Eurosonic Day 2: Dutch Courage

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Groningen’s Grand Theatre sits bang in the centre of town, its high sign helping to orientate the folornly lost.

The crazy continues in Groningen, as the city reacts to the news that 2013 European Border Breakers Awards winner Emeli Sandé has been nominated for three Brit Awards by, well, soldiering bravely on. Eurosonic performer Jake Bugg grabbed a nomination too, so no doubt tomorrow’s pictures will feature him quaffing champers from a stray winklepicker. Onwards, anyway.

Guerilla street performances are de rigueur this year as ever – you can barely move without running into an emoting indie-popper.

Local luminaries The Kyteman Orchestra break ground on the huge Air stage that appeared overnight in the town square.

The singer from cheerfully uncategorisable Finns Don Johnson Big Band pulls shapes like William Shatner on Family Guy.

Faroese doom metallers Hamfer∂ play an updated 17th-century dirge while dressed as the wedding band of your nightmares.

Before her voice gives out, Estonian uber-pop Smurf IIris showcases a wildly seesawing attitude to genre.

This picture doesn’t quite do justice to LCMDF’s Byker Grove chic – or their gleefully demented dancing.

All the wristbands in the world couldn’t get us in to Chvrches till their finale, cast-iron future hit ‘The Mother We Share’

Words by Charlie Ivens, photographs by Sebastien Dehesdin