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About Me

I am a third-year Politics student at the University of Sheffield. I am currently the Music Editor for the University of Sheffield's independent student newspaper, Forge Press, having previously been a contributor. A selection of my articles can be found in the section below. 

As well as for Forge Press, I have helped create a new Sheffield-based Culture magazine, the Jarred Up Magazine, where I am in charge of content, as well as writing my own articles. I have also written articles for a number of other local Sheffield publications, including Pink Wafer. 

Relevant CV Info

- Music Editor, Forge Press (April 2022 - June 2023)

- Contributor, Forge Press (September 2021 - April 2022)

- Media & Events Officer, Music Culture Society (April 2022 - July 2023)

- Lead Editor, Jarred Up Magazine (September 2022 -)

Contact Info

E-Mail: 

- charliessweeney@gmail.com

- charlie@jarreduphq.com

Featured Articles

Explore a featured selection of my writing work below. The rest of my articles can be found here.

Jarred Up •

My problem with West Street

If you ask anyone who lives in Sheffield, and is under the ages of 27 (or, sometimes, for whatever reason, over the age of 40) where they go on a night out, chances are they say West Street. That infamous road. That beacon of barbarity, that memorial to immorality. West Street is the whole of Sheffield’s nightlife encapsulated. It is a Saturday night. It is where students, Hallam and Uni of alike, are truly born. It is where you go to get pissed, to get bladdered, to get absolutely mortal. And i
Forge Press •

#WeCantLoseLeadmill: What The Leadmill means to us

On the 31st March it was announced that The Leadmill was facing eviction. The potential closure of this historic Sheffield landmark was, obviously, met with a huge outcry of sadness, and there is currently a campaign to try and prevent the eviction of The Leadmill.

To show our support for The Leadmill, as well as to emphasise how important of a venue it is to so many, we asked a few contributors to share some words about this historic music venue:

There is a tendency within music for us to myt
Forge Press •

Live Review: Richard Hawley @ The Leadmill

Is there anyone as truly ‘Sheffield’ as Richard Hawley? Sure, he might not have had the worldwide success experienced by, say, Alex Turner, but if there is one man who truly embodies the spirit of the Steel City, it’s Richard Hawley. The man bleeds Hendo’s. He’s best mates with Pete McKee. He’s still a Wednesday fan. Richard Hawley is Sheffield.

So when he announced he would be doing what was originally a 2-day (but later, due to the insane popularity of the event, extended to a 4-day) residenc
Forge Press •

Interview: Sheffield's most exciting up-and-coming band? In conversation with Minds Idle

From only having a single EP before the first lockdown to playing The Leadmill on the 25th June, local band Minds Idle are seemingly going from strength to strength. We even chose the band’s newest single, Spaceman, for our inaugural Sheffield Spotlight! It seems clear that, for Minds Idle, similarly to the eponymous Astronaut from their most recent single, the only way to go is up.

We spoke to three members of the band a few weeks ago to find out more about one of Sheffield’s most exciting up-
Forge Press •

Paul Tuffs: Sheffield's music cornerstone

From Arctic Monkeys’ first gig to setting up new live music venue ‘Sidney&Matilda’, Paul Tuffs is a veritable Sheffield music legend

If you speak to any band, singer, or other musician from Sheffield over the last twenty or so years, they will all mention a name. A singular figure who has seemingly helped every single local band, in some capacity. He has been a mainstay and a foundational block of the Sheffield music scene for many years. Paul Tuffs basically is the Sheffield music scene. He ag
Forge Press •

Bored faces all wishing they weren’t here?

Despite being the Steel City, I’d argue that if you were to ask anyone the first thing they think of when asked about Sheffield, most of the time they’d say Arctic Monkeys. Or Pulp. Or just Jarvis Cocker. Music is as important to the cultural identity of Sheffield these days as the steel industry was previously. The Leadmill is consistently ranked as one of the best music venues in the country, where playing is a ‘rite of passage for any band worth their salt’, as Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinan
Forge Press •

Review: Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There

Ants From Up There might be one of the best albums I’ve ever listened to.

If I could limit my review to a sentence that would be it; it is quite simply spectacular.

Released 364 days after their critically acclaimed debut album For The First Time, Black Country, New Road have followed it with an absolute masterpiece.

Intro, as the name would suggest, introduces Ants From Up There; a 54 second instrumental track which sets the theatrical tone of the rest of the album. The first proper song, ‘C
Forge Press •

Tramlines 2022: a masterclass in musical mediocrity?

I, like many, was anxiously refreshing the Tramlines twitter page on the 10th November, desperate to see the line-up for the 2022 festival. Could they somehow manage the seemingly impossible task of topping acts like The Kooks, Blossoms and Royal Blood welcoming in the first festival of the post-covid era last summer? Could they top the magnificent range of performances, from Sundara’s electric set at t’Other Stage, to Dizzee Rascal (and a special appearance by Tramlines Security) performing Bas