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Diary Dates
Bar Stool Preachers – Friday 8 December
O2 Academy Leicester
“Mixing the ska-punk dexterity of prime time Rancid with the socialist sensibilities of the Newton Neurotics or Angelic Upstarts” – Purerawk.com. Bar Stool Preachers are a fresh Punk and Ska band straight out of Brighton. They make intelligent punk anthems and poignant, unsentimental love songs.
The Members – Friday 8 December
Duffys
Formed in 1977 The Members are not a hardcore band – they play UK 1977 style punk, post punk and Reggae and they were one of the first punk groups to successfully incorporate Reggae into their set. Their biggest hit, the million selling, ‘Sound of the Suburbs’, has appeared on TV commercials and movies all over the world and is an instantly recognisable punk anthem. Their single ‘Offshore Banking Business’ is as pertinent today as it was 30 years ago.
SOFY – Friday 8 December
The Y Theatre
Leicester-raised artist, SOFY, picked up a pen and started work on her collection of songs in 2021, throwing herself headfirst into music after being placed on furlough. Her hip-hop inspired indie-pop bops quickly earned her recognition among top industry tastemakers such as Clara Amfo, Jess Iszatt, & Gemma Bradley. SOFY was runner up in the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge’s nationwide talent search following over 10,000+ applicants – selected as the most promising new artist in London, with over 4,000 entries from the capital alone – and now counts the likes of YUNGBLUD, Sam Fender, Arlo Parks, and Tom Grennan among her fans.
Hardwicke Circus – Saturday 9 December
The Soundhouse
A rock ‘n’ roll band collective hailing from England, Scotland and Finland. They play indie rock with a confident swagger that somehow manages to channel the post Altamont malevolence of the Stones and broodiness of the Doors into a modern indie vibe, a-la Futureheads and Vampire Weekend.
Xmas with Fleetwood Bac – Friday 15 December
The Y Theatre
Fleetwood Bac, The World’s #1 Fleetwood Mac Tribute, come to The Y Theatre Leicester for a very special Xmas Show including for the first time ever a Stevie Nicks Solo Section.
Slade – Friday 15 December
O2 Academy Leicester
With their unique blend of perfect pop-rock’n’roll, outrageous flamboyance and pure fun, and no less than 23 Top-20 singles of which 6 were No.1 smash hits plus 6 smash albums, Slade have become a firm favourite in the hearts of pop fans all over the world. The current touring band of Slade is: Russell Keefe – Vocals, Keyboards Dave Hill – Guitar, Vocals John Berry – Vocals, Bass, Violin Alex Bines – Drums
The Twang – Saturday 16 December
O2 Academy Leicester
Birmingham indie-rock five piece The Twang first found national fame when the NME wrote an article of the West Midlands music scene, and were very soon picking up awards, covered by a Radio 1 documentary and smashing the charts. Their success story includes three UK top 40 singles and two top 20 albums, with their debut ‘Love It When I Feel Like This’ reaching no.3.
Joolsmas – Saturday 23 December
Duffy’s
Jools are returning to the birthplace of the band for a one-off Christmas special. Expect outrageous outfits and maybe even a Jools cover or two from this post-punk rock six piece.
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PREVIEW: New Music Showcase at 2Funky Music Cafe
2Funky Arts are wrapping up their 2nd round of Project LIVE – a 4-month artist development programme- with a new music showcase at 2Funky Music Café, on Tuesday 12th December. Following the success of their earlier Project Live showcase, this event will introduce the newest selection of emerging local talent, who will perform fresh, original material alongside a live band.
These artists have been working passionately to create new tracks across Black music genres, that showcase their art, their creativity, and their voices. They have been extremely busy with regular rehearsal sessions, as well as developing other areas of their craft through masterclasses, networking, recording sessions, and performance opportunities.
With help and mentoring from Musical Director Lisa Millett (Royal Academy of Music graduate), artists are now ready to take their music to the next level, showcasing their versatility and skills. Previous participants have included Queen Milz, who combines raw vocals, heavy beats, infectious hooks & rebellious lyrics. Testament, in part, to our impact, she is currently rising fast, with major exposure on 1Xtra, BBC & the international festival circuit.
Expect exciting live performances at this event by the following artists:
- Lady Affirmation,
- Blue Celestial,
- Maakhe,
- T 0 Soul,
- Chantelle Marquez,
- Dulzo The Great,
- Diegolations
2Funky Arts Director Vijay Mistry says:
“We are always amazed by the incredible level of talent that comes through Project LIVE. With each round, we discover more and more amazing artists who are ready to take the first step towards a professional music career”.
This project is supported using public funding by Arts Council England.
Grab your tickets HERE.
Date – Tuesday 12th December
Time – 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm
Location – 2Funky Music Café, New Park St, Leicester, LE3 5NH
Caribbean Food will also be available to purchase on the night.
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WEEKLY PLAYLIST
On this week’s playlist you can take a listen to some of the acts that you can see live in Leicester over the coming weeks.
Have a listen and get in touch to tell us which tracks you’re loving.