re very, very, very much looking forward to this summer. Together, we’ll look at one key song per artist – and we’ll ask why that song typically finds itself at a very particular point in its respective set! Then, we’ll see how that style of thinking is so relevant to the texts you’re studying in the English classroom.

ACTIVITY 1

Read through the notes we’ve made in relation to each song listed below. See if you agree with our thoughts on why each track generally gets dropped at the same point each night…

1. Jamie xx, ‘Wanna’

We’ve discussed before how Jamie xx’s ‘In Waves’ record is built in such a way that it absolutely transports you to another world. Album opener ‘Wanna‘ makes sense at the start of Jamie’s live set for the same reasons it suits its place as the intro to his most recent long-player. Listening to it is a soothing experience and when the track drops at Lido, it will feel dreamier than ever; the crowds will be arriving via the claustrophobic streets of East London and there will be no audience more in need of a musical massage! Jamie xx realises that, if he wants his listeners to leave the stress of urban life behind, he needs to offer them a sound that completely juxtaposes the hecticness of the real world. ‘Wanna’ is that sound. Jamie’s crowd might arrive with jumbled minds, but ‘Wanna’ is built to declutter them! The effect is enhanced by the use of samples from tracks we recognise from bygone eras – those samples take us back to a more simple time, when life was less frenetic. Again, The xx legend is helping us to separate ourselves from the mire of daily existence. ‘Wanna’ is a deep breath as much as it is a song and, without that deep breath, we wouldn’t be able to appreciate the upcoming set as much as we will!

2. Charli XCX, ‘Von dutch’

‘Von dutch‘ comes early in Charli XCX’s set and underlines the singer’s desire to PARTY. Her ‘brat’ set is definitely not going to be a slow-build! Time is precious and Charli’s carpe diem spirit is evident in every atom of this era-defining track. So, definitely do not expect to be given time to submerge yourself slowly into Charlotte Emma Aitchison’s bathwater; she is the opposite to Jamie xx, not so much nudging you towards an alternative dimension as shoving you into it. The result is a breathless excitement that reminds us to make the most of life. As far as setting the tone for summer ’25 goes, there couldn’t be a more perfect firestarter than Charli XCX.

3. 070 Shake, Elephant’

‘Elephant‘ comes second in the 070 Shake setlist. Just as on last year’s ‘Petrichor’ album, it follows ‘Sin – and that’s significant in the sense that we are living very much in the singer’s present. This moment is real and relevant in a way it couldn’t be if the songs were being dragged out of an old drawer. There’s a vitality to new material that drags us in and helps bond an audience – we are, after all, sharing the experience of being right here and now. The past is too nuanced, too specific to where we were some time ago and who we were back then. Also significant is the fact that ‘Elephant’ is much harder than ‘Sin’, and the contrast hints at the rollercoaster to follow. 070 Shake isn’t going to give us the same song over and over – as a result, we feel compelled to stay tuned for every moment. We don’t want to miss a thing!

4. Dua Lipa, ‘Houdini’

It feels fitting that pop powerhouse Dua Lipa finish her set with ‘Houdini‘. “I come and I go” she sings, and “Catch me or I go” – the fleetingness inherent in those lyrics is underlined by the fact that, as soon as the song ends, she will indeed very much be gone. In this context, then, there’s something extra truthful – almost meta – about the lyrics, and the actuality of her disappearing skills encourages us to think further about what they’re significant of. Why does she need to disappear? Why is she is so well-practised at vanishing into thin air? Possibly, it’s all a comment on the female position, the ‘box’ women have been forced into across time, the same ‘box’ that women have – by necessaity – of course become experts in negotiating. If the song really is so layered with meaning, that only underlines the importance of it being performed last. We need time once it’s finished to digest the deeper messages, and there is no way we would have that opportunity to process if Dua Lipa followed on with another song which – like all her songs do – demanded our absolute attention!!

5. YUNGBLUD, ‘Hello Heaven, Hello’ or ’21st Century Liability’

It’s the beginning of June and Sound of Pen favourite, YUNGBLUD, hasn’t played in a while so it’s not exactly clear how his set later this month will play out. ‘Hello Heaven, Hello‘ will kick ‘Idols’ off and it feels like that track would make an impressive set opener too. Usually, though, the singer ignites his live shows with something much faster: ’21st Century Liability’, ‘Strawberry Lipstick’ and ‘superdeadfriends’ have all served as regular curtain-raisers. If he begins Bludfest with the epic ‘Hello…’, it really could be read as some kind of turning point. So far, YUNGBLUD’s full-throttle, hyperactive approach to music has spoken loudly for the way he sees the world- he’s been shouting to get attention. Now that he’s got that attention, maybe he feels as if delivering more considered, contemplative pieces suit his complex subject matter better. Or perhaps, in the style of old, he’ll just go bonkers from the second he hits that Bludfest stage! Such an approach would make sense – especially given how long it’s been since Doncaster’s greatest ever superstar last played a full show. He and audience alike have a lot of bottled-up energy. A hectic intro would allow us to fully unleash!

6. Tate McRae, ‘you broke me first’

Tate McRae’s more recent material may be – in some ways – more dazzling than her earlier output. But ‘you broke me first‘ captures the popstar at her rawest and, half a decade on (hang on, isn’t Tate still only 21-years-old?!) from its release, it remains one of her most affecting tracks. It makes sense that the Canadian singer has positioned this song so near to the centre of her most recent setlists. Why? Well, firstly, it’s clear that the track comes straight from her heart and so it feels only right that it should be situated at the heart of her set. Also, given the fact that ‘you broke me first’ highlights her more vulnerable side, it seems appropriate too that she ‘hides’ the track in the middle of the set. Looked at that way, the other fiercer tracks, then, become like armour, protecting this early version of Tate from outside influences. Or maybe it’s worth considering that when ‘you broke me first’ arrives, it simply serves as a reminder that the younger Tate still exists and that, no matter how we grow, it’s inevitable that the previous versions of ourselves will still show themselves. Our current version of ourselves may dominate the space we live in just as Tate’s more recent music dominates her setlist, but we are not brand new people in each moment, we are extensions of the individuals we have always been and ‘you broke me first’ reminds us of this fact!

7. PVRIS, ‘GODDESS’

The indomitable PVRIS have a lot to teach us about structure. By finishing each night with ‘GODDESS’, they ensure we leave their show feeling our most confident. Yes, many of the songs precursing it in the set might take us through the darkness that permeates modern existence, but the outcome of the journey is not depressing. Why? Because PVRIS don’t sing about the murkiness in a way that makes it feel non-negotiable. Yes, they do note the difficulty inherent in facing life’s inkier moments, but more importantly they emphasise the strength that we gather as a result of making our way through the blackness. Those heavy moments in life – as detailed throughout a PVRIS set – might weigh us down but ultimately they serve as a work-out, making us tougher and more resilient in the long-term. And the stronger we get, the more godlike we feel! We can survive anything! The message that “I’m a goddess” would definitely not feel so true if PVRIS had opened with it. We need to experience the battle if we’re going to be able to savour the sensation of victory.

8. Julia Wolf, ‘Loser’

The noisy ‘Loser’ is intense and chaotic – very much like the feelings that inhabit all of Julia Wolf’s songs. So, in setting the tone of the whole set, ‘Loser’ does an excellent job. We are immediately caught up in Wolf’s whirlwind and as a result we empathise with her more absolutely and easily. The fact that the singer establishes a sense of turbulence from the get-go is important, too, because it underlines how hard it is for her to escape the tumultous nature of things. The songs that follow pretty much all highlight how unsettled and stormy life can get, and it’s the cyclical routine of things that really underline how trapped Wolf is by the challenges she faces. If she started her set in a way that was less severe, the effect of the whole performance would be diminished – if she opened with a brighter track, she would be implying the presence of a brightness that she might be able to find her way back to. But she wants us to understand that, no matter which way she looks, there is no way out from the tornado. Just as the set is built on top of ‘Loser’ so her life is built on mayhem. Oh, and also the noise of this song makes it a great attention-grabber – it demands our attention. Just the kind of song, then, that an artist wants to begin their set with; a singer wants you to listen to their music and this song will certainly make sure you notice that Julia Wolf has arrived!

9. Cyan Kicks, ‘Don’t You Say I Didn’t Warn You’

Cyan Kicks don’t do laidback and they certainly aren’t shy. ‘Don’t You Say I Didn’t Warn You‘ is evidence enough of that. And as an opening track, it works – setting the band’s stall out in the clearest terms possible. Their kaleidoscopic pop metal will upset anyone who takes themselves too seriously and the rest of us are grateful that the Finnish outfit don’t make any attempt to hide their Eurovision leanings – let’s clear the field of anyone who’s not going to throw themselves into the spirit of things AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. So, yes, a a great starting track because it establishes the band’s character in such absolute terms – we know immediately whether we’re on their side or not!

10. RORY, ‘BLOSSOM’

‘BLOSSOM‘ makes for the perfect finale not just to RORY’s set, but to this whole structure session. The track reflects on all the trauma detailed in the songs positioned earlier in her set – songs which help us understand where the inspiring RORY has come from. And it’s only in light of all the hurt she’s experienced that we can really understand the resilience underpinning her final statement, that she will: “bloom”. ‘BLOSSOM’, then, works so well as this session’s concluding message. Yes, we will suffer and, yes, we will bruise, but in the end we WILL overcome. This is the lesson that underpins both RORY’s music and the Sound of Pen project: the fog may be dense, but the light is waiting and we WILL find it. We just wouldn’t be so absolutely convinced by this message if RORY had delivered it at the start of her set. The song feels way more truthful because of the context she establishes in advance of its delivery. Also important is the fact that the song doesn’t just serve as an ending, but as a doorway to another chapter. We want to see what happens when she does “bloom”! We feel hopeful and excited.

ACTIVITY 2

Look at the opening, the middle and finish of any text you’re studying. Pick one key moment and explain exactly why it works so well in its position at the start, centre or end.

Obviously, you can do the same task for any number of moments. Perhaps aim to create a ‘top ten’ chart as I have done below

You don’t have to consider the entire text. Perhaps focus on the journey of one character. Focus on the first moment they appear or the time at which that particular character’s narrative concludes.

Now, have a look at this Julia Wolf class.